K-12 Education Office of Government and Community Affairs Update - Monday, May 3, 2021

North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 05/03/2021 04:25 PM EDT

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State Board of Education Vision: Every public school student in North Carolina will be empowered to accept academic challenges, prepared to pursue their chosen path after graduating high school, and encouraged to become lifelong learners with the capacity to engage in a globally-collaborative society.

State Board of Education Mission: The mission of the North Carolina State Board of Education is to use its constitutional authority to guard and maintain the right of a sound, basic education for every child in North Carolina Public Schools.

Monday, May 3, 2021

Highlights:

President Biden Addresses a Joint Session of Congress - April 28,2021
- Fact Sheet: The American Families Plan
Governor's State of the State Address - April 26, 2021
Senate Appropriations - Base Budget - April 29, 2021
- S172 - Additional COVID-19 Response & Relief
Education bills are getting more traction as we approach the May 13, 2021 Crossover Deadline (The date by which most bills must pass from one chamber to the other chamber to be eligible for consideration for the remainder of the regular session.) Currently, we are tracking over 275 bills affecting K-12 education.
Ten school calendar flexibility bills have passed the House and have been referred to the Senate Rules Committee. This is a first for legislation permitting local calendar flexibility for school districts.

H12	Address Pandemic Learning Loss/Counties.
H77	School Calendar Flexibility/Moore County.
H92	School Calendar Flexibility/Certain LEAs.
H111	School Calendar Flexibility/WSFCS.
H116	School Calendar Flex./Certain School Systems.
H129	Graduations/School Calendar/Certain Counties.
H202	School Calendar Flexibility/Certain Counties.
H319	COVID Impact on Craven County School Calendar.
H376	School Calendar Flexibility.
H396	Address Pandemic Learning Loss/Select Systems.

Freebird McKinney

Director of the Office of Government and Community Affairs

“We Strive and Rise, Together.”

Freebird - Teacher Appreciation Week 2021

Thank-You! Teacher Appreciation Week

May 3-7 is #TeacherAppreciationWeek We've all had that one teacher who has made a difference in our lives and for that we thank you today and every day!

There are not enough words to show our appreciation for everything that you - teachers - do to ensure every child has the opportunity, guidance and encouragement to reach their full potential. You are vital to "Shire Life" and truly making sure that "We Strive and Rise, Together"

Sawubona ~ "I See You"

Message From Superintendent Truitt

Board of Education Highlights

April State Board of Education meeting

Wednesday, April 7th - Agenda
- K - 3 Literacy Update
Thursday, April 8th - Agenda

Called State Board of Education Meeting - Monday, April 19, 2021 - Agenda

Session Law 2021-7 Summer School Guidance and Policy Recommendations
- School Extension Program
- Summer School Guidance and Policy Recommendations
Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Budget Considerations
- ESSER III Funding Categories
- ESSER III Budget Priorities

Upcoming: May State Board of Education Planning Session

Tuesday, May 11th - Wednesday, May 12th - Thursday, May 13th - Agenda
Link to SBE Meetings here.

State Board 2025 Strategic Plan

Legislative Update

Happenings at the Legislature

Legislative Calendar - Link to the current NCGA calendar of committee meetings and sessions

K-12 Education Bills to Watch

Bill:

HB486 - REPLACE EOC WITH NATIONAL ASSESSMENT

An Act to Use a Nationally Recognized Assessment of High School Achievement and College Readiness to Replace the End-Of-Course Tests for Grades Nine Through Twelve and to Establish a New Career Readiness Indicator. BILL SUMMARY

Sponsors:

Elmore (R94); Bell (R10); Hall, K. (R91); Torbett (R108)

Status:

04/29/2021 – S Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate.

Bill:

HB616 - CHARTER REPLICATION ACT

An Act to Remove Certain Barriers Related to Fast-Track Replication of High-Quality Charter Schools.

BILL SUMMARY

Sponsors:

Torbett (R108)

Status:

04/29/2021 – S Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate.

Bill:

SB172 - ADDITIONAL COVID-19 RESPONSE & RELIEF

An Act to Establish the State Fiscal Recovery Reserve and Fund, Coronavirus Capital Projects Reserve and Fund, and Local Fiscal Recovery Reserve and Fund to Maintain Funds Paid to the State from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund; to Appropriate Funds from the Local Fiscal Recovery Fund for Distribution to Nonentitlement Units of Local Government; to Appropriate Certain Federal Grant Funds Provided to the State Under the American Rescue Plan Act; and to Make Technical and Other Changes. BILL SUMMARY

Sponsors:

Jackson, B. (R10); Harrington (R43); Hise (R47)

Status:

04/29/2021 – S Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate.

Bill:

SB654 - K-12 COVID-19 PROVISIONS

An Act to Provide Relief to Public Schools in Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

BILL SUMMARY

Sponsors:

Ballard (R45); Davis, D. (D5); Lee (R9)

Status:

04/29/2021 – S Placed On Cal For 05/04/2021.

Recently Filed K-12 Education Bills

Bill:

HB655 - STATE EMPLOYEES/PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

An Act to Provide Paid Parental Leave to State Employees and Other State-Supported Personnel.

Sponsors:

Logan (D101); Cooper-Suggs (D24); Hawkins (D31); Smith, K. (D8)

Status:

04/26/2021 – House Committee On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

Bill:

HB657 - SCHOOL SAFETY/THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAMS

An Act to Clarify the Application of School Safety Requirements to Public School Units, to Encourage Certain Nonpublic Schools to Take Measures to Improve School Safety, to Require that Threat Assessment Teams be Established at Each Public School Unit, and to Codify the Duties of Threat Assessment Teams. BILL SUMMARY

Sponsors:

Torbett (R108)

Status:

04/27/2021 – House Committee On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

Bill:

HB661 - CC FIRE TRAINING/15 YRS OLD

An Act to Clarify that Qualified Youth Fifteen Years of Age and Older May Enroll in Courses in Fire Training at Community Colleges.

Sponsors:

Moffitt (R117); Pless (R118); Miller (R19); Gillespie (R120)

Status:

04/28/2021 – House Committee On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

Bill:

HB664 - COUNTY SERVICE DISTRICTS/EARLY CHILDHOOD ED

An Act Authorizing Counties to Establish Service Districts to Finance Early Childhood Education Programs.

Sponsors:

Clemmons (D57); Lambeth (R75); Pickett (R93); Lofton (D104)

Status:

04/27/2021 – House Committee On Local Government

Bill:

HB677 - SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY RECOMMENDATION COMM

An Act to Establish a Committee to Create a Graduate Profile and School Accountability System with Multiple Measures for North Carolina Public Schools.

Sponsors:

Clemmons (D57); Elmore (R94); Riddell (R64); Gill (D33)

Status:

04/27/2021 – House Committee On Education - K-12

Bill:

HB681 - CCS/TEACHER IN-STATE TUITION PILOT

An Act to Establish a Teacher Recruitment Pilot Program in Craven County Schools for Out-Of-State Teachers Holding a Residency License to be Charged In-State Tuition at Certain Constituent Institutions of the University of North Carolina.

Sponsors:

Tyson (R3); Shepard (R15)

Status:

04/27/2021 – House Committee On Education - K-12

Bill:

HB711 - BLACK AND NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY EDUCATION

An Act to Integrate Education on Black History and Native American History into the Standard Course of Study.

Sponsors:

Smith, K. (D8)

Status:

04/29/2021 – House Committee On Education - K-12

Bill:

HB729 - CHARTER SCHOOLS OMNIBUS

An Act to Make Changes to the Laws Governing Charter Schools.

Sponsors:

Yarborough (R2); Hardister (R59); Bradford (R98); Brody (R55)

Status:

04/29/2021 – House Committee On Education - K-12

Bill:

HB744 - CC WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/SCHOLARSHIP PILOT

An Act to Establish a Community College Scholarship Pilot Program in Certain Counties to Cover the Cost of Attendance for High School Students Enrolling in Certain Workforce Development Programs.

Sponsors:

Brown (D92); Richardson (D44); Wray (D27); Hunt (D103)

Status:

04/29/2021 – Filed in the House

Bill:

HB749 - HEALTHY STUDENTS - SCHOOL PSYCHS/COVID-19

An Act to Appropriate Funds for the Recruitment and Retention of School Psychologists in Public Schools.

Sponsors:

Ball (D49); Lambeth (R75); Baker, K. (R82); Smith, R. (D21)

Status:

04/29/2021 – Filed in the House

Bill:

HB755 - ACADEMIC TRANSPARENCY

An Act to Ensure Academic Transparency.

Sponsors:

Blackwell (R86); Torbett (R108); Hardister (R59); Elmore (R94)

Status:

04/29/2021 – Filed in the House

FACT SHEET: Elementary And Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II

Office of Elementary & Secondary Education – ESSER Fund

2019-2022 ALLOTMENT POLICY MANUAL Funds Related to Coronavirus/COVID-19

Legislative Update

K-12 Bills that have become Session Law

Chaptered Bills – NCGA Link

Session Law

Title

Ch. SL 2021-1

S36 (= H42)

2020 COVID Relief Bill Modifications. Sponsors: B. Jackson; Harrington; Hise

Modifies the State COVID-19 relief legislation in light of the additional federal legislation and guidance. – Bill Summary

Ch. SL 2021-3

H196 (= S172)

2021 COVID-19 Response & Relief. Sponsors: Faircloth; Bumgardner; K. Hall; Strickland

Modifications to Covid-19 relief legislation and provides additional appropriations for the expenditure of Federal Covid-19 pandemic relief funds.

Ch. SL 2021-4

S220

The Reopen Our Schools Act of 2021. Sponsors: Ballard; Lee; Hise

Provides access to In-Person learning for students in grades kindergarten through twelve.

– Bill Summary

Ch. SL 2021-6

H356

Speaker/PPT Appointments 2021. Sponsors: D. Hall

The Honorable Deanna Ballard of Watauga County is appointed to the Education Commission of the States for a term expiring on December 31, 2022.

Todd Godbey of New Hanover County is appointed to the Charter Schools Advisory Board for a term expiring on June 30, 2021, to fill the unexpired term of Jeanette Butterworth.

Ch SL 2021-7

H82

Summer Learning Choice for NC Families. Sponsors: Moore; Elmore; Torbett; Zenger

Establish School Extension Learning Recovery and Enrichment Programs in Each Local School Administrative Unit to Mitigate the Impacts of Covid-19 on At-Risk Students. – Bill Summary

Ch SL 2021-8

S387

Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021. Sponsors: Berger; Ballard; Lee

Modifies the implementation of the North Carolina Read to Achieve Program in order to attain statewide reading proficiency by the third grade. – Bill Summary

Ch SL 2021-9

H53

Educ. Changes for Military-Connected Students. Sponsors: Cleveland; Bell; Martin

Authorizes student attendance in a Local School Administrative Unit for children of Active Duty Military due to the military orders of the parent. – Bill Summary

Useful Information

This section includes details pertaining to acronyms and bill information referenced throughout the K-12 Education Legislative Update newsletters.

Biennium- A two-year term of legislative activity

Public Bill- Legislation enacted into law that applies to the public at large

Local Bill- Legislation put into law that has limited application (How many counties)- Local bills do not have to be signed by the governor

Sponsor- The legislator who presents a bill or resolution for consideration

Resolution- A document that expresses the sentiment or intent of the legislature or a chamber. Resolutions, when finalized, go to the Secretary of State

Glossary of Legislative Terms- LINK

DPI = NC Department of Public Instruction

LEA = Local Education Agency

NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly

LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building

SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education

HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill

JR = Joint Resolution

SL = Session Law

GS = General Statute

PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute

“State of the Shire”— Community Affairs Update

District Visits and Voices

“We Strive and Rise, Together.”

Pictured (L to R)

Freebird McKinney, Director of Legislative and Community Affairs | Twitter
Julie Paige Pittman, Special Advisor to the Superintendent: Teacher Engagement | Twitter
Tabari Wallace, Special Advisor to the Superintendent: Principal Engagement | Twitter

OFFICE OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONTACT INFORMATION:

Freebird McKinney – Director of Legislative and Community Affairs | 984-236-2248
- Follow Freebird McKinney on Twitter | Facebook | District Visits & Voices

Anne Murtha – Legislative Specialist | 984-236-2256

Follow Catherine Truitt on Social Media: Facebook | Twitter

To view previous Weekly Legislative Updates click here.

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