GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 1199
Committee Substitute Favorable 5/22/97

Short Title:  Monetary Incentive/Acad. Excellence.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors:

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  

─────────────────────────────────────── 

May 1, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE MONETARY INCENTIVES FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

"ARTICLE 35A.
"State Funds to Encourage Academic Excellence.
"§ 115C-496.  State funds to pay advancement costs.
Since it is the desire of the State to encourage academic excellence and to encourage high school students to take more demanding classes, the State Board of Education shall pay the cost of the Advanced Placement exam for any student who takes  and completes an Advanced Placement class with a passing grade.
"§ 115C-496.1.  Funds prorated for part-time students attending high school.
The State Board of Education shall include students who are enrolled in a public high school but attend classes for less than one-half of the instructional day when calculating the average daily membership for a local school administrative unit.  The State Board shall use funds available from the Public School Fund to allocate to the local school administrative unit an appropriate pro rata amount for these part time students.
"§ 115C-496.2. State pays tuition for high school student taking college classes.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a student who is eligible to attend a public high school completes the student's high school course requirements prior to completing 12 years of schooling (not including kindergarten and prekindergarten if applicable) and enrolls in a college level class or classes at an institution of higher education, the State Board of Education shall pay for the student's tuition at the institution of higher education.  The amount set aside for payment of tuition shall be the amount that would have been allocated to the local school administrative unit for the student to complete 12 years of schooling (not including kindergarten and prekindergarten if applicable) in the public schools.  These funds may be used to pay tuition at any nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education that the student may choose to attend for up to four years of instruction.  Funds set aside but not expended for the payment of tuition shall not revert during the four years of instruction.
Should a student not complete all high school graduation requirements but be advanced in certain subjects to the point that university or community college courses would be more beneficial than those available at the student's high school, the normal allotment to the local school administrative unit shall be apportioned based upon the amount of instructional time taken in the local school administrative unit and the local school administrative unit shall receive funds for the portion of the day that the student attends class in the public school.  The balance of the funds shall be used to pay tuition at an institution of higher education to the extent that funds are available after payment to the local school administrative unit."
Section 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of four million six hundred eighty-seven thousand two hundred twelve dollars ($4,687,212) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of four million nine hundred seventy-four thousand six hundred forty dollars ($4,974,640) for the 1998-99 fiscal year to assist with the costs of taking the Advanced Placement tests, including the costs of the exams, materials and supplies for the exam, and the education of teachers who instruct and prepare students for the exam.
Section 3.  Except as provided otherwise, this act becomes effective July 1, 1997.  G.S. 115C-496.1 and G.S. 115C-496.2 shall become effective July 1, 1998.  The State Board of Education shall develop policies for implementing this act.