GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1271*

Short Title:  Pilot Program/Add'l. School Days.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senator Lee.

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Referred to:  Education/Higher Education.

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May 27, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM TO ADD INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS AND INCREASE FLEXIBILITY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The State Board of Education shall develop a pilot program to add instructional days and increase flexibility in selected public schools.  The State Board shall receive applications for participation in the pilot program from local boards of education and may select up to 10 schools to participate for terms of up to five years.  The State Board shall give preference to applications from local boards for schools that have been designated as low-performing within two years of the date of application.  Schools that are selected to participate in the pilot program shall provide at least 20 additional instructional days, 110 additional instructional hours, and shall employ their instructional staff for a term of 12 months.  Pilot program schools also shall be exempt from most statutes and rules applicable to a local board of education or a local school administrative unit except the following:  Part 3 of Article 8B of Chapter 115C; G.S. 115C-325; and the teacher salary schedule.  Furthermore, employees at a pilot program school shall receive the same State-funded employee benefits as other employees of the local school administrative unit.  Local boards of education shall not assign instructional staff to a pilot program school unless the staff member consents to the assignment.  A local board of education that sponsors a pilot program school shall report to the State Board at least twice during the term of the pilot regarding whether the increased amount of instructional time, the increased flexibility, or both have contributed to increased student performance.
Section 2.  The General Assembly encourages the Governor to include recurring funds in the 1999-2000 budget to implement this program.
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.