GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
H	1
HOUSE BILL 1198
     

 
Short Title:	Teachers' Duty to Prepare Portfolios Limited.	()	
Sponsors:	Representatives Shubert;  Brubaker and Harrington.	
Referred to:	Education.	
April 12, 2001

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to limit the number of portfolios that teachers are required to prepare.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑296(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	(See Note) It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to maintain the highest quality teacher education programs and school administrator programs in order to enhance the competence of professional personnel certified in North Carolina. To the end that teacher preparation programs are upgraded to reflect a more rigorous course of study, the State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination and cooperation with the University Board of Governors, the Board of Community Colleges and such other public and private agencies as are necessary, shall continue to refine the several certification requirements, standards for approval of institutions of teacher education, standards for institution‑based innovative and experimental programs, standards for implementing consortium‑based teacher education, and standards for improved efficiencies in the administration of the approved programs. The certification program shall provide for initial certification after completion of preservice training, continuing certification after three years of teaching experience, and certificate renewal every five years thereafter.
The State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and any other public and private agencies as necessary, shall continue to raise standards for entry into teacher education programs.
The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate and develop enhanced requirements for continuing certification. The new requirements shall reflect more rigorous standards for continuing certification and to the extent possible shall be aligned with quality professional development programs that reflect State priorities for improving student achievement. 
The State Board of Education, in consultation with local boards of education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall reevaluate and enhance the requirements for renewal of teacher certificates. The State Board shall consider modifications in the certificate renewal achievement and to make it a mechanism for teachers to renew continually their knowledge and professional skills. The State Board shall adopt new standards for the renewal of teacher certificates by May 15, 1998.
Effective July 1, 2001, teachers shall not be required to prepare or submit portfolios for continuing certification at the State level or for renewal of teacher certificates at the State level. Also, portfolios shall not be used in the State certification process. The standards for approval of institutions of teacher education shall require that teacher education programs for students who do not major in special education include demonstrated competencies in the identification and education of children with learning disabilities. The State Board of Education shall incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with G.S. 116‑74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program into its school administrator program approval standards.
All North Carolina institutions of higher education that offer teacher education programs, masters degree programs in education, or masters degree programs in school administration shall provide performance reports to the State Board of Education. The performance reports shall follow a common format, shall be submitted according to a plan developed by the State Board, and shall include the information required under the plan developed by the State Board."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑307 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"§ 115C‑307.  Duties of teachers.
…
(i)	To Produce Portfolios for Some Students. — A teacher may prepare a portfolio of a student's work if the teacher determines that it will benefit the student to do so. A teacher shall not be required to prepare portfolios for any students except for students with special needs. Any portfolio of a student's work that is prepared by a teacher shall be shared with the student's parent or guardian."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.