GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001

HOUSE BILL 15
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT TO AMENd the definition of a school system  and amend the recommended school classifications BY adding the definition of THE TERM "MIDDLE SCHOOL".

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑74 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑74.  School system defined.
The school system of each local school administrative unit shall consist of 12 years of study or grades, and shall be graded on the basis of a school year of not less than nine months. Schools within the system may be organized in the discretion of the local board of education. "
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑75 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑75.  Recommended school classification.
(a)	The different types of public schools are classified and defined as follows:
(1)	An "elementary school" is a school that includes all or part of the first through eighth grade and that may have a kindergarten or other early childhood program.
(2)	A "high school" is a school that includes all or part of grades nine through 12 and that offers at least the minimum high school course of study prescribed by the State Board of Education.
	(4)	A "junior high school" is a school that includes all or part of grades seven through nine.(4a)	A "middle school" is a school that includes all or part of grades six through nine.
(5)	A "senior high school" is a school that includes the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades.
(6)	A "union school" is a school that includes elementary, middle, and high school grades.
(b)	The school classifications in subsection (a) of this section are recommendations only and do not prohibit local boards of education from classifying schools in other ways."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C‑239 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑239.  Authority of local boards of education.
Each local board of education is hereby authorized to acquire, own, lease, contract and operate school buses for the transportation of pupils enrolled in the public schools of such local school administrative unit, and of persons employed in the operation of such schools in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Education under the authority of G.S. 115C‑12(17) and within the limitations set forth in G.S. 115C‑239 to 115C‑246, 115C‑248 to 115C‑254 and 115C‑256 to 115C‑259. Boards of education which own and operate school buses for the transportation of pupils shall have authority to establish separate systems of transportation for pupils attending elementary schools and for pupils attending  middle schools, junior high schools, or senior high schools. Each such board may operate such buses to and from such of the schools within the local school administrative unit, and in such number, as the board shall from time to time find practicable and appropriate for the safe, orderly and efficient transportation of such pupils and employees to such schools."
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2001.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 10th day of May, 2001.

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		 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

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		 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

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		 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2001