A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the Joint Legislative Education oversight committee to study all aspects of the practice of school social work in North Carolina.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee shall study all aspects of the practice of school social work in North Carolina. The Committee shall focus on:
(1)	The ratio of students to social work staff members;
(2)	The Department of Public Instruction's licensure requirements for school social workers;
(3)	How counties and local school administrative units make decisions about hiring social work staff;
(4)	The role of regional licensing bodies in comparison to that of the Department of Public Instruction;
(5)	The need to create consistency in licensure with regard to education to ensure that only degreed social workers become licensed;
(6)	The role of school social work in the Department of Public Instruction and the need for a dedicated staff member within the Department to oversee the practice; and
(7)	Any other issues the Committee deems relevant.
The Committee shall report the results of the study to the 2010 Regular Session of the 2009 General Assembly.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.