A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation to study alternative schools.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation shall study:
(1)	The impact of short- and long-term suspension and expulsion on dropout and graduation rates;
(2)	The impact of disparities in short- and long-term suspension and expulsion rates between schools and local school administrative units on the dropout and graduation rates;
(3)	The feasibility of mandating alternative schools and learning programs for suspended and expelled students and potential impact on dropout and graduation rates;
(4)	The feasibility of and options for incentives for teachers and principals to keep students in the school learning environment;
(5)	The costs of the current alternative school and learning settings and their impact on educational outcomes;
(6)	Best practices and recommendations for parental notification and involvement in the suspension and expulsion process; and
(7)	The effectiveness of our current laws, practices, and procedures.
The Commission shall report the results of its study to the Regular 2010 Session of the 2009 General Assembly.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.