A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for expanding job and career-oriented youth organizations in the north carolina public schools.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction the sum of three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) for the 2010‑2011 fiscal year. These funds shall be used by the Department of Public Instruction to expand and support youth organizations which are based on curricula providing training for job and career opportunities. These funds shall be equally divided among the following eligible youth organizations:
(1)	FBLA ‑ Business and Information Technology.
(2)	FCCLA ‑ Family and Consumer Sciences.
(3)	FFA ‑ Agricultural Education.
(4)	DECA – Marketing.
(5)	HOSA ‑ Health Occupations.
(6)	TSA – Technology.
(7)	Skills USA – Trade and Industrial.
SECTION 1.(b)  These funds shall be used to develop, implement, and evaluate new and expanded activities in youth organizations at the local education agency level on a competitive grant basis. The Department of Public Instruction, in cooperation with the State Board of Education and the Agriculture Education Coordinator at North Carolina State University, shall develop appropriate competitive grant applications to be used by local education agencies and local youth organizations and their advisors. The State Agricultural Education Coordinator shall have the authority to develop and approve grant applications for FFA‑Agricultural Education in cooperation with Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education. Local applications must be approved by local education agencies and local boards of education prior to submission to Department of Public Instruction or the Agriculture Education Coordinator. Grant applications may include:
(1)	Starting new programs.
(2)	Expanding programs.
(3)	Expanding and creating new pathways of job involvement with agriculture, business, and industry.
(4)	Assisting with job training and placement.
(5)	Providing job related citizenship and leadership skills.
(6)	Providing materials and supplies.
(7)	Providing membership dues or fees for students who qualify for poverty programs on the same basis as the public school free lunch and reduced cost lunch programs.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2010‑2011 fiscal year for summer and after-school activities sponsored by the FFA and Agricultural Education.  These funds shall be administered by the State Agricultural Education Coordinator in cooperation with the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. The programs shall operate on a competitive grant basis, and applications may include those items listed in Section 1 of this act. In addition, emphasis will be placed on:
(1)	Improving and expanding summer supervised agricultural experience programs.
(2)	Expanding summer study programs involving students.
(3)	Including students eligible for poverty programs on the same basis as the public free lunch and reduced cost lunch program.
SECTION 3.  The Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education will report annually to the North Carolina General Assembly on status of all programs described in this act.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2010.