A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT directing the joint legislative education oversight committee to study alternative schools.
Whereas, an average of one in 10 North Carolina students receives a short‑term out‑of‑school suspension each year; and
Whereas, during the 2006‑2007 school year, there were a total of 308,010 short‑term suspensions resulting in a loss of between 924,030 and 1,540,050 instructional days; and
Whereas, during the  2006‑2007 school year, a disproportionate number of short‑term out‑of‑school suspensions were received by African‑American, American Indian, ninth graders, and special education students; and 
Whereas, similar patterns are seen with long‑term suspensions, which are suspensions of 11 days or more; and
Whereas, during the 2006‑2007 school year, there were a total of 4,682 long‑term suspensions resulting in more than 50,000 days of lost instructional time; and
Whereas, young people who are suspended from school are at an increased risk of poor academic performance, being less connected to the school setting, dropping out of school and becoming involved in the juvenile justice, criminal justice, and mental health systems; and
Whereas, encouraging connectedness to school and focusing on those at risk of being suspended or expelled would undoubtedly improve the outcomes for these children; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee shall study the number of alternative schools that currently exist in North Carolina and how effective those schools are in helping at‑risk students reach academic success. The Committee shall report the results of this study to the 2010 Regular Session of the 2009 General Assembly.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.