A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require that North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University be selected to participate in the north carolina teaching fellows program as a constituent institution designated as a Historically Black University, to reinstate education‑based salary supplements for certain school employees, TO fund professional development consistent with the proposal of the governor, and TO establish the master teacher PILOT program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. north carolina teaching fellows program
SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 116‑209.62 reads as rewritten:
"§ 116‑209.62.  North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program established; administration.
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(f)	Program Selection Criteria. – The Authority shall administer the Program in cooperation with six institutions of higher education with approved educator preparation programs selected by the Commission that represent both postsecondary constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and private postsecondary institutions operating in the State. The Commission shall select North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as a constituent institution designated as a historically black university to participate in the Program. For the selection of the remaining five institutions of higher education, the Commission shall adopt stringent standards to identify other effective educator preparation programs, including the following:
(1)	Demonstrates high rates of educator effectiveness on value‑added models and teacher evaluations, including using performance‑based, subject‑specific assessment and support systems, such as edTPA or other metrics of evaluating candidate effectiveness that have predictive validity.
(2)	Demonstrates measurable impact of prior graduates on student learning, including impact of graduates teaching in STEM or special education licensure areas.
(3)	Demonstrates high rates of graduates passing exams required for teacher licensure.
(4)	Provides curricular and co‑curricular enhancements in leadership, facilitates learning for diverse learners, and promotes community engagement, classroom management, and reflection and assessment.
(5)	Requires at least a minor concentration of study in the subject area that the candidate may teach.
(6)	Provides early and frequent internship or practical experiences, including the opportunity for participants to perform practicums in diverse school environments.
(7)	Is approved by the State Board of Education as an educator preparation program.
(g)	Awards of Forgivable Loans. – The Program shall provide forgivable loans to selected students to be used at the six selected institutions for completion of a program leading to teacher licensure as follows:
(1)	North Carolina high school seniors. – Forgivable loans of up to eight thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($8,250) per year for up to four years.
(2)	Students applying for transfer to a selected educator preparation program at an institution of higher education. – Forgivable loans of up to eight thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($8,250) per year for up to three years.
(3)	Individuals currently holding a bachelor's degree seeking preparation for teacher licensure. – Forgivable loans of up to eight thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($8,250) per year for up to two years.
(4)	Students matriculating at institutions of higher education who are changing to enrollment in a selected educator preparation program. – Forgivable loans of up to eight thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($8,250) per year for up to two years.
Forgivable loans may be used for tuition, fees, and the cost of books.
…."
SECTION 1.(b)  This section is effective when it becomes law and applies to the award of forgivable loans beginning with the 2019‑2020 academic year.

part ii. reinstate education‑based salary supplements for certain school employees
SECTION 2.(a)  Section 8.22 of S.L. 2013‑360, as amended by Section 8.3 of S.L. 2014‑100, is repealed. 
SECTION 2.(b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, State Board of Education Policy, TCP‑A‑006, as it was in effect on June 30, 2013, shall be used to determine (i) whether teachers and instructional support personnel are paid on the "M" salary schedule and (ii) whether they receive a salary supplement for academic preparation at the six‑year or doctoral degree level.
SECTION 2.(c)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of eight million dollars ($8,000,000) in recurring funds for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to reinstate education‑based salary supplements for certain school employees in accordance with this act.

part iii. TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLOTMENT
SECTION 3.  Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction in the 2018‑2019 fiscal year, the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in nonrecurring funds shall be used to fund a new Teacher Professional Development allotment. Funds shall be provided to local school administrative units based on the average daily membership of the unit and to charter schools pursuant to G.S. 115C‑218.105(a). The Department shall determine the appropriate minimum allotment. Local school administrative units and charter schools shall use these funds for the professional development of teachers.

part iv. master teacher PILOT program
SECTION 4.(a)  Program; Purpose. – The State Board of Education shall establish and coordinate a three‑year master teacher pilot program (program) in local school administrative units to be administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The program shall continue until the end of the 2020‑2021 fiscal year. The purpose of the program is to increase student performance, improve instructional practice, leverage the current teacher evaluation system, elevate effective educators, create advanced roles for master teachers, ease the administrative burden on principals, and provide low‑cost, highly relevant professional development opportunities for all teachers in selected schools.
SECTION 4.(b)  Definition. – For purposes of this section, a "master teacher" is a teacher who meets all of the following requirements:
(1)	Has at least five years of teaching experience.
(2)	Received a rating of "accomplished" on at least six elements of Standard IV on the most recent teacher evaluation rubric.
(3)	Received a rating of "distinguished" on at least two elements of Standard IV on the most recent teacher evaluation rubric.
(4)	Meets one of the following criteria:
a.	Has an Education Value‑Added Assessment System (EVAAS) student growth index score from the previous school year of met or exceeded expected growth.
b.	In the discretion of the principal, has made a positive impact on students in the previous school year.
(5)	Is selected by the superintendent of the local school administrative unit to participate in the program. The superintendent shall select no more than ten percent (10%) of all teachers in the local school administrative unit for the program.
SECTION 4.(c)  Eligibility. – In the discretion of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, up to one-half of the local school administrative units in each of the following categories is eligible to participate in the program:
(1)	Units with between zero and 10,000 students.
(2)	Units with between 10,001 and 30,000 students.
(3)	Units with between 30,001 and 75,000 students.
(4)	Units with more than 75,000 students.
SECTION 4.(d)  Criteria. – By August 1, 2018, the State Board shall develop criteria for administering the program. Criteria shall include, at a minimum, a consideration of the following:
(1)	The level of resources available to the local school administrative unit.
(2)	The overall impact on student performance that participating in the program would have.
SECTION 4.(e)  Applications. – Local school administrative units shall apply to participate in the program by October 1, 2018. The Department of Public Instruction shall select units to participate in the program by December 1, 2018, and shall begin administering the program by January 1, 2019.
SECTION 4.(f)  Duties. – A master teacher shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1)	To declare publicly at least one standard on the teacher evaluation instrument on which the teacher is a specialist and at least one standard on which the teacher needs improvement.
(2)	To maintain a document, accessible digitally to school faculty, that identifies how the master teacher seeks to improve the area identified pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. The document should discuss available data and assess how the master teacher is progressing.
(3)	Except for testing periods, ensure that the master teacher's classroom is open to visitors and observers.
(4)	Each semester, lead a group of teachers who are not master teachers in two days of learning rounds. The learning rounds shall consist of at least the following activities:
a.	Meetings for strategic planning and reflection.
b.	Visiting classrooms of other master teachers to gain insight on teaching strategies.
SECTION 4.(g)  Evaluation. – Unless the teaching license of a master teacher is subject to renewal in one year's time or less, a master teacher shall not be subject to G.S. 115C‑307(e).
SECTION 4.(h)  Master teachers, as defined in G.S. 115C‑301.2(b), shall receive an annual salary supplement of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the duration of the program.
SECTION 4.(i)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of one million seven hundred twenty‑four thousand nine hundred eighty‑six dollars ($1,724,986) in nonrecurring funds for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to provide a salary supplement of one thousand dollars ($1,000) to each master teacher, as defined in G.S. 115C‑301.2(b), in the 2018‑2019 fiscal year.

PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 5.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective July 1, 2018.