A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to expand the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program to include participation by all CONSTITUENT institutions of the University of North Carolina with educator preparation programs.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 116‑209.62(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Trust Fund. – There is established the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program Trust Fund to be administered by the Authority, in conjunction with the System Office of The University of North Carolina. All funds (i) appropriated to, or otherwise received by, the Program for forgivable loans and other Program purposes, (ii) received as repayment of forgivable loans, and (iii) earned as interest on these funds shall be placed in the Trust Fund. The purpose of the Trust Fund is to provide financial assistance to qualified students for completion of teacher education and licensure programs to fill STEM or special education licensure areas in the public schools of the State. Funds appropriated to the Fund that are unexpended and unencumbered at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert, but shall remain available to the Authority for the purposes established in this Part."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 116‑209.62, as amended by Section 1 of this act, reads as rewritten:
"§ 116‑209.62.  North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program established; administration.
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(c)	Uses of Monies in the Trust Fund. – The monies in the Trust Fund may be used only for (i) forgivable loans granted under the Program, (ii) administrative costs associated with the Program, including recruitment and recovery of funds advanced under the Program, (iii) mentoring and coaching support to forgivable loan recipients, and (iv) extracurricular enhancement activities of the Program in accordance with the following:
(1)	The Authority shall transfer the greater of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) or ten percent (10%) of the available funds from the Trust Fund to the System Office of The University of North Carolina at the beginning of each fiscal year for the Program's administrative costs, the salary of the Director of the Program and other Program staff, expenses of the Commission, and to provide the Commission with funds to use for the extracurricular enhancement activities of the Program.
(2)	The Authority may use the greater of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) or four percent (4%) of the funds appropriated to the Trust Fund each fiscal year for administrative costs associated with the Program.
(3)	The Authority shall provide the Commission with up to six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) from the Trust Fund in each fiscal year for the Commission to provide mentoring and coaching support to forgivable loan recipients through the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program as follows:
a.	Up to two thousand dollars ($2,000) for each Program recipient serving as a teacher in a North Carolina public school identified as low‑performing under G.S. 115C‑105.37.
b.	Up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each Program recipient serving as a teacher in a North Carolina public school not identified as low‑performing under G.S. 115C‑105.37.
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(f)	Program Selection Criteria. – The Authority shall administer the Program in cooperation with all of the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina with approved educator preparation programs. The Commission may also select up to two private postsecondary institutions operating in the State to participate in the Program if the institutions meet stringent standards for selection of the most 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 constituent institutions and any other selected institutions for completion of a program leading to initial teacher licensure as follows:
(1)	North Carolina high school seniors. – Forgivable loans of up to four thousand one hundred twenty‑five dollars ($4,125) per semester for up to eight semesters.
(2)	Students applying for transfer to an educator preparation program at an institution of higher education. – Forgivable loans of up to four thousand one hundred twenty‑five dollars ($4,125) per semester for up to six semesters.
(3)	Individuals currently holding a bachelor's degree seeking preparation for teacher licensure. – Forgivable loans of up to four thousand one hundred twenty‑five dollars ($4,125) per semester for up to four semesters.
(4)	Students matriculating at institutions of higher education who are changing to an approved program of study at an educator preparation program. – Forgivable loans of up to four thousand one hundred twenty‑five dollars ($4,125) per semester for up to four semesters.
Forgivable loans may be used for tuition, fees, the cost of books, and expenses related to obtaining licensure.
(h)	Identification of STEM and Special Education Licensure Areas. – The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall identify and provide to the Commission and the Authority a list of STEM and special education licensure areas and shall annually provide to the Commission the number of available positions in each licensure area relative to the number of current and anticipated teachers in that area of licensure. The Commission shall make the list of STEM and special education licensure areas readily available to applicants.
(i)	Administration of Forgivable Loan Awards. – Upon the naming of recipients of the forgivable loans by the Commission, the Commission shall transfer to the Authority its decisions. The Authority, in coordination with the Director, shall perform all of the administrative functions necessary to implement this Part, which functions shall include rule making, disseminating information, acting as a liaison with participating institutions of higher education, implementing forgivable loan agreements, loan monitoring, loan cancelling through service and collection, determining the acceptability of service repayment agreements, enforcing the agreements, and all other functions necessary for the execution, payment, and enforcement of promissory notes required under this Part.
(j)	Annual Report. – The Commission, in coordination with the Authority, the Department of Public Instruction, and the educator education programs participating in the Program shall report no later than January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee regarding the following:
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SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective June 30, 2019. Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2019, and applies to the award of forgivable loans beginning with the 2020‑2021 academic year. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.