GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1387

Short Title:  Success in Education Act of 1999.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives McAllister; Esposito, Howard, Moore (Primary Sponsors), Adams, Blue, Bonner, Fitch, Hurley, Jarrell, Jeffus, Kinney, and Warner.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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April 29, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ENACT THE SUCCESS IN EDUCATION ACT OF 1999.
Whereas, studies consistently show that North Carolina has many overcrowded public schools with poor student performance that are located in and serve low-wealth communities; and
Whereas, this reality affects social stability and hinders recruitment of businesses to certain communities because of low educational performance; and
Whereas, in addition, these same schools also tend to (i) be overcrowded and (ii) have difficulty recruiting the best teachers, two factors that must be addressed to improve schools with low educational performance; and
Whereas, this means that the students who need the most help to succeed are being placed in the most challenging situations; and
Whereas, with the end of "social promotions", many counties will end up with tremendous numbers of students retained, adding to already high levels of educational frustration; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
TITLE OF ACT
Section 1.  This act shall be known as the "Success in Education Act of 1999".
SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS IN LOW-WEALTH COMMUNITIES
Section 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year for the construction of modern classrooms in schools at which more than sixty percent (60%) of the students qualify for funds under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act.  The State Board shall allocate these funds on a competitive grant basis to schools that are most in need of additional funding.  The State Board of Education shall use its facility guidelines to determine whether schools are overcrowded.
INCENTIVES FOR TEACHING FELLOWS TO TEACH IN SCHOOLS IN LOW-WEALTH COMMUNITIES
Section 3.(a) G.S. 115C-363.23A reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C-363.23A.  Teaching Fellows Program established; administration.
(a)	A Teaching Fellows Program shall be administered by the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission.  The Teaching Fellows Program shall be used to provide a four-year scholarship loan of six thousand five hundred dollars ($6,500) per year to North Carolina high school seniors interested in preparing to teach in the public schools of the State.  The Commission shall adopt very stringent standards, including minimum grade point average and scholastic aptitude test scores, for awarding these scholarship loans to ensure that only the best high school seniors receive them.
(b)	The Commission shall administer the program in cooperation with teacher training institutions selected by the Commission.  Teaching Fellows should be exposed to a range of extra-curricular activities while in college.  These activities should be geared to instilling a strong motivation not only to remain in teaching but to provide leadership for tomorrow's schools.
(c)	The Commission shall form regional review committees to assist it in identifying the best high school seniors for the program.  The Commission and the review committees shall make an effort to identify and encourage minority students and students who may not otherwise consider a career in teaching to enter the program.
(d)	All scholarship loans shall be evidenced by notes made payable to the Commission that shall bear interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per year beginning September 1 after completion of the program, or immediately after termination of the scholarship loan, whichever is earlier.  The scholarship loan may be terminated by the recipient withdrawing from school or by the recipient not meeting the standards set by the Commission.
(e)	The Commission shall forgive the loan if, within seven years after graduation, the recipient teaches for four years at a North Carolina public school or at a school operated by the United States government in North Carolina.  The Commission shall also forgive the loan if, within seven years after graduation, the recipient teaches for three consecutive years, unless the recipient takes an approved leave of absence, at a North Carolina public school in a local school administrative unit that, at the time the recipient accepts employment with the unit, is a low-performing school system identified in accordance with Article 6A of this Chapter or is on warning status as defined by the State Board of Education or at a North Carolina public school at which more than fifty percent (50%) of the students qualify for funds under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act.  The Commission shall also forgive the loan if it finds that it is impossible for the recipient to teach for four years, within seven years after graduation, at a North Carolina public school or at a school operated by the United States government in North Carolina, because of the death or permanent disability of the recipient.
(e1)	A Teaching Fellow who teaches in a school at which more than fifty percent (50%) of the students qualify for funds under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act shall be paid on a salary schedule five percent (5%) higher than the teacher salary schedule.
(f)	All funds appropriated to or otherwise received by the Teaching Fellows Program for scholarships, all funds received as repayment of scholarship loans, and all interest earned on these funds, shall be placed in a revolving fund.  This revolving fund shall be used for scholarship loans granted under the Teaching Fellows Program.  With the prior approval of the General Assembly in the Current Operations Appropriations Act, the revolving fund may also be used for campus and summer program support, and costs related to disbursement of awards and collection of loan repayments."
Section 3.(b)	There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of six hundred fifty thousand dollars ($650,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of one million three hundred thousand dollars ($1,300,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to provide for 100 additional scholarship loans under the Teaching Fellows Program.  These scholarship loans shall be awarded only to students who agree prior to acceptance to teach for at least three consecutive years at a school at which more than fifty percent (50%) of the students qualify for funds under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act.  Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-363.23A(e), the Commission shall forgive the loan only if, within seven years after graduation, the recipient teaches for three consecutive years, unless the recipient takes an approved leave of absence, at a North Carolina public school at which more than fifty percent (50%) of the students qualify for funds under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act. 
Section 4.  Teachers with Masters/Advanced Competencies Certification who teach at North Carolina public schools at which more than fifty percent (50%) of the students qualify for funds under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act shall be paid on a salary schedule five percent (5%) higher than the salary schedule for Teachers with Masters/Advanced Competencies Certification.
Section 5.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to State Aid to Local School Administrative Units the sum of thirty-two million dollars ($32,000,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of thirty-two million dollars ($32,000,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to pay a higher salary to Teaching Fellows who teach in schools in low-wealth communities.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Section 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1999.