GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

HOUSE BILL 274
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING CERTIFICATION AND EMPLOYMENT OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.   G.S. 115C-284(c), as amended by Section 1 of S.L. 1999-30, reads as rewritten:
"(c)	The State Board of Education shall have entire control of certifying all applicants for supervisory and professional positions in all public elementary and high schools of North Carolina; and it shall prescribe the rules and regulations for the renewal and extension of all certificates, and shall determine and fix the salary for each grade and type of certificate which it authorizes. The State Board of Education shall require each applicant for an initial certificate or graduate certificate, other than an applicant who is qualified under Article 19A of this Chapter, to demonstrate the applicant's academic and professional preparation by achieving a prescribed minimum score at least equivalent to that required by the Board on November 30, 1972, on a standard examination appropriate and adequate for that purpose.  If the Board shall specify the National Teachers Examination for this purpose, the required minimum score shall not be lower than that which the Board required on November 30, 1972.  The Board may not require an applicant who is qualified under Article 19A of this Chapter to take an additional exam to demonstrate academic competence.  The Board shall not issue provisional certificates for principals.
The Board shall issue a one-year provisional assistant principal's certificate to an employee of a local board only if: (i)	the local board determines there is a shortage of persons who hold or are qualified to hold a principal's certificate and the employee enrolls in an approved program leading to a masters degree in school administration before the provisional certificate expires; or (ii) the employee is enrolled in an approved masters in school administration program and is participating in the required internship under the masters program.  The Board shall extend the provisional certificate for a total of no more than two additional years while the employee is completing the program."
Section 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 20th day of July, 1999.

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	Dennis A. Wicker
	President of the Senate

	─────────────────── 
	James B. Black
	Speaker of the House of Representatives

	─────────────────── 
	James B. Hunt, Jr.
	Governor

Approved 	.m. this 	 day of 	, 19