A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require Teacher EDUCATION programs to provide high quality school‑based clinical experiences through partnerships with local boards of education.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑47(20) reads as rewritten:
"(20)	To Provide for Training of Teachers. – Local boards of education are authorized to provide for the training of teachers as provided in G.S. 115C‑300. A local board may enter into a partnership agreement with an institution of teacher education to provide a clinical school experience program for student teachers as described in G.S. 115C‑296(b)(2)e1."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑296(b)(2) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to maintain the highest quality teacher education programs and school administrator programs in order to enhance the competence of professional personnel licensed in North Carolina. To the end that teacher preparation programs are upgraded to reflect a more rigorous course of study, the State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination and cooperation with the University Board of Governors, the Board of Community Colleges and such other public and private agencies as are necessary, shall continue to refine the several licensure requirements, standards for approval of institutions of teacher education, standards for institution based innovative and experimental programs, standards for implementing consortium based teacher education, and standards for improved efficiencies in the administration of the approved programs, as follows:
…
(2)	Teacher education programs.
a.	The State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, and any other public and private agencies as necessary, shall continue to raise standards for entry into teacher education programs.
b.	Reserved for future codification.
c.	To further ensure that teacher preparation programs remain current and reflect a rigorous course of study that is aligned to State and national standards, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall do all of the following to ensure that students are prepared to teach in elementary schools:
1.	Provide students with adequate coursework in the teaching of reading and mathematics.
2.	Assess students prior to licensure to determine that they possess the requisite knowledge in scientifically based reading and mathematics instruction that is aligned with the State Board's expectations.
3.	Continue to provide students with preparation in applying formative and summative assessments within the school and classroom setting through technology‑based assessment systems available in North Carolina schools that measure and predict expected student improvement.
4.	Prepare students to integrate the arts education across the curriculum.
d.	The State Board of Education, in consultation with local boards of education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall evaluate and modify, as necessary, the academic requirements of teacher preparation programs for students preparing to teach science in middle and high schools to ensure that there is adequate preparation in issues related to science laboratory safety.
e.	The standards for approval of institutions of teacher education shall require that teacher education programs for all students include the following demonstrated competencies:
1.	All teacher education programs. –
I.	The identification and education of children with disabilities.
II.	Positive management of student behavior and effective communication techniques for defusing and deescalating disruptive or dangerous behavior.
2.	Elementary and special education general curriculum teacher education programs. –
I.	Teaching of reading, including a substantive understanding of reading as a process involving oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
II.	Evidence‑based assessment and diagnosis of specific areas of difficulty with reading development and of reading deficiencies.
III.	Appropriate application of instructional supports and services and reading interventions to ensure reading proficiency for all students.
e1.	The standards for approval of institutions of teacher education shall require that teacher education for all students include clinical school experience programs for student teachers, as defined in G.S. 115C‑309, established through partnerships with local boards of education that strategically support clinical and school‑based training for which the institutions and the local boards share responsibility, authority, and accountability, including in program development and implementation. A clinical school experience program shall meet at least the following criteria:
1.	Aligns with statewide priorities in teacher preparation and demonstrated competencies.
2.	Provides access to qualified supervising teachers through established minimum qualifications for those teachers, including years of experience, performance level, and prior mentoring or supervisory experience.
3.	Provides opportunities for student teachers to teach as part of a team with one or more teachers.
4.	Evaluates the effectiveness of the clinical school experience by assessing the performance of the student teacher, supervising teacher, and outcomes for any students for which the student teacher is responsible.
f.	The State Board of Education shall incorporate the criteria developed in accordance with G.S. 116‑74.21 for assessing proposals under the School Administrator Training Program into its school administrator program approval standards."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2015‑2016 academic year.