North Carolina § 115C-151 - Statement of purpose.

§ 115C-151. Statement of purpose.

It is the intent of the General Assembly that career and technical education be an integral part of the educational process. The State Board of Education shall administer through local boards of education a comprehensive program of career and technical education that shall be available to all students, with priority given to students in grades eight through 12, who desire it in the public secondary schools and middle schools of this State. The purposes of career and technical education in North Carolina public secondary schools shall be as follows: Occupational Skill Development. - To prepare individuals for paid or unpaid employment in recognized occupations, new occupations, and emerging occupations. Preparation for Advanced Education. - To prepare individuals for participation in advanced or highly skilled career and technical education. Career Development; Introductory. - To assist individuals in the making of informed and meaningful occupational choices. It is also legislative intent to authorize the State Board of Education to support appropriate career and technical education instruction and related services for individuals who have special career and technical education needs which can be fulfilled through a comprehensive career and technical education program as designated by State Board of Education policy or federal career and technical education legislation. History (1977, c. 490, s. 2; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1987, c. 738, s. 183; 1993, c. 180, s. 3; 2004-124, s. 7.15(b); 2017-57, s. 7.23H(e).) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2013-1, s. 3(a), (b), as amended by Session Laws 2014-115, s. 90, provides: "(a) The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the State Board of Community Colleges, shall develop strategies to increase the number of high school students engaging in career and technical education, especially in the areas of engineering and industrial technologies, and in other occupations with high numbers of employment opportunities. In developing these strategies, the Boards shall consider sharing of instructors, facilities, equipment, and business internship opportunities between the public schools and community colleges to facilitate these goals. "(b) The State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges shall jointly report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by October 15, 2014, on progress made on developing strategies to increase student engagement in career and technical education, especially in engineering and industrial technologies, and in other occupations with high numbers of employment opportunities." Session Laws 2017-57, s. 7.23H(i), provides: "Local school administrative units are encouraged to complete the application process for the NCWorks Work Ready Certified Communities initiative in cooperation with local workforce development boards, local economic development boards, chambers of commerce, business and industry employers, and local community college leaders. The NCWorks Certified Work Ready Communities initiative encourages local participation to assist with the following: "(1) Informing business and industry employers on the foundational skills necessary for a productive workforce and providing a method for employers to communicate their needs. "(2) Providing individuals with an understanding on the skills required by employers and how to prepare for success. "(3) Providing reliable data for the evaluation of the skills gap in a timely manner at the national, State, and local levels. "(4) Informing educators on how to close the skills gap using tools integrated into career pathways with stackable industry-recognized credentials. "(5) Providing economic developers an on-demand reporting tool to market the quality of their workforce." Session Laws 2017-57, s. 7.23H(k), made the amendment to this section by Session Laws 2017-57, s. 7.23H(e), applicable beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. Session Laws 2017-57, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as the 'Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2017.'" Session Laws 2017-57, s. 39.6, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2018-5, s. 7.17(a), (b), provides: "(a) Of the funds appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction for the 2018-2019 fiscal year by this act, the sum of up to two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for the 2018-2019 fiscal year shall be made available to the North Carolina Hospitality Education Foundation (Education Foundation) of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association to be used to provide nationally certified programs in career and technical education focused on developing critical skills necessary for students to succeed in the hospitality sector. The purpose of the funds shall be to support instructor and student training and student testing to increase the State's skilled workforce in the restaurant and lodging sectors. The Education Foundation shall match State funds made available pursuant to this section on the basis of one dollar ($1.00) in State funds for every one dollar ($1.00) in non-State funds. "(b) The Education Foundation, in consultation with the Department of Public Instruction, shall submit a report by April 1 of each year in which the Education Foundation spends State funds made available pursuant to this section to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division on the activities described by this section and the use of those funds." Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2004-124, s. 7.15(b), effective July 1, 2004, inserted "with priority given to students in grades eight through 12" following "students" in the second sentence of the first undesignated paragraph. Session Laws 2017-57, s. 7.23H(e), effective July 1, 2017, substituted "career" for "vocational" throughout this section, and added "as follows" at the end of the introductory paragraph. For applicability, see editor's note.