North Carolina § 115C-270 - 30. Licensure renewal.

§ 115C-270. 30. Licensure renewal.

Licensure Renewal. - The State Board shall adopt rules establishing the requirements for renewal of all professional educator licenses. These requirements shall reflect rigorous standards for continuing licensure and shall be aligned with high-quality professional development programs that reflect State priorities for improving student achievement. Teacher Licensure Renewal. - Rules for continuing licensure for teachers shall include the following: For all teachers, at least eight continuing education credits with at least three credits required in a teacher's academic subject area. For elementary school teachers, at least three continuing education credits related to literacy. Literacy renewal credits shall include evidence-based assessment, diagnosis, and intervention strategies for students not demonstrating reading proficiency, grounded in the Science of Reading, as defined in G.S. 115C-83.3. Repealed by Session Laws 2019-71, s. 4.3, effective July 1, 2019. For all teachers employed by a local board of education, evidence of a rating of at least proficient on the most recent annual evaluation to maintain the current license status. A teacher who is unable to satisfy this requirement but has been placed on a mandatory improvement plan may be eligible to receive an IPL if that teacher satisfies all other licensure requirements. A member of the General Assembly is exempt from the continuing education credit requirements for teachers during any five-year licensure renewal cycle in which the member serves a term or some portion thereof in the General Assembly as long as the member notifies the Department of Public Instruction of the exemption during that five-year licensure renewal cycle. License Renewal Rules Review. - The rules for licensure renewal shall be reviewed at least once every five years by the State Board to do the following: Reevaluate and enhance the requirements for renewal of professional educator licenses. Consider modifications in the license renewal achievement to make it a mechanism for professional educators to renew continually their knowledge and professional skills. Integrate digital teaching and learning into the requirements for licensure renewal. History (2017-189, s. 3(c); 2019-71, s. 4.3; 2021-8, s. 3(b).) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2017-189, s. 7(a) made this section effective July 27, 2017, and applicable beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. Session Laws 2019-71, s. 5, provides: "As soon as practicable, and no more than 10 calendar days from the effective date of this act, the State Board of Education shall adopt emergency rules for the implementation of this act in accordance with G.S. 150B-21.1 A. This section does not require any rule making if not otherwise required by law." Session Laws 2019-71, s. 6, as amended by Session Laws 2019-212, s. 8(f), made the repeal of subdivision (b)(3) of this section by Session Laws 2019-71, s. 4.3, effective July 1, 2019, and applicable beginning with the eighteenth day following the effective date of this act [July 1, 2019]. Session Laws 2020-3, s. 2.1, as amended by Session Laws 2020-49, s. 3(a), provides: "For the purposes of this Part, the following definitions apply: "(1) Authority. - State Education Assistance Authority. "(2) Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency. - The period beginning March 10, 2020, and continuing until the Governor signs an executive order rescinding Executive Order No. 116 (Declaration of a State of Emergency to Coordinate Response and Protective Actions to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19). "(3) Federal testing waiver. - The testing waiver granted to the State Board of Education by the United States Department of Education for the 2019-2020 school year, pursuant to section 8401(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, which, pursuant to G.S. 115C-174.11 , eliminated the collection of certain student assessment data for the 2019-2020 school year. "(4) Modified calendar school. - A school that a local board designated as having a modified calendar for the 2003-2004 school year or any school that was part of a planned program in the 2003-2004 school year for a system of modified calendar schools, so long as the school operates under a modified calendar. "(5) State Board. - The State Board of Education. "(6) Year-round school. - A school with a single or multi-track instructional calendar that was adopted prior to March 1, 2020, and provides instructional days in compliance with Section 2.11(b)(1) of this Part throughout the entire school calendar year, beginning July 1 and ending June 30, by utilizing at least one of the following plans: "a. A plan dividing students into four groups and requiring each group to be in school for assigned and staggered quarters each school calendar year. "b. A plan providing students be scheduled to attend an average of between 44 and 46 instructional days followed by an average of between 15 and 20 days of vacation, repeated throughout the school calendar year. "c. A plan dividing the school calendar year into five nine-week sessions of classes and requiring each student to attend four assigned and staggered sessions out of the five nine-week sessions to complete the student's instructional year." Session Laws 2020-3, s. 2.2, provides: "The purpose of this Part is to clarify or modify certain requirements in consideration of actions and circumstances related to the COVID-19 emergency, including, but not limited to, the federal testing waiver and the closure of schools for in-person instruction during the 2019-2020 school year." Session Laws 2020-3, s. 2.25(b), provides: "Extension for CEU Requirement. - Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-270.30(b) , any teacher who is required to have at least eight continuing education credits for continuing licensure by June 30, 2020, shall have until June 30, 2021, to meet the requirements under G.S. 115C-270.30(b) ." Session Laws 2020-3, s. 5, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2021-8, s. 1, provides: "This act shall be known as the "Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021." Session Laws 2021-8, s. 3(e), made the amendment to subdivision (b)(2) of this section by Session Laws 2021-8, s. 3(b), applicable beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. Session Laws 2021-8, s. 3(c), provides: "Educators working with (i) children in the NC Pre-K program and (ii) students in kindergarten through fifth grade shall participate in the training programs contracted for as required by Section 5A(11) of S.L. 2021-1, as amended by Section 1.2 of S.L. 2021-3. Completion of this training shall satisfy the literacy continuing education credits required for elementary school teachers in G.S. 115C-270.30(b)(2) ." Session Laws 2021-8, s. 7(i), provides: "For reading camps corresponding to the 2020-2021 school year, a teacher who has earned a reading bonus and who provides instruction throughout a full reading camp shall be deemed to have completed two continuing education credits related to literacy, as required by G.S. 115C-270.30(b)(2) ." Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2019-71, s. 4.3, deleted subdivision (b)(3). For effective date and applicability, see editor's note. Session Laws 2021-8, s. 3(b), effective April 9, 2021, rewrote subdivision (b)(2). For applicability, see editor's note.