North Carolina § 115C-284 - Method of selection and requirements.

§ 115C-284. Method of selection and requirements.

Principals and supervisors shall be elected by the local boards of education upon the recommendation of the superintendent, in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 115C-276(j). In the city administrative units, principals shall be elected by the board of education of such administrative unit upon the recommendation of the superintendent of city schools. To qualify for certification as a school administrator, an individual must meet all of the following requirements: Submit a complete application to the State Board. Pay the applicable fee. Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or accredited university. Have one of the following: A graduate degree from a public school administration program that meets the public school administration program approval standards established by the State Board of Education. A master's degree from an accredited college or accredited university and, by December 31, 1999, have completed a public school administration program that meets the public school administration program approval standards set by the State Board of Education. Education and training determined by the State Board of Education as equivalent. Pass the exam adopted by the State Board. 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 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 shall not issue provisional certificates for principals. It is the policy of the State of North Carolina to maintain the highest quality principal and assistant principal education programs in order to enhance the competence of professional personnel certified in North Carolina. To ensure that principal and assistant principal preparation programs are upgraded to reflect a more rigorous course of study, the State Board of Education shall submit to the General Assembly not later than March 1, 1992, a plan to promote this policy. In developing this plan, the State Board shall consider (i) requiring these programs to include additional preparation for site-based decision making and for the additional autonomy being granted to local school units, (ii) enhancing program entrance requirements to include assessment of an applicant's ability to complete the program and to perform as a principal, and (iii) enhancing the overall content of the programs. The State Board of Education shall adopt new standards by July 1, 2008, for school administrator preparation programs. The new standards shall: Be aligned with the revised standards for the evaluation of school executives and specifically address the use of the results of the Teacher Working Conditions Survey; Require evidence of a high level of institutional commitment, including dedicated resources, for administrator preparation program improvements and redesign; Require the use of cross-functional work teams to determine a common curriculum framework that (i) is designed to align with defined standards, (ii) includes rigorous core courses, and (iii) will produce administrators who meet the defined standards. The cross-functional work teams shall include school-based personnel, faculty from schools of education and other disciplines from institutions of higher education, and representatives of State agencies; Require the use of cross-functional work teams to design and periodically update specific standards regarding placement, required activities, and evaluations of clinical experiences. These standards shall include appropriate training for the school leaders who agree to accept and supervise interns; Require written agreements between the institution of higher education and a local school administrative unit to govern their shared responsibility for (i) recruitment and preparation of school administrators, especially with regard to clinical experiences including the internship, and (ii) a new administrator's success once employed; Require authentic partnerships between adjunct faculty and full-time faculty to fully address the need for both practical, field-based experience and academic, theory-based experience. These partnerships may require a change in the institution of higher education's definition of scholarly activity and its reward system; Require all candidates to complete a year-long internship; and Require the development of portfolios for emerging leaders that provide evidence they are applying their training to actual school needs and challenges. The State Board of Education shall require that all students in school administrator preparation programs demonstrate competencies in (i) using digital and other instructional technologies and (ii) supporting teachers and other school personnel to use digital and other instructional technologies to ensure provision of high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning to all students. The State Board of Education shall include continuing education in high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning as a requirement of licensure renewal. Repealed by Session Laws 1989, c. 385, s. 1. It is the policy of the State of North Carolina that, subsequent to the adoption of a system of classroom teacher differentiation and prerequisites to candidacy for principal, a classroom teacher must have attained at least the second level of differentiation, have at least four years of classroom teaching experience, and possess, at least, a Masters Degree in Education Administration. This subsection shall not apply to educational personnel certified as of July 1, 1984. It shall be unlawful for any board of education to employ or keep in service any principal or supervisor who neither holds nor is qualified to hold a license in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. However, a local board of education may select a retired principal or retired assistant principal to serve as an interim principal for the remainder of any school year, regardless of licensure status. The allotment of classified principals shall be one principal for each duly constituted school with seven or more state-allotted teachers. Local boards of education shall have authority to employ supervisors in addition to those that may be furnished by the State when, in the discretion of the board of education, the schools of the local school administrative unit can thereby be more efficiently and more economically operated and when funds for the same are provided in the current expense fund budget. The duties of such supervisors shall be assigned by the superintendent with the approval of the board of education. All principals and supervisors employed in the public schools of the State or in schools receiving public funds, shall be required either to hold or be qualified to hold a certificate in compliance with the provision of the law or in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education. 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. The State Board of Education, as lead agency in coordination and cooperation with the University Board of Governors and such other public and private agencies as are necessary, shall refine the several certification requirements, standards for approval of institutions of principal and assistant principal education, standards for institution-based innovative and experimental programs, and standards for improved efficiencies in the administration of the approved programs. Institutions of higher education shall redesign their school administrator preparation programs to meet the new standards and report to the State Board of Education on the redesign by July 1, 2009. History (1955, c. 1372 art. 5, ss. 4, 27; art. 6, s. 6; art. 18, ss. 1-4; 1963, c. 688, s. 3; 1965, c. 584, ss. 6, 20.1; 1969, c. 539; 1971, c. 1188, s. 1; 1973, cc. 236, 733; c. 770, ss. 1, 2; 1975, c. 437, s. 7; c. 686, s. 1; c. 731, ss. 1, 2; c. 965, s. 3; 1977, c. 1088, s. 4; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1103, s. 4; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 975, s. 16; 1989, c. 385, s. 1; 1991, c. 689, s. 200(a); 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1030, s. 28; 1993, c. 392, s. 2; 1999-30, s. 1; 1999-394, s. 1; 2006-264, s. 56(b); 2007-517, s. 1; 2008-187, s. 43; 2013-11, s. 2; 2017-189, s. 2(j).) Cross References. - As to the Transforming Principal Preparation Grant Program, see Part 4 of Article 23 of Chapter 116 (G.S. 116-209.70 et seq.). Transforming Principal Preparation. - Session Laws 2015-241, s. 11.9(a)-(o), as amended by Session Laws 2016-94, s. 11A.4, as amended by Session Laws 2016-123, s. 4.3, as amended by Session Laws 2017-57, s. 10A.5(a), as amended by Session Laws 2018-5, s. 10A.4(a) and (c)-(e), as amended by Session Laws 2018-145, s. 2(c), (d), and as amended by Session Laws 2019-60, s. 1(a), (d), (j), (k), provides: "(a)-(j) Repealed by Session Laws 2018-5, s. 10A.4(a), effective July 1, 2018. "(k) Licensure Process. - By June 1, 2016, the State Board of Education shall adopt a policy to provide for a specific licensure process applicable to school administrators who provide documentation to the State Board of successful completion of a principal preparation program selected for a competitive grant in accordance with this section. Licensure shall include a requirement for candidates to hold a master's degree. "( l ) Revision of Program. - By September 15, 2021, the State Board of Education, in coordination with the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, shall revise, as necessary, the licensure requirements for school administrators and the standards for approval of school administrator preparation programs after evaluating the data collected in accordance with G.S. 116-209.73 from the grant recipients, including the criteria used in selecting grant recipients and the outcomes of program completers. The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 15, 2021, on any changes made to the licensure requirements for school administrators and the standards for approval of school administrator preparation programs in accordance with this section. "(m) (Repealed effective July 1, 2021) Of the funds appropriated by this act for the 2015-2016 fiscal year for this program, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) shall be allocated to the State Education Assistance Authority to contract with the nonprofit corporation selected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to establish and administer the program. The State Education Assistance Authority may use up to five percent (5%) of those funds each fiscal year for administrative costs. "Of the funds appropriated for the 2017-2018 fiscal year for this program, the sum of three hundred eighty thousand dollars ($380,000) shall be allocated to the State Education Assistance Authority to contract with the nonprofit corporation selected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to establish and administer the program. The State Education Assistance Authority may use up to fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) of those funds for administrative costs. "Beginning with the 2018-2019 fiscal year, of the funds appropriated each fiscal year for this program, as established under Part 4 of Article 23 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes, the sum of three hundred eighty thousand dollars ($380,000) shall be allocated to the State Education Assistance Authority to contract with the nonprofit corporation in accordance with G.S. 116-209.71 to establish and administer the program. The State Education Assistance Authority may use up to five percent (5%) of those funds for administrative costs. "(n) Of the funds appropriated for this program for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) shall be allocated to the State Education Assistance Authority to contract with the nonprofit corporation selected pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to establish and administer the program, and the State Education Assistance Authority may use up to five percent (5%) of those funds for administrative costs. The remaining funds appropriated for the fiscal year for this program shall be allocated to the State Education Assistance Authority to award grants to selected recipients. " (o) (Repealed effective July 1, 2021) For the 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 fiscal years, of the funds appropriated for this program, the sum of four million two hundred thousand dollars ($4,200,000) shall be allocated each fiscal year to the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) to award grants to recipients selected prior to January 1, 2019, pursuant to G.S. 116-209.73 . "For the 2020-2021 fiscal year, of the funds appropriated for this program, the sum of two million five hundred fifteen thousand ninety-eight dollars ($2,515,098) shall be allocated to the Authority to award grants to recipients selected prior to January 1, 2019, pursuant to G.S. 116-209.73 " Session Laws 2017-57, s. 10A.5(b), provides: "Pursuant to Chapter 143E of the General Statutes, the Program Evaluation Division is directed to conduct a measurability assessment of the Principal Preparation Program authorized in Section 11.9 of S.L. 2015-241, as amended by Section 11A.4 of S.L. 2016-94, Section 4.3 of S.L. 2016-123, and subsection (a) of this section. The State Education Assistance Authority (hereinafter "Authority") and the nonprofit corporation establishing and administering the Program shall provide the Division and the independent assessor selected by the Division any requested written information, electronic data, and access to facilities and personnel appropriate for the measurability assessment. The assessment shall, in addition to requirements provided for in Chapter 143E of the General Statutes, include recommendations for periodic reporting of program output and program outcomes compared to objectives established for the Program. The recommendations shall include changes to the contract with the nonprofit by the Authority to effect periodic reporting. Periodic reports shall be made by the nonprofit to the Authority, State Board of Education, and Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The Division shall furnish the measurability assessment to the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight and Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. The Division shall use funds available to it for such purposes to pay for the measurability assessment." Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2013-11, s. 3, provides: "The State Board of Education shall develop digital teaching and learning competencies to provide a framework for schools of education, school administrators, and classroom teachers on the needed skills to provide high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning." Session Laws 2013-11, s. 4, made subsection (c3), as added by Session Laws 2013-11, s. 2, effective July 1, 2017, and applicable beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. Session Laws 2015-241, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as 'The Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2015.'" Session Laws 2015-241, s. 33.4, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium." Session Laws 2015-241, s. 33.6, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2017-189, s. 7(a) made the amendment to subsection (e) by Session Laws 2017-189, s. 2(j), effective July 27, 2017, and applicable beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. Session Laws 2018-5, s. 1.1, provides: "This act shall be known as the 'Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2018.'" Session Laws 2018-5, s. 39.4, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2018-2019 fiscal year." Session Laws 2018-5, s. 39.7, is a severability clause. 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. 2.23, provides: "Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-284(c2) , a school administrator candidate who is enrolled in a school administrator preparation program meeting the approval standards established by the State Board pursuant to G.S. 115C-284 may have certain requirements of G.S. 115C-284(c2) deemed completed for the 2019-2020 academic year as follows: "(1) The requirement that a candidate shall complete a year-long internship under G.S. 115C-284(c2)(7) shall be deemed completed under the following conditions: "a. The candidate has completed as much time in the year-long internship as practicable prior to March 10, 2020. "b. The candidate would be unable to complete the program by August 15, 2020, unless the internship is deemed completed pursuant to this section. "c. The candidate has been engaged in administrative duties as practicable while the school is closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. "d. The candidate has otherwise met the competencies identified in the certification of capacity utilized by the school administrator preparation program. "(2) The candidate shall complete a portfolio for emerging leaders to demonstrate the application of his or her training to actual school needs and training to the extent practicable prior to completion of the school administrator preparation program." Session Laws 2020-3, s. 2.26(a), provides: "(a) Extension for Examination Requirement. - Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-284 and G.S. 115C-315(d) , the State Board shall allow applicants for licensure additional time to meet the examination requirements as follows: "(1) Pursuant to G.S. 115C-284 , an individual applying for a school administrator license who has not met the examination requirements established by the State Board as of March 10, 2020, shall be permitted to meet the examination requirements in the first year of licensure. "(2) Pursuant to G.S. 115C-315(d) , an individual applying for licensure for a professional position in a public elementary or secondary school who has not met the examination requirements established by the State Board as of March 10, 2020, shall be permitted to meet the examination requirements in the first year of licensure." Session Laws 2020-3, s. 2.26(b), provides: "(b) Extension for CEU Requirement. - Notwithstanding G.S. 115C-284(c3) , a school administrator who is required to meet continuing education credits in high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning for licensure renewal by June 30, 2020, shall have until June 30, 2021, to meet the requirements under G.S. 115C-284(c3) ." Session Laws 2020-3, s. 5, is a severability clause. Session Laws 2021-7, s. 1.3(a), (b), provides: "(a) Employment of School Personnel. - For each local school administrative unit operating the program, the following shall apply: "(1) Notwithstanding Articles 19, 20, 21, and Part 3 of Article 22 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, a local board of education shall employ teachers and other school personnel as temporary employees on a contract basis for the period of the program. School personnel employed as temporary employees by a local board of education pursuant to this act shall not be considered an "employee" as defined in G.S. 135-1(10) or a "teacher" as defined in G.S. 135-1(25) , nor shall it cause school personnel to be considered an "employee or State employee" under G.S. 135-48.1(10) . In addition, school personnel shall not be deemed as earning "compensation" as defined in G.S. 135-1 (7a) and shall not be eligible to accrue paid leave during their temporary employment. "(2) For individuals who retired under the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS) on or after December 1, 2020, but on or before March 1, 2021, the six-month separation from service from an employer that is required under G.S. 135-1(20) in order for a retirement to become effective shall not apply and instead a one-month separation shall be required, provided that the position to which the individual returns is as a teacher or other school personnel employed as a temporary employee on a contract basis for the program as required in subdivision (1) of this section. Upon the expiration of this section, all of the following shall apply: "a. The six-month separation from an employer required under G.S. 135-1(20) shall again be applicable to individuals who retired under TSERS on or after December 1, 2020, but on or before March 1, 2021. "b. In order for a member's retirement under TSERS on or after December 1, 2020, but on or before March 1, 2021, to become effective in any month, the member must perform no work for an employer, including part-time, temporary, substitute, or contractor work, at any time between the expiration of this section and the end of the six months immediately following the effective date of retirement, provided the expiration of the six-month period of separation did not occur while this section was in effect. "c. For individuals who retired under TSERS on or after December 1, 2020, but before March 1, 2021, any time worked in the program and the time this section expires shall not be considered work for the purposes of the six-month separation required under G.S. 135-1(20) . "d. For purposes of this subdivision, local school administrative units shall certify to the Retirement System that a retirement system beneficiary is employed by the local board of education. "(3) From funds available, local boards shall offer a signing bonus of at least one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) to any teacher who (i) had received a past teaching bonus for reading in grades three, four, and five or mathematics in grades four, five, six, seven, or eight or (ii) has received National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification. Local boards of education are encouraged to find ways to incentivize highly effective teachers to participate in the program, such as increased compensation and varied contract durations. "(4) Local boards of education shall provide a performance bonus to a teacher who provided instruction during the program, in a per student amount of at least one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00), for each student not demonstrating reading proficiency on the third-grade end-of-grade reading assessment assigned to that teacher who became proficient in reading after completing the program, as demonstrated by an alternate assessment. "(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and expires October 1, 2021." Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2006-264, s. 56, effective August 27, 2006, in subsection (c), substituted "certificate" for "certificate, other than an applicant who is qualified under Article 19A of this Chapter" in the second sentence, and deleted the former next-to-last sentence, which read: "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." Session Laws 2007-517, s. 1, effective August 30, 2007, added subsection (c2). Session Laws 2008-187, s. 43, effective August 7, 2008, added subsection (b1). Session Laws 2013-11, s. 2, effective July 1, 2017, added subsection (c3). For effective date and applicability, see editor's note. Session Laws 2017-189, s. 2(j), effective July 27, 2017, in subsection (e) substituted "license" for "certificate" in the first sentence and added the second sentence. For effective date and applicability, see editor's note.