HB 681 — Teacher Licensure/Military Spouses.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2017 H 21 HOUSE BILL 681 Committee Substitute Favorable 4/25/17 Short Title:

Representatives G.

Martin and Horn (Primary Sponsors).

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Education - K-12 April 11, 2017 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR PROCEDURES TO DECREASE THE BURDEN ON MILITARY SPOUSES IN OBTAINING NC TEACHER LICENSES.

93B-15.1(i)115C-296 readsis asamended rewritten:by adding new subsections to read:

"(i)"(a4) ForNotwithstanding the purposesprovisions of subsection (a1) of this section, an out-of-state applicant who holds a teacher license from another state shall be exempt from testing requirements established by the State Board of Education shallfor bean consideredinitial anbachelor's occupationaldegree licensinglicense boardor whengraduate issuingdegree license if the out-of-state applicant meets all other requirements for licensure in North Carolina and demonstrates that the teacher licenseshas underat G.S.least three years of teaching experience in the five years prior to submitting the application and has received satisfactory performance evaluations and met expectations of student growth in the field of licensure in the three most recent years of teaching.

115C-296.G.S.(a5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to expedite the processing of licensure applications submitted by military spouses who meet the requirements of G.S.

115C-296,93B-15.1, andincluding inprioritizing additionthose toapplications theover requirementsother ofapplications thissubmitted section,for shalllicensure. comply with the following:

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S.

115C-296(a)93B-15.1(f), and subdivision (b)(1) of this section, a military spouse applicantwho shallholds bea exemptteacher fromlicense testingin requirementsanother establishedjurisdiction bywhose thelicensure Staterequirements Boardare ofnot Educationsubstantially forequivalent anor initialexceeding bachelor'sthe degreelicensure licenserequirements orof graduateNorth degreeCarolina licensebut ifotherwise the applicant meets the followingrequirements criteria:of G.S.

a.93B-15.1(b) shall be eligible for a temporary license of two years while the applicant satisfies the requirements for a North Carolina teacher license." SECTION 2.(a) By October 15, 2017, the State Board of Education shall develop procedures for Regional Alternative Licensing Centers (RALCs) and approved educator preparation programs to efficiently evaluate and advise military spouses applying for a lateral entry teaching license, including expediting the evaluation process and addressing obstacles to licensure for military spouses.

The applicant meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section but for the testing requirements of G.S.

115-296(a).

b.

The applicant's spouse is the subject of a military transfer to North Carolina.

c.

The applicant has at least three years of teaching experience in the five years prior to submitting the application.

d.

The applicant has received satisfactory performance evaluations and met expectations of student growth in the field of licensure in the three most recent years of teaching.

(2) Notwithstanding G.S.

115C-296(a), a military spouse applicant shall be eligible for a temporary license of two years while the applicant satisfies the requirements for a North Carolina teacher license if the applicant meets the following criteria:

a.

The applicant meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section but for the testing requirements of G.S.

115C-296(a).

b.

The applicant's spouse is the subject of a military transfer to North Carolina.

c.

The applicant does not have the necessary teaching experience to qualify for the testing exemption in subdivision (1) of this subsection." SECTION 2.

G.S.

115C-296 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

"(a4) The State Board shall license military spouses in accordance with G.S.

93B-15.1." *H681-v-2* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 SECTION 3.(a) By October 15, 2017, the State Board of Education shall develop procedures for Regional Alternative Licensing Centers (RALCs) and approved educator preparation programs to efficiently evaluate and advise military spouses applying for a lateral entry teaching license, including expediting the evaluation process and addressing obstacles to licensure for military spouses.

SECTION 3.(b)2.(b) By November 15, 2017, the State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the procedures developed for RALCs and educator preparation programs in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.

*H681-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 SECTION 4.3.

The Department of Public Instruction shall study the licensure process as it relates to military spouses, including the average number of military spouses who apply for teacher licensure in North Carolina, the average time it takes a military spouse's application to be approved, and the feasibility of expediting the processing of licensure applications submitted by military spouses.

The Department shall report its findings to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 15, 2017.

SECTION 5.

Page 2 House Bill 681-Second681-First Edition