Vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper III

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends the state's charter school law to make capital-sourced assets exempt from regulation by the local school administrative unit.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the school to meet learning requirements by providing in-person or blended instruction. For purposes of this section, the term "blended instruction" refers to a combination of remote and in-person classroom instruction (Sec. 1.a-1).

• Classifies capital-sourced assets to include (Sec. 2.a):

• Capital funds provided to a charter school by one or more counties; and

• Net assets purchased or improved with such funds, up to the total amount of the funds provided.

• Authorizes counties to provide funds to charter schools by direct appropriation. These funds will be used only for the following purposes (Sec. 2.b.b-1):

• The acquisition of real property for school purposes, including, but not limited to, school sites, playgrounds, and athletic fields;

• The acquisition, construction, reconstruction, enlargement, renovation, or replacement of buildings and other structures, including, but not limited to, buildings for classrooms and laboratories, physical and vocational educational purposes, libraries, auditoriums, and gymnasiums; and

• The acquisition or replacement of furniture and furnishings, instructional apparatus, technology, data processing equipment, business machines, and similar items of furnishings and equipment.

• Specifies if a charter school uses funds to acquire or improve property, the amount provided by the county will be evidenced by a promissory note and secured by a deed of trust on the property acquired or improved by the funds. The county may subordinate the deed of trust to other liens to facilitate the acquisition or improvement of the property secured by the deed of trust. In the event that a charter school repays the county in the amount of the capital funds provided, the county will, for the property acquired or improved by the funds, execute and file a deed of release or other documentation of satisfaction showing the charter school repaid the county in the amount of the capital funds provided (Sec. 2.b.b-2).

• Authorizes each county to appropriate funds and lease real property to schools chartered. Counties may provide funds only for the purposes set forth in G.S. 115C-218.105(b1) (Sec. 2.d).

• Alleges it is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that all State funds for public school students attending charter schools are provided in amounts on a basis comparable to funds provided for public school students attending other public school units (Sec. 3).

• Establishes the Residency License or RL is a one-year license, renewable twice, that meets both of the following requirements (Sec. 4.a):

• Is requested by the governing board of a public school unit and accompanied by a certification of supervision from the recognized educator preparation program in which the individual is enrolled; and

• The individual for whom the license is requested meets all of the following requirements:

• Holds a bachelor's degree;

• Has either completed coursework relevant to the requested licensure area or passed the content area examination relevant to the requested licensure area that has been approved by the State Board;

• Is enrolled in a recognized educator preparation program; and

• Meets all other requirements established by the State Board, including completing pre service requirements prior to teaching.

Full Bill Text