AN ACT to APPROPRIATE funds to study licensure requirements for Career and technical education high school teachers and make recommendations on an alternative or modified path to licensure.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  No later than March 15, 2025, the Department of Public Instruction, in collaboration with the State Board of Community Colleges, shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on any identified recommendations on licensure requirements for Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school teachers. The purposes of the study are to (i) review current CTE licensure policy to determine if a different set of criteria would qualify a credentialed skilled worker or professional to effectively teach students and (ii) apply that criteria as an alternative path or as a modification to an existing path to CTE teacher licensure. The report shall include at least the following information:

(1)        The recommended criteria for a credentialed skilled worker or professional to possess competency sufficient to teach students his or her subject matter, including consideration of at least each of the following components:

a.         The type of credentials that are sufficient or insufficient.

b.         The number of years of experience necessary.

c.         Any measure of breadth of experience or of competency that would otherwise demonstrate expertise.

d.         Any combination of the components in sub‑subdivisions a. through c. of this subdivision.

(2)        In light of existing CTE licensure policies and procedures, recommendations on how to best implement an alternative path or a modified path to licensure for individuals who meet the criteria recommended by the study.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year for the study and report required by Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2024.