AN ACT to establish a program to exempt students enrolled in secondary schools operated by the university of north carolina from paying fees related to advanced placement courses.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Part 5 of Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 116‑43.30.  Advanced Placement courses for secondary school students.

(a)        It is the intent of the State to enhance accessibility and encourage secondary school students to enroll in and successfully complete more rigorous Advanced Placement courses to enable success in postsecondary education for all students. To attain this goal, to the extent funds are made available for this purpose, secondary school students enrolled in the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts shall be exempt from paying any fees for registration and administration of examinations for Advanced Placement courses in which the student is enrolled, regardless of the score the student achieves on an examination.

(b)        The University of North Carolina System Office shall report annually by December 15 to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on Advanced Placement course information for the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The report shall include, at a minimum, the following information from the prior fiscal year:

(1)        Number of students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses and participating in Advanced Placement course examinations, including demographic information by gender and race.

(2)        Student performance on Advanced Placement course examinations, including information by course and school.

(3)        Amount of State funds expended for fees for Advanced Placement courses by school.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of ninety thousand dollars ($90,000) in recurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year to be used to pay for the fees for registration and administration of examinations for Advanced Placement courses for students enrolled in the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, as provided in G.S. 116‑43.30, as enacted by this act.

SECTION 3.  The initial report required pursuant to G.S. 116‑43.30(b) shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 15, 2022.

SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.