AN ACT to allow TEACHERS to receive Continuing education CREDITS FOR completing mandatory trainings and to modify the digital teaching and learning renewal requirements for professional educators.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑270.30 reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑270.30.  Licensure renewal.

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(b)        Teacher Licensure Renewal. – Rules for continuing licensure for teachers shall include the following:

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(2a)      For all teachers, hours spent attending mandatory training programs shall contribute toward the calculation of continuing education credits if all of the following apply:

a.         The mandatory training program is required by State law or by a local board of education as a condition of employment.

b.         The teacher has otherwise met any applicable requirements for literacy renewal credits, credits required in a teacher's academic subject area, digital teaching or learning, or other licensure renewal requirements adopted by the State Board pursuant to this section.

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(c)        License Renewal Rules Review. – The rules for licensure renewal shall be reviewed at least once every five years by the State Board to do the following:

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(3)        Integrate digital teaching and learning into the requirements for licensure renewal. The State Board of Education shall not require the completion of continuing education credits solely related to digital teaching and learning but may require completion of up to two continuing education credits that include pedagogy on digital teaching and learning as a component of a general or content‑specific continuing education credit.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to licenses renewed on or after that date.