NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1114

HOUSE BILL 1143

 

 

AN ACT TO ADOPT THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED JOINTLY BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE.

 

Whereas, universal education is accepted as the right of every child; and

Whereas, the basic obligation to provide educational opportunities for children rests with each individual state; and

Whereas, in assuming responsibility for all public education, the State also assumes responsibility for the quality of that education; and

Whereas, the public has expressed its expectation that instructional programs in the schools of this State should provide our children with basic knowledge and competence to meet life's needs in an adult society; and

Whereas, the cornerstone for any instructional program is the quality of the professional personnel charged with the responsibility of carrying out the objectives of the instructional program; and

Whereas, North Carolina has used certification of professional personnel as the basic means of assuring that personnel have the minimum academic and professional skills necessary to meet the objectives of the instructional programs offered to our children; and

Whereas, the certification of teachers is a responsibility discharged by every state in the United States with differing program approaches being used by the various states as the means of qualifying individuals for certification to fill professional positions; and

Whereas, many states, including North Carolina, have undertaken efforts to improve the quality of their professional personnel; and

Whereas, the North Carolina approach, which involves a major effort jointly supported by the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, is the most careful, systematic, comprehensive effort undertaken by any state based on the best in research and creative work in other states; and

Whereas, the Quality Assurance Program established by these Boards seeks quality preparation in teacher education through the following components:

in college entrance requirements of prospective teachers;

in diagnostic, evaluated processes for programs in general education;

in teaching area program requirements and components;

in an effective working partnership between institutions of higher education and public schools especially relating to laboratory experiences;

in comprehensive exit evaluations;

in performance evaluation and education support systems;

in evaluation of the competency-based program approach;

in testing the effectiveness of the Quality Assurance Program approach for evaluation of the product through field testing; and

Whereas, this comprehensive program of quality assurance is intended to improve programs covering the entire range from preparation through performance; and

Whereas, the Quality Assurance Program is designed to expand its coverage to other educational personnel; and

Whereas, implementation of the program thus far has been performed at a minimal cost to the State, that cost being one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000); and

Whereas, the Quality Assurance Program established and implemented by the unified efforts of the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina is found to be worthy of the endorsement and full support of the General Assembly; and

Whereas, the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina are commended for their foresight and thoroughness in assuming the responsibility and striving to improve their own professional quality; and

Whereas, the liaison committee of the two boards is especially commended for its diligence in establishing a high degree of unity between the two boards and consensus among personnel involved in the education of children and adults necessary to produce their excellent results; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. The Quality Assurance Program established by the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina is adopted as the means by which teacher competency in North Carolina is enhanced and assured.

Sec. 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of eighty-five thousand dollars ($85,000) for the fiscal year 1981-82 over and above all other appropriations to the State Board of Education, for the purpose of carrying out the various elements of this program.

Sec. 3. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 10th day of October, 1981.