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_ 04/10/97 10:20 ~919 753 1065 Excellent Schools Act Summary North Carolina's approach to imp;oving education includes quailW early childhood education, safer schools, increased technology and excellent teaching. VGfile ~e budget before the Legislature includes all of these, the Exeellent Schools Act focuses on te:xching. It is a comprehensive effort to raise academic staMards, :aisc teaching standar~.s and raise teacher pay. Raising Academic Standards S',ate Board of Education will be instructed to raise standards for ~cud em performance in reading, writing & math using the ABC L~itiative and the work oft. he Standards & Accountability Commission. H. Raising Standards and Accountability for Teachers * Just as students are held accountable, the ABC education reform effoa holds teachers and schools accountable -- with consequences for failure and rewards for success. , The Excellent Schools Act would raise the bar for those seekdng a lic ;me To ~each, a cong.nning lite,e, a renewal license and for tenure. Just as all teaeh,~,rs must meet higher stanaa~ds, all teachers will earn a pay raise. Teacher~ who meet the very highest standards will get the highest pay increases. Those new standards in.~lude: 1.'-Bett~r pret~arationfor entry-level teachers - College students must meet ~dgher starmlards to enter a school of education, complete a longer internship and meet higher sumdazd~ to earn an initial license to teach. 2. Higher standards and ~uj~port for beginning teachers .- Every new teacher will have an experienced, well-trained mentor. To earn a continuing license, teachers before their tl'drd year must pass rigorous and performance-based evaluatior~s by accomplished teachers and well-trained principals. 3. Tougher standards for tenure & tenure reJbrra - Teachers must meet higtier standards to earn tenure, and it will take longer'~o get *,ChUte. 'the tenure process ~ilI be suearalined so that it's easier to fire poor teachers. 4. Continuous evaluations for career leachers .. Renewal of teacher's license (every 5 yeazs) will be made more meaningfifl and more difficult. HI, Higher Pay for ltigher Performance · Pay for £erformance -- A key component of the Excellent Schools Act is pedormance pay: rewarding teachers for achievement under the ABC plan (bonus of up to $1,000); earning the rigorous National Board Certification (12% pa>' inereaae); and comp cling a more rigorous master's degree program (10% increase by the year 2000) · Raise startingpcry - Raise pay' for new teachers from $21,330 to $2.~,000 by the year 2000. · J~aise pay for meeting tougher Standards -- Provide salary increases at strategic points in a teacher's career: after earning a license to teach, getting a conthauing license, renewing a license or getting tenure. Teachers that commit to stay aa. additional five years would earn a $2,500 bonus set aside at year $ and paid at year 13.