2018 North Carolina General Statutes
Chapter 116 - Higher Education
Article 23 - State Education Assistance.
§ 116-209.70 - Purpose and definitions.

116-209.70. Purpose and definitions.

(a) Purpose. - The purpose of this Part is to establish the Transforming Principal Preparation Grant Program as a competitive grant program for eligible entities to elevate educators in North Carolina public schools by transforming the preparation of principals across the State. The Authority shall administer this Program through a cooperative agreement with a private, nonprofit corporation to provide funds for the preparation and support of highly effective future school principals in North Carolina.

(b) Definitions. - For the purposes of this Part, the following definitions apply:

(1) Eligible entity. - A for-profit or nonprofit organization or an institution of higher education that has an evidence-based plan for preparing school leaders who implement school leadership practices linked to increased student achievement.

(2) High-need local school administrative unit. - A local school administrative unit with the majority of its schools deemed to be high-need schools as defined in subdivision (3) of this subsection.

(3) High-need school. - A public school, including a charter school, that meets one or more of the following criteria:

a. Is a school identified under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended.

b. Is a persistently low-achieving school, as identified by the Department of Public Instruction for purposes of federal accountability.

c. A middle school containing any of grades five through eight that feeds into a high school with less than a sixty percent (60%) four-year cohort graduation rate.

d. A high school with less than a sixty percent (60%) four-year cohort graduation rate.

(4) Principal. - The highest administrative official in a public school building with primary responsibility for the instructional leadership, talent management, and organizational development of the school.

(5) Program. - Transforming Principal Preparation Grant Program established pursuant to this Part.

(6) School leader. - An individual employed in a school leadership role, including principal or assistant principal roles.

(7) Student achievement. - At the whole school level, after three years of leading a school, consistent and methodologically sound measures of:

a. Student academic achievement.

b. Aggregated individual student academic growth.

c. Additional outcomes, such as high school graduation rates, the percentage of students taking advanced-level coursework, or the percentage of students who obtain a career-related credential through a national business certification exam. (2018-5, s. 10A.4(b).)