GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1987 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1084

HOUSE BILL 2560

 

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON INDIAN EDUCATION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Chapter 115C of the General Statutes of North Carolina is amended by adding a new Article 13A to be entitled "State Advisory Council on Indian Education" and to read as follows:

"ARTICLE 13A.

"State Advisory Council on Indian Education.

"§ 115C-210.  Council established.-There is hereby established an advisory council to the State Board of Education to be known as the 'State Advisory Council on Indian Education'.

"§ 115C-210.1.  Membership - How appointed.-The Council shall consist of 15 members, as follows:

(a)       Two legislative members (one senator appointed by the President of the Senate and one representative appointed by the Speaker of the House);

(b)       Two Indian members from higher education to be appointed by the Board of Governors of the University system;

(c)       One Indian member from the North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs to be appointed by that Commission;

(d)       Eight Indian parents of students enrolled in public schools and two Indian educators from public elementary/secondary schools to be appointed by the State Board of Education from a list submitted by the North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs;

(e)       Indian members of the Council shall be broadly representative of North Carolina Indian tribes and organizations, specifically, the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Lumbee, Coharie, Waccamaw-Siouan, Haliwa Saponi, Meherrin, Person County Indians, Cumberland County Association for Indian People, the Guilford Native American Association, the Metrolina Native American Association, and any other Indian tribe gaining State recognition in the future.

"§ 115C-210.2.  Term of office.-The Legislative members, the higher education members, and the member from the North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs shall serve for an unspecified term at the pleasure of their respective appointing authorities.  The public school educators and the Indian parents shall each be divided into two classes, with one class being appointed initially for a term of one year and one class being appointed initially for a term of two years.  Assignment of initial appointees to classes shall be by lot conducted by the State Board of Education just prior to the initial appointment.  All subsequent terms shall be for a period of two years, and no member shall serve for more than two consecutive full terms.

"§ 115C-210.3.  Organization, meetings, and compensation.-(a) At its initial meeting, the Council shall elect a chairperson from its membership.

(b)       The Council shall meet in space to be provided by the Department of Public Instruction on such dates as are agreed on by the membership from meeting to meeting: provided, however, that the Council shall meet at least three, but no more than four times each year.  The Council may meet at emergency meetings called by the chairperson.  The Department of Public Instruction shall provide necessary staff support and supplies to enable the Council to carry out its duties in an effective manner.

(c)       Council members shall serve without pay, but shall receive travel allowances, lodging, subsistence and per diem as provided by G.S. 138-5.

"§ 115C-210.4.  Duties of the Council.-It shall be the duty of the Advisory Council:

(a)       To advise the State Board of Education on ways to meet more effectively the educational needs of Indian students;

(b)       To advocate meaningful programs to reduce and eventually eliminate low achievement and concurrent high attrition rates among American Indian students;

(c)       To prepare an annual report on a fiscal year basis on the status of Indian education, said report to be presented to the State Board of Education and to the various Indian tribal organizations at the statewide Indian Unity Conference;

(d)       To work closely with the Division of Indian Education in the Department of Public Instruction to improve coordination and communication between and among programs;

(e)       To advise the State Board of Education on any other aspect of Indian education when requested by the State Board to do so."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1988.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 8th day of July, 1988.