Allow Flex. for Trades HS in Iredell Co.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 304

Short Title: Allow Flex. for Trades HS in Iredell Co. (Local)
Sponsors: Representatives McNeely, Setzer, and Carver (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Education - K-12, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
March 6, 2025
*H304-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ALLOW IRED ELL-STATESVILLE SCHO OLS TO OPERATE A TRA DES 2
HIGH SCHOOL AND ISSUE TRADES DIPLOMAS. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1.(a) The Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education is permitted to 5
have one school in the Iredell -Statesville School Administrative Unit operate as a Trades High 6
School. For purposes of this section, a "Trades High School" is a school serving students in 7
grades 10 through 12 operating under Chapter 115C of the General Sta tutes, except for the 8
flexibilities provided by this act, that focuses primarily on Career and Technical Education. 9
SECTION 1.(b) The Trades High School is exempt from the following statutes: 10
(1) Part 1 of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. 11
(2) Part 1D of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. 12
SECTION 1.(c) The Trades High School shall employ and establish the terms of any 13
new or renewed contract with necessary school administrators and teachers to perform the 14
particular service for which they are employed in the school, except for those teachers employed 15
pursuant to G.S. 115C-325. At least fifty percent (50%) of the teachers in a school shall hold 16
teacher licenses. All teachers who are teaching in the core subject areas of mathematics, science, 17
social studies, and language arts shall be college graduates. The Trades High School also may 18
employ necessary employees who are not required to hold teacher licenses to perform duties 19
other than teaching and may contract for other servic es. All teachers hired by the Trades High 20
School who are not licensed as a teacher by the State shall complete preservice training, which 21
may be offered through an educator preparation program or by a local school administrative unit, 22
in all of the following areas prior to beginning instruction: 23
(1) The identification and education of children with disabilities. 24
(2) Positive management of student behavior. 25
(3) Effective communication for defusing and de -escalating disruptive or 26
dangerous behavior. 27
(4) Safe and appropriate use of seclusion and restraint. 28
SECTION 1.(d) The Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education shall develop 29
criteria for an alternative Trades Diploma. For purposes of this section, a "Trades Diploma" is 30
the diploma to be awarded to stu dents graduating from the Trades High School who meet the 31
criteria set by the Iredell -Statesville Schools Board of Education. Students shall obtain at least 32
22 credits to earn a Trades Diploma. The Iredell -Statesville Schools Board of Education shall 33
submit a list of requirements for students to obtain a Trades Diploma to the State Board of 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 304-First Edition
Education prior to the start of the first school year the Iredell -Statesville Schools Board of 1
Education intends to offer Trade Diplomas. 2
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with 3
the 2025-2026 school year. 4