116-239.8. Chancellor; powers and duties.

(a) The chancellor of a constituent institution designated by the Board of Governors to establish a laboratory school shall submit a proposal in accordance with G.S. 116-239.7 that is consistent with any requirements established by the Subcommittee on Laboratory Schools in accordance with this Article.

(b) The chancellor shall be the administrative head of a laboratory school approved by the Subcommittee and shall provide general direction for the establishment and operation of a laboratory school. The chancellor, with advice and input from the advisory board established in subdivision (1) of this subsection, shall adopt policies, operating procedures, and the courses of study to govern the operation of the laboratory school. The chancellor may designate the duties required by this Article to other personnel as necessary. The chancellor shall also have the following powers and duties:

(1) Advisory board. - The chancellor shall establish an advisory board to provide advice and guidance to the chancellor as follows:

a. Composition of the advisory board. - The advisory board shall consist of up to 10 members who shall be appointed by the chancellor or serve ex officio as follows:

1. The dean of the constituent institution's educator preparation program.

2. A member of the board of trustees of the constituent institution.

3. Two faculty members from the institution. At least one of the faculty members shall be faculty from the constituent institution's educator preparation program.

4. The superintendent of the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located.

5. A member of the community who resides in the local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located.

6. Up to four other members that the chancellor deems necessary.

a1. Terms of members. - The term of each member shall be for four years, and any vacancy shall be filled with a person of the same classification as his or her predecessor for the balance of the unexpired term. No advisory board member shall serve more than two complete consecutive terms. The chancellor shall stagger the terms of the initial appointees in a manner that results in the expiration of terms of no more than three members in any year.

a2. Organization; meetings; expenses. - The chancellor shall call the organizational meeting of the advisory board. The advisory board shall meet at least quarterly. The advisory board shall annually elect a chair and a vice-chair. There shall be no limitation on successive terms that may be served by a chair or vice-chair. The advisory board shall adopt internal organizational procedures or bylaws necessary for efficient operation. Advisory board members shall not receive per diem or travel expenses for the performance of their duties.

b. Duties. - The advisory board shall have the following duties:

1. Monitor the operations of the laboratory school and the distribution of moneys allocated for such operations.

2. Recommend to the chancellor necessary policy, program, and administration modifications.

3. Evaluate biennially the performance of the principal and recommend corresponding action to the chancellor.

4. Annually review evaluations of the laboratory school's operation and research findings.

(2) Laboratory school course of study. -

a. The chancellor shall establish the standard course of study for the laboratory school. This course of study shall set forth the subjects to be taught in each grade and the texts and other educational materials on each subject to be used in each grade. The chancellor shall design its programs to meet at least the student performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education and the student performance standards contained in Chapter 115C of the General Statutes.

b. The chancellor shall conduct student assessments required by the State Board of Education.

c. The chancellor shall adopt a school calendar consisting of a minimum of 185 days or 1,025 hours of instruction covering at least nine calendar months.

(3) Standards of performance and conduct. - The chancellor shall establish policies and standards for academic performance, attendance, and conduct for students of the laboratory school. The policies of the chancellor shall comply with Article 27 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes.

(4) Food and transportation services. - The local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located shall provide food services and transportation to students attending the laboratory school. The local school administrative unit in which the laboratory school is located shall administer the National School Lunch Program for the laboratory school in accordance with G.S. 115C-264. The chancellor shall arrange for the provision of these services from the local school administrative unit.

(5) School attendance. - Every parent, guardian, or other person in this State having charge or control of a child who is enrolled in the laboratory school and who is less than 16 years of age shall cause such child to attend school continuously for a period equal to the time that the laboratory school shall be in session. No person shall encourage, entice, or counsel any child to be unlawfully absent from the laboratory school. Any person who aids or abets a student's unlawful absence from the laboratory school shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The principal shall be responsible for implementing such additional policies concerning compulsory attendance as shall be adopted by the chancellor, including regulations concerning lawful and unlawful absences, permissible excuses for temporary absences, maintenance of attendance records, and attendance counseling.

(6) Reporting. - The chancellor shall comply with the reporting requirements established by the State Board of Education in the Uniform Education Reporting System.

(7) Assessment results. - The chancellor shall provide data to the local school administrative unit on the performance of students on any testing required by the State Board of Education.

(8) Education of children with disabilities. - The chancellor shall require compliance with laws and policies relating to the education of children with disabilities.

(9) Health and safety. - The chancellor shall require that the laboratory school meet the same health and safety standards required of a local school administrative unit. The Department of Public Instruction shall ensure that laboratory schools comply with G.S. 115C-375.2A. The chancellor shall provide the laboratory school with a supply of emergency epinephrine auto-injectors necessary to carry out the provisions of G.S. 115C-375.2A.

(10) School Risk Management Plan. - Each laboratory school, in coordination with local law enforcement agencies, is encouraged to adopt a School Risk Management Plan (SRMP) relating to incidents of school violence. In constructing and maintaining these plans, a laboratory school may utilize the School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS) established pursuant to G.S. 115C-105.49A. These plans are not considered a public record as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132-1 and shall not be subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132-6.

(11) Schematic diagrams and school crisis kits. - Laboratory schools are encouraged to provide schematic diagrams and keys to the main entrance of school facilities to local law enforcement agencies, in addition to implementing the provisions in G.S. 115C-105.52.

(12) School safety exercises. - At least once a year, a laboratory school is encouraged to hold a full schoolwide lockdown exercise with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies that are part of the laboratory school's SRMP.

(13) Safety information provided to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management. - A laboratory school is encouraged to provide the following: (i) schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams and (ii) emergency response information requested by the Division for the SRMP. The schematic diagrams and emergency response information are not considered public records as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132-1 and shall not be subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132-6.

(14) North Carolina school report cards. - A laboratory school shall ensure that the report card issued for it by the State Board of Education receives wide distribution to the local press or is otherwise provided to the public. A laboratory school shall ensure that the overall school performance score and grade earned by the laboratory school for the current and previous four school years is prominently displayed on the school Web site. If a laboratory school earned an overall school performance grade of D or F, the laboratory school shall provide notice of the grade in writing to the parent or guardian of all students enrolled in that school.

(15) Policy against bullying. - A laboratory school is encouraged to adopt a policy against bullying or harassing behavior, including cyberbullying, that is consistent with the provisions of Article 29C of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes. If a laboratory school adopts a policy to prohibit bullying and harassing behavior, the laboratory school shall, at the beginning of each school year, provide the policy to staff, students, and parents as defined in G.S. 115C-390.1(b)(8).

(16) Access for youth groups. - Laboratory schools are encouraged to facilitate access for students to participate in activities provided by any youth group listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society, such as the Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils. Student participation in any activities offered by these organizations shall not interfere with instructional time during the school day for the purposes of encouraging civic education.