DRAFT ONLY

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT AUTHORIZING PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT A POLICY OF FLEXIBILITY PERTAINING TO THE CLASSROOM PLACEMENT OF MULTIPLE BIRTH CHILDREN

DRAFT

Each public school in the state of North Carolina shall promote a policy of flexibility with classroom placement determination of multiple birth children. Each school official with the authority to determine classroom placement shall take into consideration any written request from a parent or guardian of multiple birth children for their multiples to be either separated or placed within the same classroom. Any such request from parents shall be in written form and received by the school no later than 30 days prior to enrollment or commencement of class for each school year. The requested classroom placement shall not place any undue burden on the school, administration, or other students. When a classroom placement is not in accordance with the written request of the parents or guardians, the school official must then meet with the parent or guardian and provide a written statement explaining reasons for the contrary classroom placement decision. The official's written explanation shall include, but not be limited to, specific burden to the school, administration, or other students. If the contrary placement is based solely on the school official's opinion that it is best for the multiples, then the explanation shall be accompanied by written supporting statements from teachers, school counselors or other school officials that have evaluated the multiples in question.

If there is no written request from the parent or guardian of multiples within 30 days prior to the school year, schools may proceed with their existing policy of classroom placement of multiples.

For purposes of this section, multiple birth children shall include twins, triplets or larger groups of siblings resulting from the same delivery.