NC H837

Appropriates $650,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for REAL School Gardens to establish a three-year pilot program from 2017-2018 through 2019-2020 school years.

Pilot program targets elementary schools with school-wide Title I programs in five local school administrative units: Cabarrus County Schools, Kannapolis City Schools, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Gaston County Schools, and Union County Schools.

Funds support transformation of outdoor spaces into learning centers using REAL School Gardens' national model, with teacher training and curriculum focused on science, math, literacy, and nutrition education through project-based learning.

Requires REAL School Gardens to submit annual reports by October 1 (2018, 2019, and 2020) to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and Fiscal Research Division detailing pilot progress, expenditures, and student outcome and teacher effectiveness data.

Funds do not revert at end of fiscal year and remain available for expenditure through the 2019-2020 fiscal year; effective July 1, 2017.