AN ACT To give equal credit to community college and high school courses taken by career and college promise students and to remove the math iii graduation requirement.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 115D‑5 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

(x1)    The State Board of Community Colleges shall collaborate with the State Board of Education to develop a series of courses to be offered at community colleges that align with (i) the English, science, social studies, and mathematics graduation requirements adopted by the State Board of Education and (ii) the Career and College Promise Program. Each course must grant one high school credit and fulfill a corresponding graduation requirement.

SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 115C‑12 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(41a)  To Collaborate with the State Board of Community Colleges to Align Graduation Requirements with Community College Courses. – The State Board of Education shall collaborate with the State Board of Community Colleges pursuant to G.S. 115D‑5(x1).

SECTION 2.(a)  The State Board of Community Colleges, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by no later than January 15, 2028, on the results of the collaboration pursuant to Section 1 of this act. The report shall include the following:

(1)        A list of which community college courses will align with which high school graduation requirements.

(2)        A plan for how the State Board of Community Colleges and the State Board of Education will continue to align community college courses completed by students participating in the Career and College Promise Program with the corresponding high school graduation requirements.

SECTION 2.(b)  Upon submission of the report required by subsection (a) of this section, the courses developed pursuant to G.S. 115D‑5(x1), as enacted by this act, shall be offered beginning with the next academic year.

SECTION 3.(a)  Beginning with the 2025‑2026 school year and continuing until the end of the school year in which the State Board of Community Colleges and the State Board of Education complete the requirements of Sections 1 and 2 of this act, completion of the following community college courses by students participating in the Career and College Promise Program is deemed completion of the corresponding high school graduation requirement:

(1)        For the physical science requirement, any of the following:

a.         CHM 151 – General Chemistry I.

b.         CHM 152 – General Chemistry II.

c.         PHY 151 – College Physics I.

d.         PHY 152 – College Physics II.

e.         PHY 251 – General Physics I.

f.          PHY 252 – General Physics II.

(2)        For the English III requirement, any of the following:

a.         ENG 111 – Writing and Inquiry.

b.         ENG 231 – American Literature I.

c.         ENG 241 – British Literature I.

(3)        For the English IV requirement, any of the following:

a.         ENG 112 – Writing/Research in the Disciplines.

b.         ENG 232 – American Literature II.

c.         ENG 242 – British Literature II.

(4)        For the World History requirement, any of the following:

a.         HIS 111 – World Civilizations I.

b.         HIS 112 – World Civilizations II.

(5)        For the fourth mathematics requirement, any of the following:

a.         MAT 143 – Quantitative Literacy.

b.         MAT 152 – Statistical Methods I.

c.         MAT 171 – Pre‑calculus Algebra.

d.         MAT 172 – Pre‑calculus Trigonometry.

e.         MAT 175 – Precalculus.

f.          MAT 263 – Brief Calculus.

g.         MAT 271 – Calculus I.

h.         MAT 272 – Calculus II.

SECTION 3.(b)  This section expires upon satisfaction of the requirements of Sections 1 and 2 of this act.

SECTION 4.(a)  Beginning with the 2025‑2026 school year, the State Board of Education shall require each student to complete mathematics courses for graduation that are aligned with the student's career development plan completed in accordance with G.S. 115C‑158.10. The mathematics courses required for graduation shall not include Math III unless that course is specified in the student's career development plan.

SECTION 4.(b)  Public school units shall encourage students to complete additional mathematics courses beyond the required courses. Math III and all other math courses existing on the effective date of this act shall continue to be made available to all high school students.

SECTION 4.(c)  The State Board of Education may adopt emergency rules in accordance with G.S. 150B‑21.1A to implement this section for the 2025‑2026 school year.

SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.