AN ACT to remove the math iii graduation requirement, to modify the high school mathematics graduation requirements, to require additional high school mathematics instruction for certain students, to require a high school United states history test, TO modify the founding principles high school course requirements, and to require the university of north carolina's constituent institutions to align minimum admissions requirements with the mathematics requirements for high school graduation.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Beginning with the 2025‑2026 school year, the State Board of Education shall not require any student to complete NC Math III as one of the four required mathematics courses for high school graduation.

SECTION 1.(b)  Public school units shall encourage all students to complete additional mathematics courses beyond the required courses. Public school units shall encourage students who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees to work with school counselors to determine a sequence of mathematics courses that would make them most competitive for admission to an institution of higher education. NC 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 1.(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 2.(a)  G.S. 115C‑83.31(a) reads as rewritten:

(a)      The State Board of Education shall require the following for high school graduation:

(1)        Successful completion of instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation as provided in G.S. 115C‑81.25(c)(10).

(2)        A passing grade in the semester course on the Founding Principles of the United States of America and the State of North Carolina described in G.S. 115C‑81.45(d)(1).To meet the four credits required for social studies, a passing grade in each of the following courses:

a.         World History.

b.         United States History.

c.         Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy, as provided in G.S. 115C‑81.45(d)(1).

d.         Economics and Personal Finance, as provided in G.S. 115C‑81.65.

(3)        A passing grade in a computer science course as provided in G.S. 115C‑81.90(c). The computer science course shall fulfill one credit that is not an English, mathematics, science, or social studies credit. Students enrolling in a public high school in this State after completion of the eleventh grade shall be exempt from this requirement.To meet the four credits required for mathematics, a passing grade in each of the following courses:

a.         NC Math I.

b.         NC Math II.

c.         Computer Science, as provided in G.S. 115C‑81.90. Students enrolling in a public high school in this State after completion of the eleventh grade are exempt from this requirement.

d.         A fourth mathematics course aligned with the student's career development plan completed in accordance with G.S. 115C‑158.10.

(4)        A passing score on the United States History test adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to G.S. 115C‑174.11(c)(1a).

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 115C‑174.11(c) reads as rewritten:

(c)      Annual Testing Program. –

(1)        The State Board of Education shall adopt the tests for grades three through 12 that are required by federal law or as a condition of a federal grant. These tests shall be designed to measure progress toward reading, communication skills, and mathematics for grades three through eight, and toward competencies for grades nine through 12. Students who do not pass the tests adopted for eighth grade shall be provided remedial instruction in the ninth grade.

(1a)      The State Board of Education shall adopt a test for the United States History course required by G.S. 115C‑83.31 composed of questions from the pool of publicly available questions to be used for the civics test given by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as part of the naturalization interview and test issued by USCIS. The State Board shall determine the format of the test and the number of questions to be included in the test.

(2)        If the State Board of Education finds that additional testing in grades three through 12 is desirable to allow comparisons with national indicators of student achievement, that testing shall be conducted with the smallest size sample of students necessary to assure valid comparisons with other states.

….

SECTION 2.(c)  This section applies beginning with students entering the ninth grade in the 2026‑2027 school year.

SECTION 3.(a)  In response to Computer Science becoming mathematics courses, the State Board of Education shall develop a plan to remove licensing barriers for individuals who were licensed or eligible to be licensed to teach Computer Science prior to it becoming a mathematics course.

SECTION 3.(b)  Notwithstanding any law or rule to the contrary, a public school unit may allow any licensed teacher, regardless of licensure area, to teach Computer Science if the public school unit determines the teacher possesses the necessary content knowledge to effectively teach the course.

SECTION 3.(c)  This section expires June 30, 2028.

SECTION 4.(a)  Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 115C‑81.37.  Enrollment in foundational high school mathematics courses.

Local boards of education shall enroll students in high school mathematics courses in accordance with all of the following:

(1)        Students scoring a Level 1 or Level 2 on the eighth grade mathematics end‑of‑grade exam shall be enrolled in Foundations of Math I prior to enrolling in NC Math I in high school unless one of the following applies:

a.         The student's parent provides written consent for the student to be enrolled in NC Math I after being adequately informed that the student's placement was determined by the student's achievement on the previous end‑of‑grade exam.

b.         The student's principal directs that the student be enrolled in NC Math I based on evidence in the student's academic record that the enrollment is appropriate.

(2)        Students scoring a Level 1 or Level 2 on the NC Math I end‑of‑course exam shall be enrolled in Foundations of Math II prior to enrolling in NC Math II unless one of the following applies:

a.         The student's parent provides written consent for the student to be enrolled in NC Math II after being adequately informed that the student's placement was determined by the student's achievement on the previous end‑of‑course exam.

b.         The student's principal directs that the student be enrolled in NC Math II based on evidence in the student's academic record that the enrollment is appropriate.

(3)        Students scoring at or above a Level 3 on the eighth grade mathematics end‑of‑grade exam shall be encouraged not to take Foundations of Math I prior to enrolling in NC Math I in high school.

(4)        Students scoring at or above a Level 3 on the NC Math I end‑of‑course exam shall be encouraged not to take Foundations of Math II prior to enrolling in NC Math II.

SECTION 4.(b)  This section applies beginning with the 2026‑2027 school year.

SECTION 5.(a)  G.S. 115C‑81.45(d) reads as rewritten:

(d)      Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy. –

(1)        The State Board of Education shall require instruction in civic and citizenship education in the standard course of study for high school social studies through the teaching of a full‑credit course that shall be called Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy. A passing grade in the course shall be required for graduation from high school.

(1a)      The course required by subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be solely focused on civics and citizenship education, and shall include at least the following subjects:

a.         The Creator‑endowed inalienable rights of the people.

b.         Structure of government, separation of powers with checks and balances.

c.         Frequent and free elections in a representative government.

d.         Rule of law.

e.         Equal justice under the law.

f.          Private property rights.

g.         Federalism.

h.         Due process.

i.          Individual rights as set forth in the Bill of Rights.

j.          Individual responsibility.

k.         Constitutional limitations on government power to tax and spend, and prompt payment of public debt.

l.          Strong defense and supremacy of civil authority over military.

m.        Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.

(1b)      The State Board of Education is strongly encouraged to include the following components in the course required by subdivision (1) of this subsection:

a.         That students write to a local, State, or federal elected official about an issue that is important to them.

b.         Instruction on the importance of voting and otherwise participating in the democratic process, including instruction on voter registration.

c.         Information about current events and governmental structure.

d.         Information about the democratic process and how laws are made.

(1c)      The course required by subdivision (1) of this subsection shall require students to read the following documents in their entirety:

a.         The Constitution of the United States of America.

b.         The Declaration of Independence.

c.         The Emancipation Proclamation.

d.         At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the teacher.

e.         Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail.

f.          The Gettysburg Address.

g.         The North Carolina State Constitution.

h.         George Washington's Farewell Address.

(2)        The State Board of Education shall require that any high school level curriculum‑based tests for the course required in subdivision (1) of this subsection developed and administered statewide include questions related to the philosophical foundations of our form of government and the principles underlying the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and its amendments, and the most important of the Federalist Papers.all of the following related to the documents listed in subdivision (1c) of this subsection:

a.         The principles underlying the documents.

b.         The perspectives of the authors of the documents.

c.         The relevant historical contexts at the time the documents were written.

(3)        The Department of Public Instruction and the local boards of education, as appropriate, shall provide or cause to be provided curriculum content for the course required in subdivision (1) of this subsection and professional development to ensure that the intent and provisions of this subsection are carried out. The curriculum content established shall include a review of the contributions made by Americans of all races.

(4)        The Department of Public Instruction shall submit a biennial report by October 15 of each odd‑numbered year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee covering the implementation of this subsection.

SECTION 5.(b)  This section applies beginning with the 2026‑2027 school year.

SECTION 6.(a)  G.S. 116‑11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

(8c)    The Board of Governors shall adopt as the minimum mathematics requirements for admission to a constituent institution the mathematics requirements for high school graduation adopted by the State Board of Education.

SECTION 6.(b)  This section applies beginning with students applying for admission for the 2026‑2027 academic year.

SECTION 7.(a)  G.S. 115C‑83.32(c) is repealed.

SECTION 7.(b)  G.S. 115C‑218.85(c) is repealed.

SECTION 7.(c)  Section 5 of S.L. 2019‑82 is repealed.

SECTION 7.(d)  Section 1(b) of S.L. 2023‑132 is repealed.

SECTION 8.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.