AN ACT to direct the department of public instruction and local school administrative units to provide certain mathematics supports in schools and to require the department of public instruction to report to the general assembly on those supports.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:

Part 1C. Mathematics Instruction.

§ 115C‑83.20.  North Carolina mathematics.

The General Assembly intends that all students become proficient in grade‑level mathematics as defined by the standard course of study in order to prepare to take and pass NC Math 1 and the related end‑of‑course assessment and ensure they are college and career ready. To attain these goals, all students should have access to high‑quality systems of mathematics instruction that include mathematics facts, procedural fluency, conceptual learning, and problem solving. These systems should be based on the best evidence on how students learn mathematics and include core instructional materials and professional development.

§ 115C‑83.22.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Part:

(1)        Explicit instruction. – A form of high‑quality instruction in which, for some portion of a lesson or intervention, the teacher provides clear modeling, think‑alouds, worked examples, practice, and timely corrective feedback directly to students.

(2)        Mathematical deficiency. – When a student does not meet the minimum mathematical skills for their grade level as defined by the standard course of study. These skills include at least: one‑to‑one correspondence, cardinality, number sense, counting, and the four basic operations.

(3)        Mathematical discourse. – Opportunities for students to reason mathematically and discuss with their peers and teacher how they are thinking about mathematics, including use of math‑specific vocabulary, procedural steps, concepts, and problem‑solving strategies.

(4)        Mathematical proficiency. – A demonstrated understanding of a mathematical standard, which serves as foundational prior knowledge on which to build new learning.

(5)        Responsive feedback. – Immediate, interactive feedback made possible by technology that shows students the mathematical meaning of their thinking and guides them to develop stronger conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, ability to apply concepts, and problem‑solving skills.

(6)        Structured approach to problem‑based learning. – Strategies and materials that develop students' curiosity into lasting grade‑level understanding using structured lessons and engaging tasks. This approach uses step‑by‑step instruction to systematically build on students' prior knowledge by combining conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application in a pedagogically coherent sequence.

§ 115C‑83.24.  Department of Public Instruction mathematics supports.

The Department shall provide a system of support based on high‑quality mathematics instructional systems and a structured approach to problem‑based learning for all students in kindergarten through grade eight and teachers of students in those grades. The system shall, where appropriate and reasonable, leverage technology to engage students and provide them with responsive feedback, while also providing teachers with actionable instructional insights. The system of support shall include the following:

(1)        An approved list of one or more high‑quality mathematics assessment and support systems that meet all of the following:

a.         Include assessments that are valid and reliable.

b.         Measure a number of age‑appropriate skills that include one‑to‑one correspondence, cardinality, number sense, counting, the four basic operations, addition and multiplication facts, measurement, fractions, and geometry.

c.         Identify students who have a mathematical deficiency, including identifying students with characteristics of dyscalculia.

d.         Identify the areas of mathematical proficiency that each student has so teachers can build on what students already understand to inform differentiated instruction and appropriate interventions.

e.         Include a system of parent or guardian notifications that will describe, in understandable language to the parent or guardian, the nature of a student's mathematics deficiency and areas of mathematical proficiency on which to build no later than 15 calendar days after the identification of this deficiency. The notification will include the current services being provided to the student, proposed interventions and materials to address the deficiency, and strategies for parents or guardians to use at home.

f.          Are supported by research that has demonstrated positive student outcomes.

(2)        An approved list of one or more high‑quality mathematics instructional systems that meet all of the following:

a.         Include both core curriculum and supplemental materials.

b.         Are based on the best evidence of how students learn mathematics and are supported by research that has demonstrated positive student outcomes.

c.         Use a coherent progression of topics, skills, and approaches to learning mathematics which include a mix of explicit instruction, practice, conceptual reasoning, and problem solving. These strategies and materials simultaneously develop students' conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, ability to apply concepts, and problem‑solving skills.

d.         Utilize a structured approach to problem‑based learning.

e.         Provide explicit instruction that is systematic and sequentially aligned to grade‑level standards.

f.          Provide targeted and flexible small group or individualized mathematics interventions based on student need.

g.         Allow for consistent and clear practice and reinforcement of critical mathematics concepts to ensure all students reach grade‑level mathematical proficiency.

h.         Include responsive feedback for students.

i.          Include numerous opportunities for student‑to‑student mathematical discourse.

j.          Have an appropriate pedagogical and developmental balance of print and digital content.

k.         Build on students' areas of mathematical proficiency and prior knowledge to develop new learning.

l.          Align with the standard course of study.

(3)        An approved list of one or more high‑quality professional learning offerings that are supported by research demonstrating positive student outcomes for using each of the following:

a.         High‑quality mathematics assessment and support systems approved by the Department pursuant to subdivision (1) of this section.

b.         High‑quality mathematics instructional systems approved by the Department pursuant to subdivision (2) of this section.

c.         A structured approach to problem‑based learning.

d.         Technology in the mathematics classroom.

§ 115C‑83.26.  Local school administrative unit requirements.

Local school administrative units shall select and implement all of the following from the approved lists adopted by the Department of Public Instruction pursuant to this Part:

(1)        A high‑quality mathematics assessment and support system for screening and progress monitoring toward grade‑level mathematics.

(2)        A high‑quality mathematics instructional system to be used for mathematics support. Each student in kindergarten through grade eight shall be provided an appropriate mathematics intervention to address their specific needs.

(3)        High‑quality professional learning offerings for mathematics teachers in kindergarten through grade eight.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Department of Public Instruction shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee prior to the implementation of the first mathematics standards adopted by the State Board of Education after the effective date of this act. The report shall include the following:

(1)        A summary of the mathematics standards adopted by the State Board.

(2)        Mathematics supports to be provided by the Department pursuant to G.S. 115C‑83.24, as enacted by this act.

(3)        Any other information the Department deems relevant.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2026‑2027 school year.