AN ACT to require the state board of education to create an arts PROFICIENCY high school diploma endorsement and TO make various conforming changes.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. ARTS PROFICIENCY DIPLOMA ENDORSEMENT

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

Part 1D. High School Graduation.

§ 115C‑83.30.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

§ 115C‑83.31.  Exit standards and graduation requirements.

(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).

(b)        The following restrictions apply to the State Board of Education regarding Algebra I and high school graduation projects:

(1)        The Board shall not adopt or enforce any rule that requires Algebra I as a graduation standard or as a requirement for a high school diploma for any student whose individualized education program (i) identifies the student as learning disabled in the area of mathematics and (ii) states that this learning disability will prevent the student from mastering Algebra I.

(2)        The Board shall not require any student to prepare a high school graduation project as a condition of graduation from high school; local boards of education may, however, require their students to complete a high school graduation project as provided in G.S. 115C‑47(54a).

§ 115C‑83.32.  High school diploma endorsements.

(a)        The State Board of Education shall establish, implement, and determine the impact of adding (i) college, (ii) career, and (iii) college and career endorsements to high school diplomas to encourage students to obtain requisite job skills necessary for students to be successful in a wide range of high‑quality careers and to reduce the need for remedial education in institutions of higher education. The Board shall develop criteria for receiving a diploma endorsement under this subsection that address the following:

(1)        Courses completed by the student.

(2)        Overall grade point average.

(3)        Reading achievement, including the requirement that a student receive on a nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test for reading, either administered under G.S. 115C‑174.11(c)(4) or as an alternative nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test approved by the Board, at least the benchmark score established by the testing organization that represents the level of achievement required for students to have approximately a fifty percent (50%) chance of obtaining a grade B or higher or a seventy‑five percent (75%) chance of obtaining a grade C or higher in a corresponding credit‑bearing, first‑year college course. A student may retake a nationally norm‑referenced test as many times as necessary to achieve the required benchmark score for reading in order to receive a high school diploma endorsement prior to the student's graduation.

(4)        Any additional criteria deemed necessary by the Board.

(b)        The State Board of Education shall establish an arts proficiency high school diploma endorsement to encourage students to obtain a well‑rounded, high‑quality arts education. The Board shall create any form necessary for students to document their arts participation and shall provide this form to local boards of education. The Board shall develop criteria for receiving a diploma endorsement under this subsection that include the following:

(1)        Completion of a minimum of four arts credits with an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or higher in each arts credit completed by the student.

(2)        Completion of a minimum of 40 hours of arts‑related extracurricular activities. To receive credit for completing these hours, a student shall meet all of the following requirements:

a.         The student participates in an arts‑related extracurricular activity that is approved by the local board of education.

b.         The student completes all of the required hours outside of instructional hours.

c.         The student does not receive any course credit for participation in the activity.

d.         The student documents the hours on the form provided by the Board to local boards of education.

(3)        Any additional criteria deemed necessary by the Board.

(c)        The Board shall report annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on high school diploma endorsements as required by G.S. 115C‑156.2.

SECTION 1.(b)  This section is effective when it becomes law. The State Board of Education shall make available arts proficiency high school diploma endorsements, as provided under this section, to students graduating high school beginning with the 2023‑2024 school year.

PART II. CONFORMING CHANGES

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 115C‑12(9d) reads as rewritten:

(9d)    Power to Develop Exit Standards and Graduation Requirements. –

a.         The Board In accordance with G.S. 115C‑83.31, the Board shall require certain exit standards and may develop additional exit standards that shall be required for high school graduation. The Board 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).

b.         The following restrictions apply to the Board regarding Algebra I and high school graduation projects:

1.         The Board shall not adopt or enforce any rule that requires Algebra I as a graduation standard or as a requirement for a high school diploma for any student whose individualized education program (i) identifies the student as learning disabled in the area of mathematics and (ii) states that this learning disability will prevent the student from mastering Algebra I.

2.         The Board shall not require any student to prepare a high school graduation project as a condition of graduation from high school; local boards of education may, however, require their students to complete a high school graduation as provided in G.S. 115C‑47(54a).

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 115C‑12(40) reads as rewritten:

(40)    To Establish High School Diploma Endorsements. – The State Board of Education shall establish, implement, and determine the impact of adding (i) college, (ii) career, and (iii) college and career endorsements to high school diplomas to encourage students to obtain requisite job skills necessary for students to be successful in a wide range of high‑quality careers and to reduce the need for remedial education in institutions of higher education. These endorsements shall reflect courses completed, overall grade point average, reading achievement, and other criteria as developed by the State Board of Education. A student shall only receive a high school diploma endorsement if that student receives on a nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test for reading, either administered under G.S. 115C‑174.11(c)(4) or as an alternative nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test approved by the State Board, at least the benchmark score established by the testing organization that represents the level of achievement required for students to have approximately a fifty percent (50%) chance of obtaining a grade B or higher or a seventy‑five percent (75%) chance of obtaining a grade C or higher in a corresponding credit‑bearing, first‑year college course. A student may retake a nationally norm‑referenced test as many times as necessary to achieve the required benchmark score for reading in order to receive a high school diploma endorsement prior to the student's graduation. The State Board of Education shall report annually to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on high school diploma endorsements in accordance with G.S. 115C‑156.2.establish high school diploma endorsements as provided in G.S. 115C‑83.32.

SECTION 2.(c)  G.S. 115C‑156.2(b) reads as rewritten:

(b)      Beginning in 2019, the The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 15 of each year on the following information:

(1)        The number of students in career and technical education courses who earned (i) community college credit and (ii) related industry certifications and credentials.

(2)        Implementation of high school diploma endorsements, including adding (i) college, (ii) career, and (iii) college and career endorsements to high school diplomas, through evaluation of at least the following data:

a.         Impact on the rates of high school graduation, college acceptance and remediation, and post‑high school employment.

b.         Beginning with the 2019‑2020 school year, the The number of students who had to retake a nationally norm‑referenced college admissions test to meet the reading benchmark score required by G.S. 115C‑12(40) G.S. 115C‑83.32(a) to receive a college or career high school diploma endorsement and the number of students who were not awarded a college or career high school diploma endorsement solely because of the inability to meet the benchmark score for reading required by G.S. 115C‑12(40).G.S. 115C‑83.32(a).

c.         The number of students receiving an arts proficiency high school diploma endorsement.

SECTION 2.(d)  This section is effective when it becomes law. Subsection (c) of this section applies beginning with the report due to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on November 15, 2024.

PART III. EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.