HB 415 — Modify Math and Social Studies Graduation Requirements.

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 byfederal 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.

…." SECTION2.(c) Thissectionappliesbeginningwithstudentsenteringtheninthgrade 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:

EnrollmentExtended courses in foundationalmathematics. high school mathematics courses.

Local(a) boardsThe State Board of educationEducation shall enrolldevelop studentsa incourse of study for high school mathematics courses inthat accordancespread withthe allcontent standards of theNC following:Math 1 and NC Math 2 into four separate courses as follows:

(1) StudentsNC scoringMath a Level 1 or Level 2 on the eighth grade mathematics end-of-grade exam shall be enrolleddivided ininto FoundationsExtended of Math I1 priorand toExtended enrolling in NC Math I2. in high school unless one of the following applies:

PageThe 2end-of-course Housetest Billfor 415-SecondNC EditionMath General1 Assemblyshall Ofbe Northgiven Carolinaat Sessionthe 2025conclusion a.of Extended Math 2.

The(2) student'sNC parentMath provides2 writtenshall consent for the student to be enrolleddivided ininto NCExtended Math I3 afterand beingExtended adequatelyMath informed4. that the student's placement was determined by the student's achievement on the previous end-of-grade exam.

b.The end-of-course test for NC Math 2 shall be given at the conclusion of Extended Math 4.

The(3) student'sCompletion principalof directsExtended thatMath the1 studentand be2 enrolledwith ina passing grade satisfies the NC Math I1 basedgraduation onrequirement evidenceand inExtended theMath student's2 academicis recordan thatequivalent thecourse enrollmentto isNC appropriate.Math 1.

(2)(4) StudentsCompletion scoringof aExtended LevelMath 13 orand Level4 2with ona passing grade satisfies the NC Math I2 end-of-coursegraduation examrequirement shalland beExtended enrolledMath in4 Foundationsis ofan Mathequivalent IIcourse prior to enrolling in NC Math II2. unless one of the following applies:

a.*H415-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (5) Completion of Extended Math 1, 2, 3, and 4 shall satisfy all mathematics graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education.

The(b) student'sStandards parentdeveloped providespursuant written consent for the student to bethis enrolledsection inshall NCnot Mathchange II after being adequately informed that the student'sexisting placementstandards wasfor determinedNC byMath the1 student'sor achievement2. on the previous end-of-course exam.

b.(c) Students shall be enrolled in high school math courses as follows:

The(1) student'sStudents principalscoring directsbelow thatproficient on the studenteighth grade mathematics end-of-course test shall be enrolled in NCExtended Math II1 basedand on2 evidenceto insatisfy the student'sNC academicMath record1 thatgraduation therequirement. enrollment is appropriate.

(3)(2) Students scoring atbelow orproficient aboveon athe LevelNC 3Math on1 theend-of-course eighthtest gradegiven mathematicsat end-of-gradethe examend shallof beExtended encouragedMath not2 toshall takebe Foundationsenrolled ofin Extended Math I3 priorand 4 to enrollingsatisfy intheir NC Math I2 ingraduation highrequirement. school.

(4)(3) Students scoring at or above aproficient Level 3 on the NC Math I1 end-of-course examtest shallgiven beat encouragedthe notend of Extended Math 2 may choose to takeenroll Foundationsin ofExtended Math II3 priorand 4 or NC Math 2 to enrollingsatisfy intheir NC Math II."2 SECTIONgraduation 4.(b)requirement." ThisSECTION section2.(b) appliesCourses beginningshall withbe theoffered 2026-2027pursuant schoolto year.G.S.

SECTION115C-81.37, 5.(a)as G.S.enacted by this act, beginning with the fall semester of the 2025-2026 school year.

115C-81.45(d)SECTION reads3.(a) Students who completed NC Math 1 with a grade of C or lower or whoscoredbelowproficientontheNCMath1end-of-courseexampriortothe2025-2026school year shall take Extended Math 2 as rewritten:a condition of meeting their NC Math 1 graduation requirement.

"(d)SECTION Founding3.(b) PrinciplesStudents who completed NC Math 2 with a grade of C or lower prior to the United2025-2026 Statesschool year shall take Extended Math 4 as a condition of Americameeting andtheir NorthNC Carolina:Math 2 graduation requirement.

CivicSECTION Literacy.4.

– (1) The State Board of Education shallmay requireadopt instructionemergency inrules civic and citizenship education in theaccordance standardwith courseG.S. of study for high school social studies through the teaching of a full-credit course that shall be called Founding Principles oftheUnitedStates ofAmerica andNorthCarolina:

Civic150B-21.1A Literacy.to implement the provisions of this act prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

ASECTION passing5. grade in the course shall be required for graduation from high school.

(1a)This Theact courseis requiredeffective bywhen subdivisionit (1)becomes oflaw this subsection shall be solely focused on civics and citizenshipapplies education,beginning andwith shall include at least the following2025-2026 subjects:school year.

a.Page 2 House Bill 415-First Edition

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.

House Bill 415-Second Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 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) Thecourserequiredbysubdivision(1)ofthissubsectionshallrequirestudents 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." SECTION6.(b) This sectionapplies beginningwithstudents applying for admission for the 2026-2027 academic year.

SECTION 7.(a) G.S.

115C-83.32(c) is repealed.

Page 4 House Bill 415-Second Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 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.

House Bill 415-Second Edition Page 5