HB 415 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Modify Math and Social Studies Graduation Requirements.

HB 415 modifies North Carolina high school mathematics graduation requirements, primarily affecting students and the State Board of Education. It requires completion of NC Math 1 and 2, plus two additional math courses aligned with a student's postsecondary plans, and eliminates the end-of-course test for NC Math 3. The bill establishes an "Extended Math" pathway, dividing NC Math 1 and 2 content into four courses for students needing more time and support. Students scoring below proficient on certain math assessments will be enrolled in these extended courses, which are set to begin in the 2025-2026 school year.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 17, 2025 Last action May 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 1 → Edition 2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly expanded from focusing solely on splitting math courses into an extended pathway to now removing the NC Math III graduation requirement entirely while adding new requirements for a United States History test and modifying Founding Principles course requirements. The original version proposed splitting NC Math 1 and 2 into four extended courses for students struggling with the material, while the committee substitute removes the Math III requirement and adds a new US History test requirement. This represents a major policy shift from reforming math pathways to fundamentally changing graduation requirements across multiple subject areas.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from exclusively addressing mathematics graduation requirements to now including United States History testing requirements, Founding Principles course modifications, and university admission alignment requirements. The original version only affected math courses, while the committee substitute adds requirements for a US History test and changes to social studies graduation requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement for students to complete NC Math 3 as a graduation requirement, changing it from a mandatory course to an optional course available for students interested in advanced degrees.

Added a new requirement for students to pass a United States History test based on USCIS civics questions as a graduation requirement.

Modified the Founding Principles course requirements to now require passing grades in World History, United States History, Founding Principles, and Economics and Personal Finance as the four required social studies courses.

Added requirements for the State Board of Education to remove licensing barriers for Computer Science teachers and allow any licensed teacher to teach Computer Science if they possess necessary content knowledge.

Removed the extended math course pathway that would have split NC Math 1 and 2 into four separate courses (Extended Math 1-4) for students scoring below proficient on end-of-course tests.

Added a requirement for the State Board of Education to align University of North Carolina constituent institutions' minimum admissions requirements with the new high school mathematics graduation requirements.

TIMELINE

Changed the implementation timeline from beginning with the 2025-2026 school year for all provisions to having the US History test requirement apply beginning with students entering ninth grade in the 2026-2027 school year.

Floor votes · House May 7, 2025

How they voted

71–42

Passed · 8 other

Total votes 121

May 7, 2025

D Democratic46

1 Yea 41 Nay 4

89% Nay

I Independent2

1 Yea 1 Nay

50% Nay

R Republican73

69 Yea 4

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 8, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

lower

May 7, 2025

Amended

Amend Failed A1

lower

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav

lower

May 6, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Committee

Ref to the Com on Education - K-12, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Introduced

Filed

lower

2 primary · 6 co-sponsors