The House approved H415: Modify Math and Social Studies Grad. Changes 69-43 on Wednesday. The bill removes NC Math III as a requirement and recategorizes computer science as one of the four math credits needed for high school graduation. H415 requires the UNC System Board of Governors to adopt the new high school math requirements as the system’s minimum math admission requirements.
Recognizing staffing impact, the bill also requires the SBE to develop a plan to remove licensing barriers for individuals who were licensed to teach Computer Science prior to that course becoming a mathematics course. Additionally, until June 30, 2028, any licensed teacher would be able to teach Computer Science if the public school unit determines the teacher possesses the necessary content knowledge to effectively teach the course.
The bill also changes social studies requirements, including requiring a passing score on a United States History test adopted by the State Board of Education and based on the civics test given by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Bill sponsor Rep. David Willis (R-Union) said “the changes better reflect the math needs for most high school students and that Math III, which begins to go into areas like calculus, is not a skill that most students will need either in college or in their career.” He also noted students could still elect to take Math III.
Rep. Julie von Haefen (D-Wake) argued the bill sends the wrong message about math standards and that “we are lowering the standards for students in North Carolina, and we’re requiring our UNC system to lower its standards.” She also expressed concerns about students not meeting out-of-state college admission requirements and being less prepared for the SAT and ACT.
The high school graduation requirements begin with students entering the ninth grade in the 2026-2027 school year and the Math III requirement removal begins with the 2025-2026 school year. Please see a legislative summary for more details about the current law and changes.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
