AN ACT to direct the department of public instruction to provide certain mathematics supports in schools and 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 wants all students to become proficient in grade‑level math as defined by State standards in order to prepare to take and pass NC Math 1 and the related EOC and ensure they are college and career ready. To attain these goals, all students should have access to high‑quality systems of math instruction that include math facts, procedural fluency, conceptual learning, and problem solving. These systems should be based on the best evidence on how students learn math and include core instructional materials and professional development.

§ 115C‑83.22.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Part:

(1)        Explicit math 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)        High‑quality math instructional materials. – Strategies and materials, aligned to State standards, where students are guided through a coherent progression of topics, skills, and approaches to learning math 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.

(3)        Mathematical deficiency. – When a student does not meet the minimum State standard math skills for their grade level. These skills include at least: one‑to‑one correspondence, cardinality, number sense, counting, and the four basic operations.

(4)        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.

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

(6)        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.

(7)        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 for all students in kindergarten through grade eight and teachers of students in those grades based on high‑quality math instructional materials and utilizing a structured approach to problem‑based learning. 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 reliable, valid, high‑quality supplemental math systems that districts shall choose from to use for screening and progress monitoring toward grade‑level math. The supplemental math system shall meet all of the following:

a.         Measure a number of age‑appropriate skills that include, but are not limited to, one‑to‑one correspondence, cardinality, number sense, counting, the four basic operations, addition and multiplication facts, measurement, fractions, and geometry.

b.         Identify students who have a math deficiency, including identifying students with characteristics of dyscalculia.

c.         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.

d.         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 math deficiency and areas of 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.

(2)        An approved list of one or more high‑quality instructional materials that utilize a structured approach to problem‑based learning that districts must choose from to be used for math support. Each student in kindergarten through grade eight shall be provided an appropriate math intervention to address their specific needs. The math intervention program will do the following:

a.         Provide explicit instruction that is systematic and sequentially aligned to grade‑level standards and builds on areas of mathematical proficiency.

b.         Provide targeted and flexible small group or individualized math interventions based on student need.

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

(3)        An approved list of one or more high‑quality professional learning offerings that districts must choose from the following for teachers in kindergarten through grade eight:

a.         Comprehensive training on high‑quality math instruction and using a structured approach to problem‑based learning. Additionally, where appropriate and reasonable, how to leverage technology in the mathematics classroom.

b.         The Department approved supplemental math systems selected by school districts to ensure teachers have the knowledge and skills to administer the supplemental math systems and use the resulting data to inform instruction based on student need.

(4)        An approved list of one or more high‑quality math instructional materials that utilize a structured approach to problem‑based learning, including both core curriculum and supplemental materials, that districts must choose for students in kindergarten through grade eight. These materials shall meet all of the following criteria:

a.         Be based on the best evidence of how students learn to do math and utilize structured problem‑based learning.

b.         Include responsive feedback for students as well as numerous opportunities for student‑to‑student mathematical discourse.

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

d.         Builds on students' areas of mathematical proficiency and prior knowledge to develop new learning.

e.         Align with current State math content standards.

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 2025‑2026 school year.