The House committee substitute to the 3rd edition deletes all of the provisions of the previous edition and replaces it with the following.

Amends GS 115C-12 as follows. Requires the State Board of Education (State Board) to, when developing a plan to revise content standards and the standard course of study in the core academic areas, involve and survey a representative sample of parents, teachers, and the public to help determine academic content standards that meet and reflect North Carolina's priorities and the usefulness of the content standards. Also adds that the process of the development of content standards must also include a review of age and developmentally appropriate standards. Adds that the Board must collaborate with the Academic Standards Review Commission when revising content standards and the standard course of study in English Language Arts (English) and math. Also requires consultation with the Academic Standards Review Commission to complete the alignment process for English and math content standards. Requires that the Board ensure that no official, employee, agency, or board enter into any agreement with any federal agency or private entity which cedes or limits state control over the development, adoption, or revision of the NC Standard Course of Study and related student assessments in the public school system. 

Specifies four specific duties of the State Board for the 2014-15 school year, including reviewing all English and math standards and proposed modifications and determining and adopting any necessary changes in consultation with the Academic Standards Review Commission.

Establishes a nine-member Academic Standards Review Commission (Commission) in new GS 115C-83.30, located in the Department of Administration (DOA), but exercising powers independently of the DOA. Requires that appointees be citizens of the state with expertise in the development or implementation of standards or psychometrics, members of the business community, or members of the post-secondary education community who are qualified to assure the alignment of standards to career and college readiness. Provides for staggered member terms. Specifies Commission duties.

Requires the Commission to meet for the first time by September 1, 2014. Requires the Commission to report replacement standards for English and math to the State Board, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, and to the 2015 General Assembly by March 15, 2015. Requires the Commission to continue working with the State Board and Department of Public Instruction to review academic standards during the regular review period implemented every five years, and report recommended changes to the English and math standards to the State Board, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, and the General Assembly before its convening.

Repeals GS 115C-174.11(c)(3), which required the State Board to participate in Common Core Standards development and implementation.

Amends GS 115C-12(39) to direct the State Board to adopt rigorous and appropriate academic standards (was, rigorous standards) for school accreditation. Also requires the State Board to adopt academic standards that take into consideration the academic standards adopted under specified existing authority, instead of the Common Core Standards.

Requires the State Board to report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee before implementing a new assessment instrument to assess student achievement. Prohibits the State Board from acquiring or implementing an assessment instrument without legislation authorizing the purchase. Prohibits the State Board from considering assessments developed by the Smarter Balanced Consortium Assessments or the Partnership for Assessments of Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC) for use as nationally normed assessments of student learning. Does assert that the assessments must be nationally normed, aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, and field tested. Provides as examples of appropriate assessment models the SAT, ACT Aspire, and NAEP.

Directs local boards of education to continue to approve and use textbooks not adopted by the State Board and to provide for the efficient teaching of the course content required by the Standard Course of Study as provided under GS 115C-47(12) and GS 115C-47(33a). Provides that the Standard Course of Study remains in effect until official notice is provided to all public school teachers and administrators and parents or guardians of students enrolled in public schools of any changes to the Standard Course of Study made by the State Board.

Enacts new GS 115C-401.2 to prohibit collecting any personally identifiable student data to be used to develop commercial products or services.

Declares that nothing in this act requires the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement the act. Provides that Section 2, which establishes the Academic Standards Commission, only becomes effective if funds are appropriated to support the work of the Commission in the Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2014. 

Effective July 1, 2014.

Updates the act's titles.