Bill Summary for H 657 (2015-2016)

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Summary date: 

Jun 8 2016

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2015-2016 Session
House Bill 657 (Public) Filed Monday, April 13, 2015
AN ACT TO INCREASE RIGOR, FOCUS, AND CAREER READINESS TO THE MATHEMATICS STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY BY REQUIRING THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO MODIFY AND REVISE THE MATHEMATICS STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY IN ORDER TO OFFER THE TRADITIONAL SEQUENCE OF MATHEMATICS COURSES AND TO DISALLOW THE USE OF A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSE AS A SUBSTITUTE TO SATISFY A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT FOR A FOURTH CREDIT IN MATHEMATICS.
Intro. by Elmore, Howard.

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Bill summary

Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

Amends the act's short and long titles.

Deletes all of the provisions from the previous edition and replaces it with the following.

Directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to modify the NC Mathematics Standard Course of Study adopted by the State Board in June of 2016, as follows. Directs the SBE to revise and reorganize the NC Mathematics Course of Study to include a sequence of current mathematics standards that align to the traditional sequence of mathematics courses of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Requires local boards of education to offer course options aligned with the traditional sequence of mathematics courses of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II for students to satisfy graduation requirements leading to a fourth credit in mathematics for students beginning the sequence of mathematics instruction in the 2017-18 school year. Directs the SBE to indicate to local boards of education the standards that should be supplemented for students enrolling in the traditional course of Algebra I to ensure student success on current student assessments available for that course, for the 2017-18 school year. Requires all changes to the mathematics standard course of study required by Section 1 of the act to be offered to students beginning the sequence in mathematics instruction with the 2017-18 school year. Applies to students beginning the mathematics standard course of study in the 2016-17 school year and thereafter. 

Directs the SBE and the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) to undertake a comprehensive review of the NC Mathematics Standard Course of Study for the purpose of developing a revised course of study for grades kindergarten through grade 12. Requires the revised kindergarten through grade 12 mathematics course of study, including student assessments aligned with revisions, to be implemented beginning with the 2018-19 school year. Sets out six requirements the SBE and SBCC must complete in developing revisions to the course of study, as follows: (1) maintain the option of enrolling in the traditional sequence of mathematics courses for grades nine through 12, as required by Section 1 of the act; (2) specifically focus on issues related to remediation in mathematics at the community college and university level; (3) ensure that the process for conducting the review and developing the standard course of study is transparent and that information is made available to the public; (4) involve stakeholders in the process for developing mathematics standards and sequences, including surveying the representative sample of parents, teachers, and the public and allowing for public comment opportunities, and using information and stakeholder feedback gathered for the review conducted by the SBE and the Department of Public Instruction of the Mathematics Standard Course of Study adopted by the SBE in June 2010 and in June 2016; (5) consider the information gathered by and the recommendations regarding mathematics standards from the Academic Standards Review Commission, including the Commission's Report of Findings and Recommendations published December 31, 2015; and (6) ensure that mathematics standards and sequences increase students' levels of academic achievement, meet and reflect the State's specified priorities, are age level and developmentally appropriate, are understandable to parents and teachers, and are among the highest standards in the nation.

Provides that, in creating graduation requirements that align with the standard course of study, the SBE cannot allow career and technical education courses to serve as substitutions in order to satisfy the graduation requirement for a fourth credit in mathematics, except as follows. Provides that, if a student has an Individualized Education Plan that identifies the student as learning disabled in the area of mathematics and states that the student's learning disability will prevent the student from mastering Algebra I, that student must be allowed to construct a four-course mathematics sequence that may include one or more career and technical education courses as appropriate, based on the student's Individualized Education Plan and post-secondary goals.

Requires the SBE and the SBCC to report to the General Assembly and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee, no later than March 15, 2018, and include (1) a complete copy of the revised mathematics standard course of study and mathematics sequence options developed pursuant to Section 2 of the act, (2) a document that provides the differences between the revised mathematics standard course of study and mathematics sequence options developed pursuant to Section 2 of the act and the NC Mathematics Standard Course of Study adopted by the SBE in June 2016, and (3) a document that outlines the necessary corresponding changes to student assessments to align with the revised mathematics standard course of study and mathematics sequence options developed pursuant to Section 2 of the act.

Sets out that the new mathematics course of study and mathematics sequence options developed in accordance with Section 2 of the act are effective June 1, 2018, unless a bill disapproving the revised mathematics standard course of study is introduced in the General Assembly before the 31st legislative day of the 2018 Regular Session. Sets out alternative effective dates if such a bill is filed, including that the revised course of study is effective July 1 immediately following the earlier of either the day an unfavorable final action is taken on the bill or the day the General Assembly adjourns without ratifying the bill that specifically disapproves the revised mathematics standard course of study. Specifies what a bill disapproving the revised course of study must contain.