A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish the competency‑based mathematics education pilot program.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Purpose. – There is established the Competency‑Based Mathematics Education Pilot Program (Pilot) within the Department of Public Instruction to be administered for a period of five years. The purpose of the Pilot is to allow students in grades nine through 12 to advance to higher levels of mathematics courses contingent upon the mastery of concepts and skills, rather than upon the awarding of course credits. Participating schools and students attending those schools will be exempt from the requirements of the standard course of study in the core subject of mathematics.
SECTION 2.  Application. – The State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Department of Public Instruction shall develop guidelines for the selection of certain local boards of education for participation in the Pilot. No later than October 31, 2019, the State Superintendent shall disseminate the selection guidelines, along with an application form to be used by local boards of education that wish to apply for participation in the Pilot. The application form must require, at a minimum, the following:
(1)	The list of schools that will participate in the Pilot.
(2)	A clear, detailed explanation of rigorous and results‑driven curricula and personalized learning tools to be used during the Pilot.
(3)	A plan for student progression based on the mastery of content, including mechanisms that determine and ensure that a student has satisfied the requirements for credit promotion.
(4)	The scope and time lines for professional development for mathematics teachers and other relevant school personnel.
(5)	A plan for communicating with and receiving feedback from parents and community stakeholders regarding implementation of the Pilot.
SECTION 3.  Exercise of Flexibility. – Notwithstanding any provision of State law or policy to the contrary, local school administrative units participating in the Pilot may exercise flexibility as necessary relating to student progression and the awarding of credits in order to comply with the purposes of this act, subject to the limitations included in this act. Schools participating in the Pilot are not exempt from testing required by the State Board of Education as part of the statewide annual testing program. The State Superintendent may approve up to five local school administrative units for participation in the Pilot. Approved local school administrative units shall implement the plans presented in their applications beginning with the 2020‑2021 school year.
SECTION 4.  Appropriation. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the administration and evaluation of the Pilot. Funds appropriated by this section shall not revert, but shall remain available for expenditure until the conclusion of the Pilot.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law. Participating local school administrative units shall be selected during the 2019‑2020 school year for implementation of the Pilot beginning with the 2020‑2021 school year.