GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 875
Short Title: DPI to Redesign Math Instruction. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Willis, Biggs, Pickett, and Rhyne (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Education - K-12, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules,
Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 10, 2025
*H875 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLI C INSTRUCTION TO PROVIDE 2
CERTAIN MATHEMATICS SUPPORTS IN SCHOOLS AND TO REPORT TO THE 3
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THOSE SUPPORTS. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1.(a) Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by 6
adding a new Part to read: 7
"Part 1C. Mathematics Instruction. 8
"§ 115C-83.20. North Carolina mathematics. 9
The General Assembly wants all students to become proficient in grade-level math as defined 10
by State standards in order to prepare to take and pass NC Math 1 and the related EOC and ensure 11
they are college and career ready. To attain these goals, all students should have access to 12
high-quality systems of math instruction that include math facts, procedural fluency, conceptual 13
learning, and problem solving. These systems should be based on the best evidence on how 14
students learn math and include core instructional materials and professional development. 15
"§ 115C-83.22. Definitions. 16
The following definitions apply in this Part: 17
(1) Explicit math instruction. – A form of high-quality instruction in which, for 18
some portion of a lesson or intervention, the teacher provides clear modeling, 19
think-alouds, worked examples, practice, and timely corrective feedback 20
directly to students. 21
(2) High-quality math instructional materials. – Strategies and materials, aligned 22
to State standards, where students are guided through a coherent progression 23
of topics, skills, and approaches to learning math which include a mix of 24
explicit instruction, practice, conceptual reasoning, and problem solving. 25
These strategies and materials simultaneously develop students' conceptual 26
understanding, procedural fluency, ability to apply concepts, and 27
problem-solving skills. 28
(3) Mathematical deficiency. – When a student does not meet the minimum State 29
standard math skills for their grade level. These skills include at least: 30
one-to-one correspondence, cardinality, number sense, counting, and the four 31
basic operations. 32
(4) Mathematical discourse. – Opportunities for students to reason 33
mathematically and discuss with their peers and teacher how they are thinking 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 875-First Edition
about mathematics, including use of math-specific vocabulary, procedural 1
steps, concepts, and problem-solving strategies. 2
(5) Mathematical proficiency. – A demonstrated understanding of a mathematical 3
standard, which serves as foundational prior knowledge on which to build new 4
learning. 5
(6) Responsive feedback. – Immediate, interactive feedback made possible by 6
technology that shows students the mathematical meaning of their thinking 7
and guides them to develop stronger conceptual understanding, procedural 8
fluency, ability to apply concepts, and problem-solving skills. 9
(7) Structured approach to problem-based learning. – Strategies and materials that 10
develop students' curiosity into lasting grade-level understanding using 11
structured lessons and engaging tasks. This approach uses step-by-step 12
instruction to systematically build on students' prior knowledge by combining 13
conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application in a 14
pedagogically coherent sequence. 15
"§ 115C-83.24. Department of Public Instruction mathematics supports. 16
The Department shall provide a system of support for all students in kindergarten through 17
grade eight and teachers of students in those grades based on high-quality math instructional 18
materials and utilizing a structured approach to problem-based learning. The system shall, where 19
appropriate and reasonable, leverage technology to engage students and provide them with 20
responsive feedback, while also providing teachers with actionable, instructional insights. The 21
system of support shall include the following: 22
(1) An approved list of one or more reliable, valid, high-quality supplemental 23
math systems that districts shall choose from to use for screening and progress 24
monitoring toward grade-level math. The supplemental math system shall 25
meet all of the following: 26
a. Measure a number of age-appropriate skills that include, but are not 27
limited to, one-to-one correspondence, cardinality, number sense, 28
counting, the four basic operations, addition and multiplication facts, 29
measurement, fractions, and geometry. 30
b. Identify students who have a math deficiency, including identifying 31
students with characteristics of dyscalculia. 32
c. Identify the areas of mathematical proficiency that each student has so 33
teachers can build on what students already understand to inform 34
differentiated instruction and appropriate interventions. 35
d. Include a system of parent or guardian notifications that will describe, 36
in understandable language to the parent or guardian, the nature of a 37
student's math deficiency and areas of proficiency on which to build 38
no later than 15 calendar days after the identification of this deficiency. 39
The notification will include the current services being provided to the 40
student, proposed interventions and materials to address the 41
deficiency, and strategies for parents or guardians to use at home. 42
(2) An approved list of one or more high-quality instructional materials that 43
utilize a structured approach to problem-based learning that districts must 44
choose from to be used for math support. Each student in kindergarten through 45
grade eight shall be provided an appropriate math intervention to address their 46
specific needs. The math intervention program will do the following: 47
a. Provide explicit instruction that is systematic and sequentially aligned 48
to grade-level standards and builds on areas of mathematical 49
proficiency. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 875-First Edition Page 3
b. Provide targeted and flexible small group or individualized math 1
interventions based on student need. 2
c. Allow for consistent and clear practice and reinforcement of critical 3
math concepts to ensure all students reach grade-level proficiency. 4
(3) An approved list of one or more high-quality professional learning offerings 5
that districts must choose from the following for teachers in kindergarten 6
through grade eight: 7
a. Comprehensive training on high-quality math instruction and using a 8
structured approach to problem-based learning. Additionally, where 9
appropriate and reasonable, how to leverage technology in the 10
mathematics classroom. 11
b. The Department approved supplemental math systems selected by 12
school districts to ensure teachers have the knowledge and skills to 13
administer the supplemental math systems and use the resulting data 14
to inform instruction based on student need. 15
(4) An approved list of one or more high-quality math instructional materials that 16
utilize a structured approach to problem-based learning, including both core 17
curriculum and supplemental materials, that districts must choose for students 18
in kindergarten through grade eight. These materials shall meet all of the 19
following criteria: 20
a. Be based on the best evidence of how students learn to do math and 21
utilize structured problem-based learning. 22
b. Include responsive feedback for students as well as numerous 23
opportunities for student-to-student mathematical discourse. 24
c. Have an appropriate pedagogical and developmental balance of print 25
and digital content. 26
d. Builds on students' areas of mathematical proficiency and prior 27
knowledge to develop new learning. 28
e. Align with current State math content standards." 29
SECTION 1.(b) The Department of Public Instruction shall report to the Joint 30
Legislative Education Oversight Committee prior to the implementation of the first mathematics 31
standards adopted by the State Board of Education after the effective date of this act. The report 32
shall include the following: 33
(1) A summary of the mathematics standards adopted by the State Board. 34
(2) Mathematics supports to be provided by the Department pursuant to 35
G.S. 115C-83.24, as enacted by this act. 36
(3) Any other information the Department deems relevant. 37
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with 38
the 2025-2026 school year. 39