North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S300 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 300
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS45133-MT-7A
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: NC REACH Act. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Sanderson, Hanig, and Galey (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 18, 2025~~
11		-	~~S300 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS45133 -MT-7A
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO REQUIRE AT LEAST THREE CREDIT HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN 2
14	15		AMERICAN HISTORY OR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO GRADUATE 3
15	16		FROM A CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH 4
16	17		CAROLINA WITH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE OR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE 5
17	18		WITH AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE. 6
18	19		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
19	20		8
20	21		PART I. TITLE 9
21	22		SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "North Carolina 10
22	23		Reclaiming College Education on America's Constitutional Heritage Act" or the "NC REACH 11
23	24		Act." 12
24	25		13
25	26		PART II. REQUIRE THREE CREDIT HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN AMERICAN 14
26	27		HISTORY OR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AT CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF 15
27	28		THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA 16
28	29		SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 116-11(3) reads as rewritten: 17
29	30		"(3) The Except as provided in subdivision (15) of this section, the Board shall 18
30	31		determine the functions, educational activities and academic programs of the 19
31	32		constituent institutions. The Board shall also determine the types of degrees 20
32	33		to be awarded. The powers herein given to the Board shall not be restricted by 21
33	34		any provision of law assigning specific functions or responsibilities to 22
34	35		designated institutions, the powers herein given superseding any such 23
35	36		provisions of law. The Board, after adequate notice and after affording the 24
36	37		institutional board of trustees an opportunity to be heard, shall have authority 25
37	38		to withdraw approval of any existing program if it appears that the program is 26
38	39		unproductive, excessively costly or unnecessarily duplicative. The Board shall 27
39	40		review the productivity of academic degree programs every two years, using 28
40	41		criteria specifically developed to determine program productivity." 29
41	42		SECTION 2.(b) G.S. 116-11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 30
42	43		"(15) The Board of Governors shall adopt a policy requiring each constituent 31
43	44		institution of The University of North Carolina to require at least three credit 32
44	45		hours of instruction in American history or American government, in 33
45	46		accordance with G.S. 116-11.5, in order to graduate from the institution with 34
46		-	a baccalaureate degree." 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 300-First Edition
	47	+	a baccalaureate degree." 35
	48	+	FILED SENATE
	49	+	Mar 17, 2025
	50	+	S.B. 300
	51	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	52	+	Page 2 DRS45133-MT-7A
48	53		SECTION 2.(c) Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended by 1
49	54		adding a new section to read: 2
50	55		"§ 116-11.5. American history or American government instruction required for 3
51	56		graduation with a baccalaureate degree. 4
52	57		(a) Each constituent institution of The University of North Carolina that offers a 5
53	58		baccalaureate degree shall require as a condition of graduation with a baccalaureate degree that 6
54	59		all students complete at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or American 7
55	60		government that provides a comprehensive overview of the major events and turning points of 8
56	61		American history and government. A course required pursuant to this section shall meet the 9
57	62		following criteria: 10
58	63		(1) Require each student to read at least the following documents in their entirety: 11
59	64		a. The Constitution of the United States of America. 12
60	65		b. The Declaration of Independence. 13
61	66		c. The Emancipation Proclamation. 14
62	67		d. At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the 15
63	68		instructor. 16
64	69		e. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 17
65	70		f. The Gettysburg Address. 18
66	71		g. The North Carolina State Constitution. 19
67	72		(2) Include a cumulative final exam on the principles in the documents listed in 20
68	73		subdivision (1) of this subsection. The final exam shall meet the following 21
69	74		criteria: 22
70	75		a. Comprise at least twenty percent (20%) of the student's total course 23
71	76		grade. 24
72	77		b. Focus substantially on the provisions and principles of the documents 25
73	78		listed in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the perspectives of the 26
74	79		authors of the documents, and the relevant historic contexts at the time 27
75	80		the documents were written. 28
76	81		(b) The chancellor of each constituent institution, or his or her designee, may exempt a 29
77	82		student from the requirements of this section if the student has successfully completed at least 30
78	83		three credit hours of instruction in American history or American government in a 31
79	84		postsecondary-level course provided outside the constituent institution that satisfies the 32
80	85		requirements of this section, including credit based on the following: 33
81	86		(1) A passing score on an Advanced Placement exam. 34
82	87		(2) A passing score on an International Baccalaureate exam. 35
83	88		(3) A passing score on an AS-Level or A-Level Cambridge Advanced 36
84	89		International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. 37
85	90		(4) A passing grade in a dual enrollment course. 38
86	91		(c) The Board of Governors shall ensure that the requirements of this section are 39
87	92		incorporated into the degree requirements of all baccalaureate programs and do not do any of the 40
88	93		following: 41
89	94		(1) Add to the total number of credit hours required for a degree. 42
90	95		(2) Conflict with the accreditation process for any constituent institution. 43
91	96		(d) The Board of Governors shall ensure that each constituent institution complies with 44
92	97		the requirements of this section. No later than November 15, 2026, and annually thereafter, the 45
93	98		Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on compliance with 46
94	99		this section by each constituent institution. The report shall include, at a minimum, a copy of the 47
95	100		syllabus for each course that is offered to comply with this section. 48
96	101		(e) The Board of Governors, in its discretion, may remove the chancellor of a constituent 49
97	102		institution for failure to comply with this section over more than one academic year." 50
98	103		51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
99		-	~~Senate Bill 300-First Edition~~ Page 3
	104	+	DRS45133-MT-7A Page 3
100	105		PART III. REQUIRE THREE CREDIT HOURS OF INSTRUCTION IN AMERICAN 1
101	106		HISTORY OR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AT NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY 2
102	107		COLLEGES 3
103	108		SECTION 3.(a) G.S. 115D-5 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 4
104	109		"(aa) The State Board of Community Colleges shall adopt a policy requiring each 5
105	110		community college to require at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or 6
106	111		American government, in accordance with G.S. 115D-11, in order to graduate from the 7
107	112		community college with an associate degree." 8
108	113		SECTION 3.(b) Article 1 of Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by 9
109	114		adding a new section to read: 10
110	115		"§ 115D-11. American history or American government instruction required for 11
111	116		graduation with an associate degree. 12
112	117		(a) Each community college shall require as a condition of graduation with an associate 13
113	118		degree that all students complete at least three credit hours of instruction in American history or 14
114	119		American government that provides a comprehensive overview of the major events and turning 15
115	120		points of American history and government. A course required pursuant to this section shall meet 16
116	121		the following criteria: 17
117	122		(1) Require each student to read at least the following documents in their entirety: 18
118	123		a. The Constitution of the United States of America. 19
119	124		b. The Declaration of Independence. 20
120	125		c. The Emancipation Proclamation. 21
121	126		d. At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the 22
122	127		instructor. 23
123	128		e. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 24
124	129		f. The Gettysburg Address. 25
125	130		g. The North Carolina State Constitution. 26
126	131		(2) Include a cumulative final exam on the principles in the documents listed in 27
127	132		subdivision (1) of this subsection. The final exam shall meet the following 28
128	133		criteria: 29
129	134		a. Comprise at least twenty percent (20%) of the student's total course 30
130	135		grade. 31
131	136		b. Focus substantially on the provisions and principles of the documents 32
132	137		listed in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the perspectives of the 33
133	138		authors of the documents, and the relevant historic contexts at the time 34
134	139		the documents were written. 35
135	140		(b) The president of a community college, or his or her designee, may exempt a student 36
136	141		from the requirements of this section if the student has successfully completed at least three credit 37
137	142		hours of instruction in American history or American government in a postsecondary-level 38
138	143		course provided outside the community college that satisfies the requirements of this section, 39
139	144		including credit based on the following: 40
140	145		(1) A passing score on an Advanced Placement exam. 41
141	146		(2) A passing score on an International Baccalaureate exam. 42
142	147		(3) A passing score on an AS-Level or A-Level Cambridge Advanced 43
143	148		International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. 44
144	149		(4) A passing grade in a dual enrollment course. 45
145	150		(c) The State Board of Community Colleges shall ensure that the requirements of this 46
146	151		section are incorporated into the degree requirements of all associate degree programs and do not 47
147	152		do either of the following: 48
148	153		(1) Add to the total number of credit hours required for a degree. 49
149	154		(2) Conflict with the accreditation process for any institution. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
150		-	Page 4 ~~Senate Bill 300-First Edition~~
	155	+	Page 4 DRS45133-MT-7A
151	156		(d) The State Board of Community Colleges shall ensure that each community college 1
152	157		complies with the requirements of this section. No later than November 15, 2026, and annually 2
153	158		thereafter, the Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on 3
154	159		compliance with this section by each community college. The report shall include, at a minimum, 4
155	160		a copy of the syllabus for each course that is offered to comply with this section. 5
156	161		(e) The State Board of Community Colleges, in its discretion, may remove the president 6
157	162		of a community college for failure to comply with this section over more than one academic 7
158	163		year." 8
159	164		9
160	165		PART IV. ALIGN FOUNDING PRINCIPLES COURSE REQUIREMENTS 10
161	166		SECTION 4.(a) G.S. 115C-81.45(d) is amended by adding a new subdivision to 11
162	167		read: 12
163	168		"(3a) A passing grade in an advanced course, as defined in G.S. 115C-174.26(a), or 13
164	169		a dual enrollment course, shall satisfy the Founding Principles of the United 14
165	170		States of America and the State of North Carolina course requirement if, in 15
166	171		addition to meeting the requirements of this section, the course requires 16
167	172		students to read the following documents in their entirety: 17
168	173		a. The Constitution of the United States of America. 18
169	174		b. The Declaration of Independence. 19
170	175		c. The Emancipation Proclamation. 20
171	176		d. At least five essays from the Federalist Papers, as determined by the 21
172	177		teacher. 22
173	178		e. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 23
174	179		f. The Gettysburg Address. 24
175	180		g. The North Carolina State Constitution." 25
176	181		SECTION 4.(b) This section is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning 26
177	182		with courses offered in the 2025-2026 school year. 27
178	183		28
179	184		PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE 29
180	185		SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law 30
181	186		and applies beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year to students accepted for initial enrollment 31
182	187		in a baccalaureate program at a constituent institution or initial enrollment in an associate degree 32
183	188		program at a community college. 33