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K-12 areas of instruction required by statute in North Carolina

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See also: K-12 education content standards in the states

This page features information about K-12 areas of instruction required by state statute in North Carolina public schools.

Background

See also: K-12 education content standards in the states and K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in the states

State education officials may develop content standards and curricula, depending on the state, in order to facilitate instruction in public schools. In some states, lawmakers also adopt required areas of instruction by statute.

K-12 content standards and curriculum development

State or local education officials may develop K-12 curricula for classroom instruction that generally includes lessons and materials used in a particular course of study.[1] Depending on the state, K-12 curricula may reflect or incorporate state content standards—educational learning and achievement goals that state education officials either require or recommend that local schools satisfy in K-12 instruction.

Areas of instruction required by statute

Some state laws require the inclusion of specific areas of instruction in K-12 public school curricula. In these cases, lawmakers—rather than state education officials—mandate certain education requirements for students. Laws governing specific areas of instruction in K-12 curricula vary by state.

Statutorily required areas of instruction in North Carolina

The following table provides information about selected areas of instruction required by statute in North Carolina, as of 2023. The statutes provided may not be comprehensive. The statutory text is provided below the table.

Statutorily required areas of instruction in North Carolina
Area(s) of instruction Statute(s)
Arts, communication skills, physical education and personal health and safety, mathematics, media and computer skills, science, second languages, social studies, and career and technical education North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.5 (2022)
Career and technical education North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.10 (2022)
Conflict resolution and mediation models North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.15 (2022)
Alcohol and drug use prevention education North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.20 (2022)
Reproductive health and safety education North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.30 (2022)
Healthful living education North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.35 (2022)
Advanced courses in mathematics North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.36 (2022)
North Carolina history and geography North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.40 (2022)
Classes conducted in English; citizenship; and civic literacy North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.45 (2022)
Character education North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.60 (2022)
Financial literacy North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.65 (2022)
Multiplication tables North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.80 (2022)


North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.5 (2022):

“ Standard course of study.


Instruction shall be offered in the areas of arts, communication skills, physical education and personal health and safety, mathematics, media and computer skills, science, second languages, social studies, and career and technical education...[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.10 (2022):

“ Career and technical education.


Instruction in career and technical education shall include the following:

(1) The integration of academic and career and technical education.
(2) A sequential course of study leading to career and college readiness.
(3) Increased student work skill attainment and job placement.
(4) Increased linkages, where geographically feasible, between public schools and community colleges, so the public schools can emphasize academic preparation and the community colleges can emphasize specific job training.
(5) Instruction and experience, to the extent practicable, in all aspects of the industry the students are prepared to enter.[2]
 ”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.15 (2022):

“ Conflict resolution and mediation models.


The State Board of Education shall develop a list of recommended conflict resolution and mediation materials, models, and curricula that address responsible decision making, the causes and effects of school violence and harassment, cultural diversity, and nonviolent methods for resolving conflict, including peer mediation, and shall make the list available to local school administrative units and school buildings. In developing this list, the Board shall emphasize materials, models, and curricula that currently are being used in North Carolina and that the Board determines to be effective. The Board shall include at least one model that includes instruction and guidance for the voluntary implementation of peer mediation programs and one model that provides instruction and guidance for teachers concerning the integration of conflict resolution and mediation lessons into the existing classroom curriculum.[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.20 (2022):

“ Alcohol and drug use prevention education.


(a) Instruction shall be provided in alcohol and drug use prevention education from kindergarten through high school...[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.30 (2022):

“ Reproductive health and safety education provided by local school administrative units.


(a) Each local school administrative unit shall provide a reproductive health and safety education program commencing in the seventh grade...[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.35 (2022):

“ Honors-level courses in healthful living education.


The State Board of Education shall develop or identify academically rigorous honors-level courses in healthful living education that can be offered at the high school level. These honors-level courses shall be more rigorous than standard-level courses, include advanced content, provide multiple opportunities for students to take greater responsibility for their learning, and require higher quality work from the students than standard courses.[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.36 (2022):

“ Advanced courses in mathematics.


(a) When practicable, local boards of education shall offer advanced learning opportunities in mathematics in grades three through five, and advanced courses in mathematics in all grades six and higher. For the purposes of this section, advanced learning opportunities are those services and curricular modifications in mathematics for academically or intellectually gifted students approved as part of the local plan, as required by G.S. 115C-150.7...[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.40 (2022):

“ North Carolina history and geography.


The standard course of study shall include the requirement that the public schools provide to all students one yearlong course of instruction on North Carolina history and geography in elementary school and one yearlong course of instruction in middle school on North Carolina history with United States history integrated into this instruction. The course of instruction shall include contributions to the history and geography of the State and the nation by the racial and ethnic groups that have contributed to the development and diversity of the State and nation. Each course of instruction may include up to two weeks of instruction relating to the local area in which the students reside.[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.45 (2022):

“ Classes conducted in English; citizenship; and civic literacy.


(a) Except when a board authorizes teaching in a foreign language in order to comply with federal law, local boards of education shall require all teachers and principals to conduct classes except foreign language classes in English. Any teacher or principal who refuses to do so may be dismissed.

(b) Local boards of education shall provide for the efficient teaching at appropriate grade levels of all materials set forth in the standard course of study, including integrated instruction in the areas of citizenship in the United States of America, government of the State of North Carolina, government of the United States, fire prevention, the free enterprise system, and the dangers of harmful or illegal drugs, including alcohol.

(c) Democratic Process and Citizenship Education for Middle School Social Studies. - The State Board of Education shall include instruction in civic and citizenship education in the standard course of study for middle school social studies. The State Board of Education is strongly encouraged to include, at a minimum, the following components in the middle school civic and citizenship education standard course of study:

(1) A tour of representative local government facilities, such as the local jail, the courthouse, or a town hall, to help students understand the way their community is governed.
(2) Allowing students to choose and analyze a community problem and offer public policy recommendations on the problem to local officials.
(3) Information about getting involved in community groups..[2]
 ”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.60 (2022):

“ Character education.


(a) Each local board of education shall develop and implement character education instruction with input from the local community...[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.65 (2022):

“ Financial literacy.


(a) Instruction shall be provided in personal financial literacy for all students. In addition to the requirements in subsection (b) of this section, the State Board of Education shall determine the other components of personal financial literacy that will be covered in the curriculum...[2]

”

North Carolina General Statutes § 115C-81.80 (2022):

“ Multiplication tables.


The standard course of study shall include the requirement that students enrolled in public schools memorize multiplication tables to demonstrate competency in efficiently multiplying numbers.[2]

”

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Glossary of Education Reform, "Curriculum," accessed July 26, 2022
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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