HB 657 – Wrong for Students, Wrong for Schools, Wrong for NC
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS:
ONE set of HIGH standards for ALL students in North Carolina
On June 2, 2016, the NC State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt new standards for high school mathematics. The day before, the NC Senate Education committee amended HB 657 to mandate high school mathematics standards from 2003.
In its current form, HB 657 legislates two different sets of standards for high school mathematics and no longer allows College and Technical Education courses to count as a fourth mathematics credit for graduation requirements (link to the bill).
On June 15, 2016 the NC Senate voted and approved an amended HB 657. In its current form HB 657 will still require all high schools in North Carolina to offer two sequences of courses for their students. Not only does the bill lack support for schools to increase their course offerings, but it creates an inequitable educational experience for high school students.
The National Council of Teachers Mathematics (NCTM) calls for states and districts to ensure that systematic practices do not disadvantage any particular group of students. NCTM offers this position statement on "Access and Equity in Mathematics Education" and another on the "Opportunity Gap" that HB 657 would perpetuate.