Bill > H7

This bill, known as the NC REACH Act (Reclaiming College Education on America's Constitutional Heritage Act), requires students at University of North Carolina (UNC) constituent institutions and community colleges to complete at least three credit hours of American history or American government as a graduation requirement for baccalaureate or associate degrees. The course must comprehensively cover major events and turning points in American history and government, and students will be required to read specific foundational documents in their entirety, including the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, selected Federalist Papers, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail, the Gettysburg Address, the North Carolina State Constitution, and George Washington's Farewell Address. The course must include a cumulative final exam worth at least 20% of the total course grade, focusing on the principles and contexts of these documents. Students can be exempt from this requirement if they have already completed similar coursework through Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education exams, or dual enrollment courses. The bill ensures that these new requirements do not increase the total credit hours needed for graduation by removing an elective course requirement, and mandates that the Board of Governors and State Board of Community Colleges report on compliance annually, with potential consequences for institutions that fail to implement the requirements, such as potential removal of leadership or withdrawal of state support.

Budget and Finance, Education, Government Affairs

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H7