Office of Teaching and Learning

About Us

The Office of Teaching and Learning serves as the authoritative source for the review, revision, and support for the implementation of state content standards in the K-12 North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The Office of Teaching and Learning additionally supports multiple legislative and grant-related programs, initiatives, and reporting requirements related to teaching, learning, and healthy schools.  OTL works with educators, public school units (PSUs), chief academic officers, content area directors, state organizations, other state agencies, national organizations, and other stakeholders. Critical work of OTL includes, but is not limited to:

  • Facilitating the review, revision, installation, and implementation of standards
  • Providing state-wide, regional, and PSU-specific professional learning
  • Creating and sharing statewide resources
  • Managing state and federal programs, grants, and initiatives

Browse OTL standards and resources by area:

For Career and Technical Education Blueprints, Computer Science Standards, and Digital Learning Standards, please visit their respective office webpages.

Find It All in One Place: External Implementation Guide

The External Implementation Guide is a repository for all North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSOS) stakeholders. This repository provides a variety of resources for supporting administrators, educators, and parents during the implementation of the current Standard Course of Study for each content area. 

North Carolina Standard Course of Study (SCOS) Internal Procedures Manual

In April 2023, the State Board of Education approved the updated internal procedures' manual for reviewing, revising, and implementing content standards.  The purpose of this manual is to provide explanation of and guidance on:

  • the process to be followed when developing or revising a section of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS),
  • the topics, categories, and minimum supporting materials to be included in the contents of a standard course of study, and
  • the considerations that must be made as standards are being reviewed, revised, or implemented.

The manual is designed to assist with the task of revising or developing a content area of the NCSCOS. It is not intended to guide the development and/or revision of local curriculum guides or other curriculum support documents.

Standards Review and Revision Updates

Tab/Accordion Items

2026 ELA Standard Course of Study Installation

On January 8, 2026, the NC State Board of Education (SBE) adopted Draft 4 as the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study for implementation in the 2027-2028 school year. The current 2017 ELA Standard Course of Study will remain in place for classroom instruction for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. The newly approved K-12 ELA SCOS aims to serve as the framework that guides each Public School Unit (PSU) in the development of the curriculum and instruction for English Language Arts. View the adopted 2026 ELA SCOS K-12 and supporting resources via the NCDPI ELA Team webpage and ELA Virtual Implementation Kit (VIK).

Stay Updated

Additional details regarding professional learning opportunities and forthcoming resources will be shared via listservs and social media channels. Consider encouraging colleagues to subscribe to the ELA Team listserv and/or follow the ELA Team Instagram and Facebook pages, so they can stay informed throughout installation and implementation of the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study!

Acknowledgements

The NCDPI K-12 ELA Team expresses their gratitude to the thousands of stakeholders--educators, state and national experts, and community members--who contributed to the development of these standards. Their collaboration and expertise have been crucial to ensure the standards set expectations that will allow students to be innovative thinkers and competitive in post-secondary pursuits--college, career, or military--and throughout their lives.

Feedback Window for Draft 2 of Proposed K-12 NC Mathematics Standards Closed

The NCDPI K-12 Math Team would like to thank all the educators, administrators, parents, students, institutions of higher education, business/industry representatives, national organizations, charter schools, and school systems who provided feedback on Draft 2 of the proposed North Carolina K-12 Mathematics Standards. The feedback window closed on Monday, May 18th at 5pm EST. 

The Data Review Committee will begin its review of the information and feedback collected and provide recommendations to the Standards Writing Team by the middle of June. The Standards Writing Team will then begin preparing a third draft of the proposed standards and is scheduled to present Draft 3 to the State Board of Education for discussion in August, 2026.

The resources below are still available to anyone who wishes to learn more about the proposed K-12 Math standards.  

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Charles Aiken, Section Chief for Math, Science, and STEM at charles.aiken@dpi.nc.gov

Thank you for being a vital part in the review and revision of the North Carolina K-12 Math standards. 

Beginning of Standard Revision Process

Social Studies Data Review Committee Applications Are Now Open!

Submit by September 10th if interested.

Applications are now open for individuals interested in serving on the Social Studies Data Review Committee (DRC) as part of North Carolina’s Social Studies Standard Course of Study review and revision process.

Applications will be accepted through Thursday, September 10, 2026.

Individuals may apply to serve on the DRC for any grade level, K-8, or for a specific high school course, 9-12.

What Does a Data Review Committee Member Do?

The Data Review Committee plays an important role in ensuring that decisions about the Social Studies Standard Course of Study are informed by evidence and stakeholder feedback. DRC members will review and analyze multiple sources of information collected during the standards review process, including:

  • Standard-by-Standard survey data;
  • feedback from regional focus groups and interviews;
  • relevant research;
  • applicable state and federal policies; and
  • legislation pertaining to Social Studies.

With training and guidance from the NCDPI Social Studies team, DRC members will examine these data sources to identify trends, recurring themes, areas of agreement and concern, and other findings that may inform the standards review process. The committee will then develop recommendations based on its analysis for consideration as the standards process moves from review into revision.

The DRC does not write or revise the standards. Its role is to analyze the evidence collected during the review phase and make recommendations that help inform the subsequent revision process. For additional information about the DRC, including the selection process and scope of work, please review the details included in the application or see pages 14-16 of the North Carolina SCOS Internal Procedures Manual. 

Because DRC members help analyze the feedback and develop recommendations that may guide revision, individuals selected to serve on the DRC cannot also serve on the Standards Writing Team (SWT) convened during the revision phase.

Who Can Apply?

The Social Studies DRC will include a diverse range of external stakeholders, including:

  • K-12 educators;
  • school and district educational leaders;
  • college or university professors;
  • Social Studies content professionals;
  • experts from partner organizations; and
  • community members.

Members will be selected from across North Carolina’s eight education regions and will represent a variety of professional backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and familiarity with the current Social Studies Standard Course of Study.

SBE Region Map

Please use these links to complete the Social Studies DRC application or share with others who you think would be a good fit for this work:

Applicants will be notified of their selection the week of September 21, 2026, and DRC work will begin on October 14, 2026.

  • Application Deadline: Thursday, September 10, 2026
  • Selection Notification: Week of September 21, 2026
  • DRC Work Begins: October 14, 2026

Please note that dates are tentative and subject to change.

Grants

Tab/Accordion Items

NCDPI is excited to announce that the recently approved budget, Session Law 2026-41(pg. 132), provides $2 million to establish an After School Robotics Program grant for the 2026-2027 school year. The legislation is similar to previous robotics grant programs with an emphasis on promoting evidence-based, after-school programs for robotics education and competition to motivate students to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while building critical life and work-related skills. 
 

Key points:

  • The grant is for the 2026-2027 school year only.
  • The grant is directed to high schools, and applications are per PSU, not individual high schools.
  • Total grant awards cannot exceed an average of $15,000 per participating high school in the PSU.
  • The grant uses state funds and therefore cannot go through the CCIP system. See the separate application provided below. 
    • To avoid duplicate or conflicting applications from PSUs, the application link was sent directly to district CAOs and through the Office of Charter School Leadership Listserv.
 

Timeline:

  • August 3, 2026 - September 13, 2026 @ 11:5pam EST - Application Window
  • September 14 - September 29, 2026 - Applications Reviewed by Committee
  • September 30 - October 1, 2026 - Recommendations to the State Board of Education
  • October 1, 2026 - Notification of Awards
  • June 30, 2026 - All Funds Must be Spent
 
Please contact Dr. Charles Aiken (Section Chief for Math, Science, and STEM), charles.aiken@dpi.nc.gov, or Howard Ginsburg (Integrative STEM Specialist), howard.ginsburg@dpi.nc.gov, with any questions.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is pleased to announce the 2026–2027 Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Program, a new funding opportunity designed to help North Carolina public schools develop, maintain, or expand educational and competitive speech and debate teams for students in grades 9–12.
 

Grant Opportunity at a Glance

Who is eligible?
Any North Carolina public school unit (PSU) that includes a high school serving students in grades 9–12 may apply.
 
How much funding is available?
A total of $250,000 in nonrecurring funding is available statewide for the 2026–2027 school year. NCDPI may award up to $10,000 per participating high school team.
 
What can grant funds support?
Grant funds may be used for:
  • Coach stipends, including up to $2,500 for one lead coach and $1,500 for one assistant coach
  • Fees associated with participation in speech and debate leagues or competitions
  • Travel to and from speech and debate competitions
What are the program requirements?
Teams receiving grant funds must participate in both the Tarheel Forensic League and the National Speech and Debate Association.
 
What will be prioritized?
Funding will be awarded through a competitive process, with consideration given to applications that support access, broad geographic representation, economically disadvantaged student populations, and a clear plan for measuring the program's impact on academic achievement and other student outcomes.
 

Important Dates

Application Opens: August 19, 2026
Application Deadline: September 19, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. ET
Anticipated Award Notification: No later than October 31, 2026
 
PSUs will submit one application on behalf of participating high schools. The application will be submitted through the Google Form provided to PSU leaders.
 
We encourage interested PSUs to review the Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Program Guidance & Planning Document carefully before applying. The document includes eligibility requirements, allowable uses of funds, application guidance, evaluation rubrics, budget requirements, and other information to support the development of a competitive proposal.
 

Important Links

Guidance & Planning Document (also attached to this email)
Application (complete, PDF, and submit via Google Form)
 
This grant provides an exciting opportunity to expand student access to speech and debate experiences that strengthen communication, engagement, academic learning, and student voice.
 
Questions about the grant may be directed to:
Dr. Kristi Day
Kristi.Day@dpi.nc.gov

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is pleased to announce the North Carolina Competency-Based Education (CBE) Innovation Grant Program, a new multi-year opportunity designed to support schools ready to reimagine teaching, learning, and assessment through competency-based education.
 
Through this competitive grant program, 10 North Carolina schools will be selected to receive $330,000 each to support the planning and implementation of competency-based education models.
 

About the Opportunity

The CBE Innovation Grant Program is designed to support schools and districts in transitioning to educational models that focus on mastery of learning rather than instructional time. Participating schools will explore innovative approaches that provide students with more personalized learning pathways, flexible opportunities to demonstrate mastery, and rigorous learning experiences grounded in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
 
The initiative will focus on four key areas:
  • Redesigning learning pathways to support personalized learning and flexible student progression
  • Innovating assessment practices, including formative and performance-based approaches that measure student mastery
  • Building educator capacity through sustained professional learning and implementation support
  • Developing strategies and promising practices that can inform the expansion of competency-based education across North Carolina

Funding

NCDPI will award grants to 10 participating schools, with each selected school receiving $330,000 over the life of the program.
Participating schools will use $95,000 each applicable school year for training on the implementation of competency-based education. Remaining grant funds may support costs associated with the transition to CBE, including travel and competency-based education resources.
 

Who May Apply?

The grant program is open to all North Carolina public school units. NCDPI will prioritize schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to competency-based education and assessment innovation and show readiness to undertake this significant instructional transformation.
 

Program Timeline

The initiative is a multi-year commitment.
 
2026–2027: Planning and preparation
2027–2028: Implementation begins
2028–2030: Continued implementation, learning, evaluation, and refinement
June 30, 2030: Grant funding and services conclude
 
Selected schools will participate in professional learning, technical assistance, collaborative learning opportunities, monitoring, evaluation, and quarterly progress reporting throughout the initiative.
 

Important Application Dates

Application Opens: August 19, 2026
Application Deadline: October 18, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.
Tentative State Board of Education Approval: December 2026
 
Interested PSUs are strongly encouraged to review the North Carolina Competency-Based Education Initiative Guidance & Planning Document and application materials carefully before beginning a proposal.
 

Important Links

Guidance & Planning Document (also attached to this email)
Application (complete, PDF, and submit via Google Form)
 
This opportunity is intended for schools ready to engage in meaningful, sustained work to rethink how students experience learning, demonstrate mastery, and progress toward rigorous academic expectations.
 
Questions about the grant may be directed to:
Dr. Kristi Day
Kristi.Day@dpi.nc.gov
On This Page Jump Links
Off