Office of Teaching and Learning
The primary purpose of the Office of Teaching and Learning is to serve as the authoritative source for the review, revision, and support for the implementation of state content standards in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The Office of Teaching and Learning additionally supports multiple legislative and grant-related programs, initiatives, and reporting requirements. Please visit the webpages on the side-rail as well as the links below to access information, materials, and resources across areas and programs.
All About the Office of Teaching and Learning
All About the OTL is designed to outline the roles and functions of the Office of Teaching and Learning at NCDPI through a series of one-pagers, emphasizing our efforts in supporting student academic standards, grants, and other initiatives. This document details our office's organizational structure, key programs and initiatives, and student academic standards, as well as the resources provided to enhance instruction and promote student success. For questions, please contact Dr. Kristi Day at kristi.day@dpi.nc.gov.
External Implementation Guide (EIG)
To view resources for supporting administrators, educators, and parents during the implementation of the current Standard Course of Study for each content area, view the External Implementation Guide (EIG).
25-26 Office of Teaching and Learning Statewide Supports
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/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.
Download the manual at the bottom of the page.
Standards Review and Revision Updates
Draft 4 Adopted as the 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study
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 or by grade-band via the ELA Virtual Implementation Kit (VIK).
Key features of the adopted 2026 English Language Arts Standard Course of Study include:
- Standards and objectives format for consistency with other content area Standard Courses of Study, including a streamlined structure with three strands and one substrand.
- Standards and objectives rooted in three fundamental principles: complex text at the center of instruction; integration of literacy domains (i.e. reading, writing, speaking, and listening); and use of a variety of text genres, modes, formats, and lengths.
- Foundational skills extended to span K-12.
- Language structures and vocabulary skills integrated across all strands.
- Grammar and conventions listed explicitly as grade-level objectives.
- Written and spoken student products expanded to include opinion/persuasive, informational, explanatory/expository, poetry, descriptive, and narrative products.
Initial Installation Resources Available
Throughout the installation phase, supporting resources will be developed and shared. Stakeholders are encouraged to check the ELA Virtual Implementation Kit (VIK) often for updates and additional resources. Initial installation resources that are currently available include:
- Communications Toolkit
- 2017 & 2026 ELA SCOS Crosswalk
- Frequently Asked Questions Document
- NAEP & ACT Mapping Document
- Installation Timeline
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.
Draft 1 Stakeholder Review and Feedback Window Closed
On behalf of the K-12 Math Standards Writers, the NCDPI K-12 Mathematics team would like to thank all who participated in the K-12 Math standards process by answering the All Stakeholder survey, in part or in full, and anyone who may have also supported their school system or charter school in completing the PSU survey. The feedback collected is currently being compiled as part of the next phase of the standards revision process.
The K-12 Math Data Review Committee will begin reviewing the feedback and report subsequent recommendations to the writing team by the end of February 2026. The Standards Writing Team will then begin the editing process with the goal of releasing Draft 2 of the proposed K-12 math standards in early April 2026 for stakeholder feedback.
The full review and revision process is anticipated to be completed no sooner than September of 2026, at which time the State Board of Education will be asked to vote on any proposed revisions to the K-12 Math Standard Course of Study. New standards would not take effect until the start of the 2028-2029 school year.
Updates to the review and revision process will be shared each month as the Data Review Committee completes its report on Draft 1 stakeholder feedback and when the Standards Writing Team releases Draft 2 for stakeholder feedback.