Part I.

Enacts the following provisions in new Part 1D, High School Graduation, in Article 8 of GS Chapter 115C. Adds the requirement that the State Board of Education (Board) require for high school graduation: (1) successful completion of instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and (2) a passing grade in the semester course on the Founding Principles of the United States and the State of North Carolina. Prohibits the Board from adopting or enforcing any rule that requires Algebra I as a graduation standard or as a requirement for a high school diploma for any student whose individualized education program identifies the student as learning disabled in the area of mathematics and states that the learning disability will prevent the student from mastering Algebra I. Prohibits the Board from requiring any student to prepare a high school graduation project as a condition of graduation from high school; however, allows local boards of education to require their students to complete a high school graduation project.

Requires the State Board to establish, implement, and determine the impact of adding college, career, and college and career endorsements to high school diplomas. Requires the Board's criteria for receiving a diploma endorsement to address: (1) courses completed by the student; (2) overall GPA; (3) reading achievement, including the requirement that a student receive on a nationally norm-referenced college admissions test for reading at least the benchmark score established by the testing organization that represents the level of achievement required for students to have approximately a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in a corresponding credit-bearing, first-year college course; and (4) any additional criteria deemed necessary by the Board. Requires the Board to establish an arts proficiency high school diploma endorsement. Requires the Board to create forms necessary for students to document their arts participation and provide this form to local boards of education. Requires the Board's criteria for the endorsement to include: (1) completion of a minimum of four arts credits with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher in each arts credit completed by the student, (2) completion of a minimum of 40 hours of arts-related extracurricular activities according to specified requirements, and (3) any additional criteria deemed necessary by the Board. Requires the Board to report annually to the specified NCGA committee on high school diploma endorsements.

Part II.

Amends GS 115C-12(9d) by removing provisions that mirror the provisions that have been moved into new GS 115C-83.31, described above.

Amends GS 115C-12(40) by removing provisions that mirror the provisions that have been moved into new GS 115C-83.32, concerning the college and career endorsements, as described above.

Makes conforming changes to the reporting requirements in GS 115C-156.2(b). Applies beginning with the report due to the specified committee on November 15, 2024.