North Carolina senators have unanimously advanced House Bill 301, a measure that will rewrite how public schools handle artificial intelligence. The legislation requires the Department of Public Instruction to create AI literacy standards, develop a model AI use policy, and provide mandatory training for teachers and administrators - all without additional state funding for the rollout.
"This legislation is really about protecting our children," Sen. Dana Jones, R-Forsyth, said during the floor vote. "This bill provides common sense guardrails to help children, parents and educators navigate the digital world safely, creating a strong foundation for responsible AI use in the classroom and giving parents an additional tool to protect their children from addictive social media platforms."
New AI literacy standards by 2028
The bill amends the state's 2023 requirement that public middle and high school students pass a computer science course. Beginning with the 2028-29 school year, the State Board of Education must revise K-12 computer science standards to include AI literacy and update the list of approved courses. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by December 15, 2028 on adoption, alignment, and any implementation challenges.
Age-appropriate AI literacy standards must cover responsible and ethical use, limitations of AI tools, verifying outputs, data and privacy concerns, and best practices when interacting with AI or chatbots. The board must review and update these standards every two years to keep pace with technology changes.
Model policy and local adoption
DPI will also develop a model policy governing AI use across the state's public school units. The policy will include definitions of AI and generative AI, guidance on building student and staff AI literacy - including addressing nonconsensual intimate imagery - data privacy and security measures, and standards for academic integrity. Local boards of education, charter schools, and regional schools must then adopt their own versions based on that model.
Sen. Joyce Waddell, D-Mecklenburg, raised concerns about unfunded mandates. "In my 11 years of working in professional development, we saw a lot of this," she said. "We're asked to do - school systems, school districts were asked to do - more with less and carry out training without having necessary funding. So specifically, the bill requires public school units to develop and implement policies governing the use of artificial intelligence in education." An amendment to allocate $5 million in nonrecurring funds for implementation was set aside by the majority.
Teacher training mandate and timeline
DPI may partner with NC State University's Friday Institute for Educational Innovation to design and support implementation of online training modules for educators. The modules must address AI fundamentals, responsible instructional use, academic integrity, data privacy, bias, accessibility, and ethical use. All resources must be available to schools by June 30, 2027, and educators will have one year to complete the professional development.
This push comes as many teachers report a lack of guidance. A Gallup poll found that just 18% of teachers received formal direction from their school administrators on how AI should be used. While states build out required training, educators can also turn to independent resources like the AI Learning Path for Teachers for structured professional development in classroom AI use.
The bill passed its second and third readings with no opposing votes. Sen. Sydney Batch, D-Wake, highlighted the personal stakes: "I have two teenage boys in my house, and I know the power of AI and also social media addiction, and so I really appreciate us bringing this to this chamber in a bipartisan way, and really addressing the needs of our youth."
Why this matters for education professionals
If signed into law, North Carolina's K-12 educators and administrators face a clear timeline: update curricula to embed AI literacy by 2028, complete state-mandated training by mid-2028, and craft local AI policies without dedicated new funding. The model policy framework from DPI will shape everyday decisions about what tools teachers can use, how student data is protected, and how academic integrity is enforced. Staying informed now - through state updates, district planning committees, and self-directed learning on AI for Education - can help teachers and school leaders get ahead of the deadlines rather than scrambling when final requirements land.
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