A new provision in the North Carolina state budget mandates a standardized, statewide process for handling book challenges in public schools.
The law removes the ability of individual school districts to set their own review policies. It establishes a uniform system across all 100 counties. Under the new rules, local boards must use a single template for parental complaints. Review committees will have exactly 30 days to evaluate challenged materials.
During the active 30-day review window, challenged books must be moved to a restricted, parent-approved section. Parents can also appeal local decisions directly to the State Board of Education. Districts must implement the new process by early 2027.
