Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
New York City Public Schools, the nation's largest school district, is set to introduce a sweeping ban on student-facing artificial intelligence tools for pupils from 2-K through eighth grade during the 2026-2027 academic year. The policy, which takes effect as students return to the classroom next week, will affect more than half a million students—approximately two-thirds of the city's total public school enrollment.
Under the new rules, children in preschool, elementary school, and middle school will not have access to generative AI, including chatbots and AI tutors. The ban also prohibits individual devices in the classroom for preschool and the earlier grades of elementary school. In high school, AI use will be restricted, permitted only for AI literacy, career readiness programs, and five approved pilot programs at select schools. "All use must be coupled with teacher supervision… and the necessity for students to retain ownership of their thinking and work," official slides noted.
Beyond AI, the policy imposes strict screen-time limits for younger students. Education officials recommended no more than 30 minutes of individual device use for students in 3rd through 5th grade, and 45 minutes for 6th through 8th grade. Individual screens will not be allowed until third grade. Companion chatbots, which offer emotional and mental support, will be banned in all grades.
The decision comes amid growing debate among educators, parents, and policymakers over how artificial intelligence should be used in classrooms. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city would impose a moratorium on generative AI for affected students while officials assess the technology's impact. "The tech industry wants us to believe that A.I.-powered early education is not only inevitable, but necessary. We do not see it that way," Mamdani said. He added that the city would spend the next year "studying the impacts of this technology".
Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels defended the measure, stating that it would help restore the critical thinking skills students need to graduate. "We're standing firmly in our decision to not conflate innovation with more tech, and we're going to lead over the next year with evidence and make sure technology serves learning—not the other way around," Samuels wrote in a statement. Education Department officials wrote in a presentation that "younger students need hands-on learning, social interaction, play and teacher-guided instruction. Routine individual screen use can crowd out those experiences". By contrast, high school students "need guided preparation for a world and economy increasingly driven by AI and new technologies—paired with instruction on how AI works, its biases and risks, and how to evaluate its outputs".
Teachers will be allowed to use approved AI tools for instructional tasks such as lesson planning, translation, and drafting communications, but they will not be permitted to use the technology for grading, behavior monitoring, counseling, or developing special education plans.
The new policy has generated mixed reactions. Some parents and advocacy groups that had called for a two-year moratorium on AI in schools described the guidelines as disappointing. Kelly Clancy, a Brooklyn parent who founded Parents for AI Caution, said the department should have heeded calls for a temporary moratorium. "The fact that this policy exists at all is due to the enormous work of parents across the city who spoke out against the overreach of AI into their kids' classroom," Clancy said. She also expressed concern that exceptions in the policy—such as those for assistive technology, remote learning days, and centrally approved instructional programs like e-books and coding software—could allow for wider AI use than the restrictions suggest.
The policy contains exemptions for students with disabilities or those learning English as a new language, as well as for short assessments, diagnostic tests, and remote learning days. The city is also creating a task force that will offer input on the policy's implementation going forward. The department plans to bring together teachers, parents, elected officials, and unions for a coalition that "will help us shape our policy for 2027-2028 and beyond".
The restrictions represent a significantly more aggressive stance against AI and screen time in schools than the city had previously taken. The policy comes after the city unveiled preliminary AI guidelines in March that did not restrict digital devices or limit AI in some grades, prompting fierce backlash and forcing a two-month delay in the final policy. Education leaders across the country are likely to be watching New York City's move as they also grapple with how students should interact with fast-changing technology. Parents across the United States have increasingly pushed back against the growing use of digital devices and AI in the classroom, saying the technology has harmed students, limited their learning, and encouraged cheating.
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