The nation’s largest school district has banned AI in grades K-8 for the 2026-27 school year and restricted screen time for younger students. Amid a nationwide pushback against overuse of technology in classrooms, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels says the goal is to ensure students develop critical thinking and interpersonal skills before they graduate.
“We’re putting guardrails in place to protect the human connection, curiosity and creativity that help children grow,” Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said in a statement. ”We’re standing firmly in our belief that innovation does not mean more technology, and over the next year, we will lead with evidence to make sure technology serves learning—not the other way around.”
The moratorium covers all software that uses student-facing AI. The district also banned companion chatbots for students in all grades. However, teachers can still use AI for lesson planning and other tasks.
One-on-one screen time will be sharply restricted for K-2 students. The new policy also recommends capping screen time at 30 minutes a day in third grade through fifth grade, and at 45 minutes in sixth grade through eighth grade.
The district will also review all of its technology tools and will bar those “determined not to be mission-critical to learning.” It intends to hold vendors accountable for safety and transparency standards, ethics, and evidence of learning design and instructional impact.
Some 50,000 high school students will participate in limited AI pilots. All high school students will have access to twice-yearly AI literacy classes.
Los Angeles joins the movement
In a similar move, the Los Angeles Unified School District blocked access to AI tools on school-issued devices.
“This is an emerging technology,” Chief Academic Officer Pia Sadaqatmal told LAist. “We will continue to be adaptive as needed, but we do know that the heart of it is really making sure that we keep teaching and learning at the center of our decision.”
The ban affects an estimated 378,000 students, according to the news outlet.
It’s another step in the district’s efforts to limit harmful technology use during school hours. Over the summer, LAUSD imposed grade-level screen time restrictions for students.
For example, a high school student cannot exceed 10 hours of screen time per week, including homework, according to the guidance.
Meanwhile, experts tell District Administration that blanket bans don’t teach students the digital literacy skills they need to thrive in an AI-driven workforce.
“Students are going to work around it,” Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Education and Society Program Janice Jackson told DA on the latest episode of the “DA Changemakers” podcast.
She argued that removing technology instead of teaching digital literacy leaves vulnerable students unprepared for future career trajectories.
The former superintendent urged district leaders to let educators, rather than vendors, lead the conversation on classroom tools.
Listen to the podcast below:
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