NYC Public Schools Ban AI for Students Through Eighth Grade for One Year

New York City's public school system announced a one-year moratorium on generative AI use by most students, effective at the start of the 2026–2027 school year. Mayor Zohran Mamdani introduced the policy with Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, describing it as the city's approach to controlling how AI enters classrooms while the system assesses effects and safety.

High schools face a different plan. The district will pilot five AI educational tools that have been vetted by the system. Those pilots will be tightly controlled: tools will be used under teacher supervision and limited to 45 minutes per week. Separately, every high-school student must take an AI-literacy course twice a year so students can learn about AI in a structured setting rather than encountering it informally in classrooms or homework.

Permitted and prohibited uses for educators

Administrators and teachers can use some preapproved AI tools for specific noninstructional tasks: lesson planning, drafting communications, and translation are allowed. The policy explicitly bans teacher use of AI for grading, creating special-education lesson plans, monitoring student behavior, and counseling. Those prohibitions position human judgment as required where sensitive decisions affect students' learning plans or well-being.

The moratorium includes exceptions for students with disabilities and for students who are newly learning English, recognizing that certain assistive technologies may be necessary. Computer-based standardized assessments are also taken into account, meaning testing platforms that run on devices are not necessarily blocked by the moratorium.

The policy is framed as a one-year moratorium. City leaders say they will monitor the pilot programs and evaluate their impact and success before deciding next steps. Some parent groups had pushed for a two-year ban, so the administration's decision to limit the period to one year leaves open the possibility of extension depending on the evaluation.

Practical impacts for families and staff

Families should expect changes in device policies and classroom tech rules for younger children entering school this year. Teachers will need guidance on which AI tools are preapproved for administrative use and training on the restrictions for instructional or evaluative functions. High-school students will see structured instruction on AI and limited, supervised exposure through the pilot tools.

The moratorium addresses many everyday classroom uses of generative AI but phases in limited, supervised exposure at the high-school level. The administration plans to use the year to collect evidence and decide whether to extend or revise the policy.