NYC Bans AI Tools for Grades 2-8
New York City will ban student-facing generative AI tools for children from 2-K through eighth grade and set screen time limits, according to a new policy.
New York City is set to release a new artificial intelligence policy for its public schools that will ban student-facing AI tools for all children from 2-K through eighth grade. According to documents obtained by Chalkbeat and four people briefed on the plans, the guidelines represent a significant shift. They take a more aggressive stance against AI and screen time than the city's previous approach. Education leaders nationwide are likely watching as they also wrestle with the technology's role in classrooms.
Policy Details and Screen Time Limits
The ban covers generative AI, including chatbots and AI tutors, for the youngest students. Those in early childhood programs, elementary schools, and middle schools will not have access. The policy also imposes device and screen time restrictions. Schools cannot give individual devices to students in preschool through second grade, though classrooms may use smart boards. For older students, the policy recommends specific daily limits on individual device screen time.
| Grade Level | Recommended Screen Time Limit |
|---|---|
| Grades 3 to 5 | 30 minutes |
| Middle School (Grades 6-8) | 45 minutes |
High school students will have restricted access to AI. They might use it for literacy, career readiness, and in five pilot programs at some schools, according to the Daily News. Screen time recommendations for high school depend on the subject and the school's approach.
Rationale and Teacher Use
Education Department officials explained the reasoning in a presentation. They wrote that younger students need hands-on learning, social interaction, play, and teacher-guided instruction, arguing that routine individual screen use can displace these experiences. For high school, the presentation stated that 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 permitted to use approved AI tools for specific tasks. These include lesson planning, translation, and drafting communications. They are barred from using AI for grading, behavior monitoring, counseling, or developing special education plans.
Development and Backlash
The city's path to this policy was rocky. When preliminary AI guidelines were unveiled in March, backlash was swift and fierce. This forced the city to rethink its approach and delay the comprehensive policy by about two months. More than half of City Council members signed a letter urging Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels to pause AI use, citing learning and mental health concerns. In May, Samuels acknowledged the city had missed the mark with its initial guidance and promised stricter rules for younger students.
Grassroots parent groups calling for an AI moratorium gained momentum. Thousands signed a petition to stop generative AI in schools, and many voiced concerns at school board meetings.
Implementation and Exceptions
City officials are creating a task force to offer input on implementing the policy. It is unclear how the Education Department plans to enforce the new rules. Multiple people said there will be exceptions. These will account for regular computer-based reading and math assessments. Exceptions will also be made for some student groups, including English language learners and students with disabilities.
In July, as the city finalized the guidance, Chancellor Samuels told schools to pause software purchases until the policy was released. This caused headaches for some principals who worried about losing access to key software like electronic gradebooks and family communication platforms for the new school year.
