New York City will block all student-facing generative AI tools in public schools from pre-K through eighth grade for the 2026–2027 school year, the Mamdani administration announced on September 2. The one-year moratorium, paired with new screen time restrictions, affects roughly 600,000 students across nearly 1,600 schools in the nation’s largest district.
Key Takeaways
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced a one-year moratorium on all student-facing generative AI for grades 2-K through eighth grade, effective for the 2026–2027 school year.
- Companion chatbots, including ChatGPT and Claude, are banned across all grade levels, including high school.
- New screen time caps restrict individual device use: no personal devices for pre-K through second grade, 30 minutes per day for grades three through five, and 45 minutes per day for middle school.
- Five supervised AI pilot programs, capped at 50,000 high school students, will run under direct teacher supervision alongside twice-yearly AI critical thinking modules for all high schoolers.
- The New York City Department of Education is disabling AI features in 38 existing ed-tech contracts already in use across the district.
The Moratorium Covers All Student-Facing Generative AI from Pre-K Through Eighth Grade
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels made the announcement at the Brooklyn STEAM Center in the Brooklyn Navy Yard on September 2, 2026, eight days before the first day of school on September 10. The policy prohibits all software that puts generative AI directly in front of students enrolled in grades 2-K through eighth grade. That includes AI-powered chatbots, AI tutoring platforms, and instructional programs with embedded generative AI features. Companion chatbots designed for ongoing conversational interaction are banned separately and across every grade level, including high school.
The moratorium is structured as a one-year pause, not a permanent prohibition. A newly created Technology in Schools Coalition made up of students, educators, parent leaders, elected officials, advocacy groups, union partners, and outside experts will convene throughout the 2026–2027 school year to assess the policy’s impact. The coalition is expected to publish a report with recommendations that will determine whether the moratorium is extended, modified, or lifted for future school years.
The New York City Department of Education confirmed it is disabling generative AI features embedded in 38 existing ed-tech contracts already active in city schools. Department officials have not publicly identified those 38 vendors. The policy does not apply to assistive technology provided through a student’s Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan, and English Language Learners will continue to have access to necessary translation and support tools. Assessments, including state-mandated screeners and diagnostic tests administered digitally, are also exempt from the screen time restrictions.
Screen Time Caps Restrict Device Use by Grade Level
Alongside the AI moratorium, the Mamdani administration introduced recommended daily screen time limits organized by grade band. Students in pre-K through second grade will largely lose access to individual laptops and devices in the classroom altogether. Students in grades three through five may use individual devices for no more than 30 minutes per day. Middle school students face a recommended cap of 45 minutes per day. No screen time guidelines were issued for high school students.
The decision to set the individual device threshold at third grade reflects a practical consideration. Third grade is the year state standardized testing begins in New York, and exams are increasingly administered on digital platforms. Restricting device access below that grade level removes a layer of complexity for younger classrooms while preserving the infrastructure needed for mandated assessments starting in the upper elementary grades.
High School Students Gain Limited Access Through Supervised Pilots
While the moratorium draws a firm line at eighth grade, the policy carves out a narrow channel for AI use in high school. Five approved AI pilot programs will be available to a maximum of 50,000 high school students in general education classes, roughly 5% of the total public school student body. Participation is capped at five classes per school, and all AI use within the pilots must take place under direct teacher supervision. The five approved pilot platforms are Quill, Edia, Brisk Teaching, Playlab, and Intel AI-Ready Schools.
Every high school student, regardless of enrollment in a pilot program, will receive twice-yearly AI critical thinking modules. The modules are designed to help students evaluate AI tools, understand their limitations, and develop a framework for responsible use before relying on them in academic or professional settings. Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels framed the approach as preparing high school students for a technological landscape they will enter upon graduation, rather than shielding them from it entirely.
Months of Public Pressure Shaped the Final Policy
The September 2 announcement followed a turbulent six-month policy development process. In March 2026, the New York City Department of Education released its first attempt at AI guidance, a draft framework built around a traffic-light model. Green-coded uses included lesson planning and non-critical communications. Yellow required professional review. Red prohibited any AI use in high-stakes decisions, including grading, discipline, and special education planning. The draft largely addressed teacher-facing AI use and sidestepped the question parents wanted answered: what students themselves would be allowed to access.
The backlash was substantial. A 45-day public comment period that closed in early May generated more than 6,500 submissions to the department. Parent advocacy groups organized across the city. Multiple Community Education Councils, including those in Districts 4, 20, 22, 24, 25, and 30, passed resolutions calling for moratoriums on AI in schools. The Panel for Educational Policy voted down every AI-related contract that came before it in 2025 and 2026, responding to sustained public pressure at its meetings.
By late May, New York City’s largest teachers union passed a resolution calling for limits on both screen time and AI in classrooms. Twenty-nine City Council members publicly supported a two-year moratorium. The AI Moratorium for NYC Schools Coalition, a group of parents, teachers, and community organizations, pushed the Mamdani administration to go further than the one-year pause that ultimately emerged. The department had originally planned to release updated guidance in June but delayed the rollout after the volume of pushback. Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels instructed principals in July to pause all new educational software purchases until the administration finalized its position.
The coalition acknowledged the September 2 announcement as a step in the right direction but noted the policy fell short of the full two-year, all-grades moratorium it had sought. City Council Education Committee Chair Eric Dinowitz offered a measured assessment, telling reporters that the Department of Education was being responsive to community input but that questions about enforcement and implementation details remained.
FAQs
When Does the NYC Schools AI Moratorium Take Effect?
The moratorium takes effect at the start of the 2026–2027 school year. The first day of classes for New York City public schools is September 10, 2026. The ban is structured as a one-year pause, with a review process built into the school year through the Technology in Schools Coalition.
Does the AI Ban Apply to High School Students?
The moratorium on student-facing generative AI applies to grades 2-K through eighth grade only. High school students may access AI through five approved pilot programs under direct teacher supervision, capped at 50,000 students total. Companion chatbots, however, are banned across all grade levels, including high school.
Are Students with Disabilities Affected by the Screen Time Limits?
Assistive technology provided through a student’s Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan is exempt from both the AI moratorium and the screen time restrictions. English Language Learners also retain access to necessary digital support tools. State-mandated assessments administered on devices are similarly excluded from the daily screen time caps.
