A report by K-12 Dive revealed that the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has restricted students from accessing generative artificial intelligence platforms for the 2026-27 school year.
Before the change, LAUSD students who were 13 or older, had completed required digital citizenship instruction and had reviewed the district’s responsible use policy could access approved generative AI tools, according to an LAUSD spokesperson.
LAUSD held the first meeting of its Generative AI Ad Hoc Committee on Wednesday as it works to develop recommendations for guardrails and procedures governing future student use of AI tools. The district spokesperson said the committee will share its AI policy recommendations with the LAUSD school board by the end of the 2026-27 school year.
This comes shortly after New York City announced that it would implement a one-year ban on AI use for elementary and middle school students.
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In June, LAUSD became one of the first large districts in the nation to approve and implement a policy limiting screen time and 1:1 device use for its youngest students. Schools Beyond Screens, the LAUSD parent- and teacher-led group that advocated for the system’s screen-time restrictions, celebrated the latest decision.
The use of generative AI in classrooms has faced increasing pushback in recent months. Local advocates have increasingly called for AI moratoriums in districts such as LAUSD and New York City, saying the technology has not yet been proven to have a positive effect on students.
Lila Byock, founder of Schools Beyond Screens, said in a Wednesday statement that the AI moratoriums in Los Angeles and New York City public schools show that “the people have the power to reclaim US public schools from corporate influence.”
In August, the U.S. Department of Education weighed in on screen time and education technology restrictions. In a Dear Colleague letter, the agency stressed that concerns about education technology should not be conflated with those regarding consumer technology, but also stated that decisions to limit devices in schools are ultimately a local decision.
While Los Angeles and New York City have moved to restrict AI in classrooms, the two cities have taken different approaches. Los Angeles has restricted the use of AI for all students, while in New York City, the ban applies to students through high school. Even in high school, however, the use of the technology would be limited to specific purposes, such as learning about the technology itself.