Los Angeles Unified School District has blocked all student access to generative artificial intelligence on district-issued devices for the 2026-27 school year, a practice change that was disclosed at the first meeting of the board's Generative AI Ad Hoc Committee on September 2, 2026. The announcement came as a surprise to board members and parents in attendance, according to LAist. No formal board vote approved the moratorium; it was described by the district as a practice rather than a board-adopted policy.
How the moratorium works
The moratorium replaces a prior policy that allowed students aged 13 and older who completed Digital Citizenship instruction and acknowledged the Responsible Use Policy to access approved generative AI tools at teacher discretion. Students under 13 were previously not permitted to use generative AI tools under the district's Responsible Use Policy, according to the district's April 2024 AI guidelines (BUL-151113.0). Now, the web-filtering software Lightspeed prevents students from accessing any website or app categorized as an AI tool on LAUSD Chromebooks and tablets. The block applies even when a student signs into their district profile on a personal device, though the district cannot regulate personal accounts on personal devices, LAist reported.
Board Member Nick Melvoin acknowledged at the committee meeting that the moratorium was not well communicated, according to NBC Los Angeles. The committee, which includes Melvoin, Kelly Gonez, and Tanya Ortiz Franklin, is scheduled to meet through the 2026-27 school year to develop policy recommendations for full board consideration. Gonez, who chairs the committee, indicated at the meeting that the district is not currently providing any student with access to generative AI tools.
A parallel move in New York City
The same day, New York City Public Schools, the nation's largest district, announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for grades 2K through 8 for the 2026-27 school year, affecting approximately 600,000 students. The New York policy, announced by the Mayor's office, explicitly exempts assistive technology provided through Individualized Education Programs or 504 plans, and English Language Learners retain access to necessary tools such as the DOE-created translation app. NYC is also disabling AI components in 38 existing ed tech contracts, including widely used reading tools. The policy allows five centrally approved high school pilots with teacher supervision.
The New York City policy drew criticism from the AI Moratorium Coalition, which had advocated for a two-year moratorium. The coalition expressed concern about the high school pilot program, questioning the lack of clear product evaluations and opt-in or opt-out structure, and flagged enforcement mechanisms, which NYC officials said would largely happen at the classroom and school level, according to K-12 Dive.
Research on AI in classrooms is mixed
LAUSD's April 2024 AI policy bulletin cited the U.S. Department of Education's May 2023 report, which advised prioritizing humans in the loop, aligning AI to shared educational vision, and developing education-specific guardrails. The Department of Education framework called for districts to develop education-specific guidelines and guardrails for AI use. The bulletin described AI as potentially supporting personalized learning, enhanced student achievement and engagement, increased access to information, and technological literacy.
At the New York City announcement, Mayor Mamdani stated that he had not seen a study showing AI is beneficial for elementary and middle school students, except for research sponsored by the corporations that stand to profit, according to a transcript from the mayor's office. That assertion was not accompanied by citation of specific studies. LAist reported that recent surveys indicate many students and educators are using AI, even as research about whether the tools help students learn is mixed, framing the policy debate as occurring in the absence of settled evidence on AI's educational benefits.