Updated: October 2026
Artificial intelligence or AI is becoming a part of our everyday lives. It affects the way we travel, the way we document our lives, maybe even the way we buy homes in a not-so-distant future.
That means it’s also showing up in schools, where students are using it to receive personalized feedback and as a thought partner for brainstorming ideas or writing essays.
Many headlines focus on the potential downsides of AI with respect to the learning process: Students are using it to cheat. It’s become a shortcut for the foundational basics. Is it making our kids dumber? In response, some districts banned the technology altogether.
But with appropriate guardrails, AI also can be a tremendous asset in the classroom for students and educators alike. From personalized math tutors to adaptive reading assistants and real-time writing feedback, there’s enormous potential to help students master difficult concepts and meet them where they are on their learner journeys.
Without clear rules of the road, however, schools risk compromising student privacy and the integrity of learning while leaving teachers without the guidance they need and parents without clear information about the tools their children use. Thoughtful guardrails will protect students, empower educators to use AI and education technology responsibly and give families the transparency they need to make informed decisions.
That’s why ExcelinEd is releasing our “Model Policy: Guardrails for Student-Facing Digital Tools in K-12 Schools.” This updated policy provides a framework for state leaders and school districts to ensure that the benefits of AI in the education space don’t come at the cost of students’ safety
It’s important to note that this model policy is just a first step. A starting ground. As AI continues to evolve—and as schools discover new and better ways to use it—our policy will evolve, too. We expect these guardrails to grow and adapt alongside the technology so that states can continue protecting students, empowering educators and informing parents in a rapidly changing world.
A trend of significant and rapid increase in the adoption of AI has continued. As of June 2026, more than four out of five teens had used AI tools, with more than two-thirds reporting regular use.
Students primarily utilize AI for brainstorming ideas, editing essays and conducting research, but they remain deeply divided on whether the educational benefits outweigh risks like misinformation and overreliance. For instance, a RAND study found that two-thirds of students believe that the more they use AI, the more it will harm their critical thinking.
Roughly 60% of parents and a large majority of school administrators agree it’s better for students to use generative AI for schoolwork than not, but a healthy dose of more general skepticism and a critical gap in formal guidance persists. Nearly 40% of schools ban the technology entirely, and others have no formal policy in place.
As states, schools and classrooms adapt, our model policy makes recommendations in four key areas we believe are foundational to harnessing the power of AI in K-12 educational settings:
In the age of AI, data is currency. However, a student’s personal information should never be for sale or used to train a corporate algorithm. Our policy mandates that all AI providers:
We shouldn’t have to guess how an AI tool makes decisions. To build trust, our policy requires AI operators to maintain an open-book policy with schools and parents:
AI should be designed to spark curiosity, not compulsive use. We’ve already seen the harms from social media engagement loops; we cannot allow those same tactics in instructional software. Our model policy requires:
We firmly believe in responsible innovation. Our updated policy now includes a comprehensive framework for demonstrating educational efficacy. Operators must show clear alignment with federal ESSA evidence standards or participate in outcomes-based contracts, where payments are tied to measurable student outcomes. For emerging tools, the policy also establishes a state-administered “sandbox” program, allowing for safe, evaluated pilots with parental opt-out mechanisms and independent, holistic reviews.
We can’t say this often enough: Consistency is key when it comes to AI in education.
Instead of 1,000 different districts trying to vet 1,000 different tools, the policy tasks the State Department of Education with maintaining a list of reviewed and approved tools. This streamlines the process for local schools while ensuring every piece of tech in a student’s hands has met a high bar for instructional alignment, privacy and accessibility.
In addition, trust requires clear, proactive communication. Our updated policy ensures parents are never left in the dark about the technology their children are using. School districts are now required to provide a plain-language notification to families at the beginning of every school year and whenever a new AI tool is deployed. This notification must include an accessible list of approved tools and a clear explanation of why each tool is being used. Furthermore, parents must be explicitly notified before any biometric data is collected.
This policy isn’t about slowing down technology. It’s designed to make sure technology serves the student. By setting basic guardrails now, we can move toward a future where AI tools are trusted, effective and transparent partners in education. Our model policy is a starting point for a conversation at the state level that will span the years to come.
