New York City began a one-year moratorium on student use of generative AI in grades 2K–8, alongside screen-time caps. Most parents replying to a local school newsletter author's query welcomed it, while others feared limits on learning and tech skills.
Screen time is barred for the youngest grades, capped at 30 minutes daily for grades 3–5 and 45 minutes for grades 6–8. An exemption allows teachers to use AI for lesson planning, translation and communication with families.
The author gathered these views by asking families on his 4,200-plus-member NYC School Secrets mailing list. One parent said a student used AI on a phone during a test without detection but still got the lowest grade. Others said restrictions removed tools such as Delta Math or worried that less computer use could leave an eighth-grader less prepared for high school; the author says NYC's data this year will inform other districts' future policies.
