Staff told board members Wednesday that AI tools are now blocked on district devices under LAUSD's updated screen time rules. As Dominic Caguioa - who oversees educational technology and innovation for the district - put it: "We're now more restrictive with content and platforms, and generative AI or anything that has AI is now restricted."
In a statement, the district added, "Since the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, the District practice has been to restrict student access to generative AI while the District reviews instructional use and safeguards." Earlier this year, the board ended digital device use in the early grades and imposed a cap on classroom screen time. The AI restriction applies only to district-owned hardware, which means students could still use tools like ChatGPT on their own devices for homework or writing.
LAUSD earlier said it intended to launch an in-house AI platform in 2024, with the board chair at the time arguing the technology is "here to stay." That effort unraveled when the vendor building the system went under and federal prosecutors accused the company's founder of fraud. The then-superintendent resigned after officials raised concerns about his ties to the firm and the FBI raided his office; he has denied wrongdoing. In response, the board set a screen time cap and created a committee to develop broader AI policies.
Some board members were caught off guard that staff had already implemented the new AI limits on district devices. Kelly Gonez welcomed the move while noting many parents hadn't heard about it: "It's within the spirit of the resolution to take a pause and step back."
Another board member, Nick Melvoin, flagged a potential equity gap: "I think we need to take a look at those kids who are using generative AI on their essays, printing them out at home, turning them in, and then the kids who have the district devices and they're not able to do that." LAUSD said the committee will deliver AI policy recommendations to the board when the school year concludes.
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Parents are pushing back on classroom tech and school-issued devices, with fresh concerns about how AI may affect learning and development for younger kids. In May, the US Surgeon General warned that evidence is mounting that screen use can harm children and teens, and said AI and chatbots "introduces new risks related to mental and physical wellbeing."
Researchers and advocates are chiming in too. "Many leading AI products are not designed for safety or to properly support learning," said Yvette Renteria of Common Sense Media. "We encourage all schools to vet AI and other tech tools before bringing them into the classroom." For families, the practical takeaway is simple: what a student can do on a school laptop may now differ sharply from what they can do at home, and that gap could shape how assignments get done.
