California Issues “Safe and Effective” AI Guidance for TK–12 Classrooms and School Systems
California — Education leaders are rolling out new guidance meant to help school districts and charter schools use artificial intelligence in ways that protect student data, support teachers, and keep learning fair as AI tools spread across classrooms.
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced the release of California’s “Guidance for the Safe and Effective Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in California Public Schools,” developed with the California AI in Education Working Group convened under Senate Bill 1288.
The California Department of Education (CDE) says the document is informative rather than prescriptive—not a mandate—but it repeatedly points districts to existing legal requirements, including federal student privacy laws such as FERPA and COPPA, alongside relevant state codes.
The guidance organizes recommendations around themes that districts are already grappling with, including human-centered AI, AI literacy, equitable access, academic integrity, and data privacy.
What parents should do now: ask your child’s school which AI tools are approved, what data those tools collect, and how teachers expect students to cite or document AI-assisted work. Families can also request the school’s plan for teaching students how to spot errors and bias in AI outputs.
To help districts put the guidance into practice, CDE will host a webinar at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, covering key themes and local implementation ideas. CDE said registration is available through Zoom.
This article was produced by an education parenting today journalist with the assistance of AI. This is not legal advice. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
