Ohio Mandates AI Policy in K-12
With the passage of House Bill 96, Ohio has just become the first state to require AI policies in K-12 schools. While many states have published general AI guidelines, Ohio is now mandating that districts adopt specific policies.Here are some things to know about the mandate:
All Ohio K-12 public school districts must adopt AI usage policies by July 1, 2026
Districts can either follow the state's model policy or develop their own, as long as it lines up with the state's overall framework
The mandate focuses on policy development—it does not require districts to teach AI literacy or use AI tools in instruction
Ohio has invested significantly in providing GenAI guidance, resources, and professional learning for K-12 schools, which should act as a good foundation for schools to comply with the mandate. It will be interesting to see if other states follow this approach.
In our work we have continuously seen the positive impact of clear AI policies and guidelines, and have created a few resources to help with their development:
AI Policy Development Guide: A framework for creating policy at the faculty, student, and class level.
Sample GenAI Academic Policy: A boilerplate simple GenAI policy that can be adapted and customized.
Take a look at Ohio's sample AI policy here.
