Katy Independent School District, serving roughly 95,000 to 100,000 students near Houston, will start the 2026-27 school year on Aug. 12 with a new three-tier policy on artificial intelligence. The framework, presented by Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Dr. Sanée Bell at the July 20 board work study meeting, bars students in kindergarten through sixth grade from using generative AI chat tools such as Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini. District-approved platforms that embed AI, like AmiraLearning and Writable, may still be used under teacher guidance.
The policy creates a supervised transition for seventh graders, who may use approved AI tools only for specific teacher-directed tasks, and a broader but still restricted tier for grades 8 through 12, where generative AI is permitted with teacher authorization, mandatory verification of AI-generated information, and citation or disclosure. The district's board policy CQD, adopted Dec. 8, 2025, requires teacher permission for any AI use and directs that students who use AI to deceptively harm, bully, or harass others be disciplined under the Student Code of Conduct.
How the framework fits together
The district's AI Framework Parent Guide lists six guiding principles: student-centered learning, ethical and responsible use, student safety and data privacy, educator empowerment, consistency across campuses, and transparency and accountability. Every AI platform must pass a district-level security vetting process with Data Privacy Agreements compliant with FERPA and COPPA before school adoption. The district has stated it will not use any platform that has not been reviewed for compliance with federal student information laws, and unauthorized AI use at any grade can trigger consequences under the Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct.
The district is also launching an AI literacy course for teachers ahead of the rollout. Its guiding philosophy, as described by the district, is "AI as a tool, not a teacher." Bell said the question educators should ask before deploying AI is whether a given tool serves student learning and growth.
Parents spoke at the July 20 meeting urging the board to adopt safeguards. Board members discussed the policies but did not vote on them at the work study session; the formal policy CQD had already been adopted in December. The approved tool list and framework are published on the district's website, and parents may join an AI Advisory Committee that reviews outcomes, addresses emerging technologies, and updates the framework annually.
A contrast with New York City's approach
Katy ISD's scaffolded model differs from the policy New York City Public Schools adopted for the same school year. NYC implemented a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for grades 2K through 8, affecting about 600,000 students, with limited high school use restricted to five centrally approved pilot programs, each capped at weekly dosage limits. The city's approach is binary: a full ban for grades 2K through 8 and limited, vetted pilots for grades 9 through 12. Katy ISD inserts a seventh-grade supervised tier between the K-6 ban and the broader 8-12 access. Under NYC's moratorium, 7th and 8th graders face the same restrictions as the district's youngest students, while Katy ISD gives 7th graders structured, teacher-directed exposure to approved AI tools before expanding access in 8th grade.
NYC's policy also bans companion chatbots across all grades and turns off generative AI components of roughly 38 existing education technology tools on school-issued devices. If AI elements cannot be disconnected, the tool is removed entirely. High school pilots are capped at 50,000 students, about 17 percent of high schoolers, and all high school students must complete two 45-minute AI literacy modules per year. Education Week described NYC's policy as the most expansive student-facing AI moratorium in the nation and raised the question of whether other districts will follow.
The evidence base is still forming
No peer-reviewed studies or formal evaluations of scaffolded grade-band AI policies in K-12 settings were identified in available search results. Both the Katy ISD and NYC policies are newly enacted for the 2026-27 school year. NYC has convened a Technology in Schools Coalition to assess the impact of its moratorium and publish a report with recommendations, indicating the evidence base is still being built.
The limited AI access for NYC high schoolers has drawn criticism. The AI Moratorium Coalition, a group of advocacy organizations that had sought a two-year pause, raised concerns that the pilot would be deployed across an unknown number of high schools without clear product evaluations, learning objectives, or a mechanism for students to opt in or out. The coalition also argued that one year is not enough time for a thorough review, underscoring the contested nature of even limited AI exposure for students.