Ohio’s HB 96 requires every school district in the state to adopt a formal AI policy by July 1, 2026. It is one of only two states, alongside Tennessee, with a binding legal requirement on AI in schools. The law establishes that a policy must exist; it does not specify what that policy must contain, what students must be taught, or how teachers must be trained. Districts determine their own policy content.
Who it affects: All Ohio school district administrators, who are the primary compliance target. Students and teachers are affected indirectly by whatever policies individual districts choose to adopt, with no floor on what those policies must address.
What is notably missing: The law mandates a policy exists, not what it contains. No AI literacy standard, no ethics requirement, no teacher training requirement, and no student-facing obligation are defined. A district policy stating that students may use AI tools with teacher permission fully satisfies the legal requirement.