The California Department of Education (CDE) convened a Public Schools AI in Education Workgroup to develop statewide guidance and a model AI policy for K-12 schools. The workgroup held public meetings between August 2025 and February 2026, with the most recent meeting on February 23, 2026, addressing topics including data privacy, academic integrity, professional development, equitable access, and effective classroom integration. The Department released updated AI guidance on January 9, 2026, aligned with State Superintendent Tony Thurmond’s professional learning initiative, designed to help educators understand both benefits and limitations of AI. A public webinar on January 15, 2026 provided an overview and invited districts to consider how the guidance applies in their local context. The statewide guidance includes recommendations on data privacy, academic integrity, educator support, and instructional practices prioritising equity and human-centred learning. The workgroup’s final recommendations and model policy are pending completion, with guidance expected to inform district-level adoption throughout 2026.
Who it affects: All public school districts in California are expected to reference the guidance and may adopt the model policy. Individual districts retain discretion over implementation. Teachers and school administrators are the primary recipients of guidance; students are indirect beneficiaries if districts choose to act on recommendations.
What is notably missing: The workgroup is advisory; the guidance is not binding. No statewide curriculum mandate for student AI literacy. No funding mechanism for implementation. No binding requirement that districts adopt the model policy or implement the guidance’s recommendations on equity and professional development. No timeline for mandatory adoption. Implementation remains district-dependent, creating risk of wide variation in outcomes—particularly concerning given the workgroup’s explicit focus on equity.