Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 96 on June 30, 2025. The law requires all traditional public school districts, community schools, and STEM schools to adopt a formal AI use policy by July 1, 2026. The policy must address the use of AI by students and staff for educational purposes.
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) released a statewide Model AI Policy on December 30, 2025, providing a template schools may adopt or customise. The model policy includes AI literacy as a component, defining it as the integration of AI concepts into relevant curriculum alongside professional development opportunities for educators. It also establishes standards for privacy, prevention of bullying through AI tools, and academic integrity.
Ohio is one of the few states to make AI policy adoption legally binding for all K-12 institutions rather than voluntary. Districts that do not adopt a compliant policy by the July 2026 deadline are in violation of state law.
Who it affects: All public and charter school students and educators in Ohio. The mandate extends to STEM schools and community schools, not only traditional districts.
What is notably missing: The law mandates policy adoption but not specific curriculum content; districts can customise the policy. There is no requirement that AI literacy instruction be delivered to a defined standard, no teacher training mandate attached to the law, and no dedicated funding stream for AI curriculum development.