Vermont Agency of Education releases first AI guidance framework for K-12 schools

The Vermont Agency of Education released a 50-page AI Guidance for Education on 27 January 2026, the state’s first comprehensive framework for how K-12 schools should approach generative AI tools. The guidance is non-binding but provides a grade-differentiated framework: no AI chatbot use for PreK–2; curriculum-embedded AI only for grades 3–5; structured education-specific chatbots for grades 6–8; and broader AI fluency development for grades 9–12. The document emphasises critical thinking, ethical use, and data privacy. A related bill, HB 650, which would require educational technology vendors to register and certify privacy compliance annually, was in the Senate Education Committee as of April 2026 but had not been enacted.