The restriction will begin during the 2026-2027 school year. Older students will have gradual access to approved tools with teacher authorization.
The Katy Independent School District (Katy ISD) will prohibit direct access to generative artificial intelligence chats for students from kindergarten through sixth grade starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
The new rules will take effect with the return to class on Wednesday, August 12. In seventh grade, use will be limited to activities directed by a teacher, while students in higher grades will require teacher authorization and district-approved tools.
The restriction covers generative platforms with which students can interact directly, such as Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. It does not represent a total ban on artificial intelligence nor does it eliminate educational programs that use this technology under the supervision of school staff.
AI access will vary by grade level
Katy ISD will organize the use of artificial intelligence gradually as students advance through grades. The rules establish the following levels of access:
- Kindergarten through sixth grade: there will be no direct access to generative AI chats. Teachers may use approved educational programs that incorporate artificial intelligence under supervision.
- Seventh grade: approved tools may only be used during activities directly directed by a teacher.
- Eighth grade: students may access approved tools for specific educational purposes with teacher authorization.
- High school: the use of generative AI will require the teacher’s permission and must be carried out through platforms reviewed by Katy ISD.
Authorized students to use artificial intelligence will have to report when they used it, cite its use where appropriate, and verify the data produced by the tool. The work submitted must also reflect the student’s voice and authorship.
Unauthorized use will be treated as a violation of the district’s student conduct code.
AI-enabled educational programs will remain available
Kindergarten through sixth grade students will still be able to work with approved platforms that incorporate artificial intelligence to tailor reading exercises or other lessons. In those cases, the technology will operate within the educational program and under the teacher’s supervision, without giving the student open access to a generative chatbot.
Katy ISD indicated that no artificial intelligence platform will be available in schools without prior district review. The approved tools must also comply with federal laws protecting students’ educational information.
The district will publish a list of approved tools and keep its AI framework subject to updates. Teachers, principals, students, and families will be able to participate in the review process through an advisory committee that will include community representation.
Teachers will receive training on artificial intelligence
Katy ISD will incorporate an AI literacy course for teachers before extending access to students. The training will include how these tools work, their limitations, and the conditions under which they may be incorporated into an academic activity.
Educators will retain responsibility for preparing lessons, assessing learning, and deciding when a technological tool contributes to students’ work. Artificial intelligence will not replace evaluation or the academic decisions of staff.
The framework also differentiates teaching technology skills from access to generative AI. In kindergarten, the district devotes about 35 minutes per week to technology fundamentals. Time increases to about an hour in first and second grade and to about 85 minutes weekly in fifth grade.
Those figures correspond to instruction specifically related to the state’s technology standards and do not necessarily reflect the total time a student spends in front of a screen during the school day.
Katy ISD will evaluate how much time students spend online
During the framework presentation on July 20, members of the School Board asked questions about the time students spend in front of devices and their ability to bypass filters installed on district computers.
Katy ISD can identify when a student signs into a school computer, but currently does not measure all active usage time during the day. The district will explore options to collect more precise data and later present an update to the board.
Parents from the Schools Beyond Screens Katy group also called for stricter limits on AI and other school technologies. Their concerns included screen time, academic integrity, and the possible use of AI as a substitute for the learning process.
Houston districts apply different models for AI
The policy of Katy ISD contrasts with Houston ISD’s Future 2 model, which will incorporate AI literacy and other technological skills in nine schools during the same school year.
The two plans have different scopes. Katy ISD’s rules will apply district-wide and limit access by grade level, while Future 2 will operate on specific HISD campuses with activities directed at students from third through eighth grade.
Related: HISD will expand Future 2 to nine schools focusing on artificial intelligence
The new restrictions will begin on August 12, the first day of classes at Katy ISD. The district will keep available its official AI framework with the rules and future updates.
