Florida Mandates Parental Consent for Student Use of AI Instructional Tools

Tallahassee Thomasville, FL, September 17, 2026 —

Florida has implemented new statewide regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) instructional tools in public and charter schools. Under the new rules, parents or legal guardians must provide explicit permission for students to directly engage with AI instructional applications used in their education.

The legislation ensures that students whose families choose not to consent to AI tool usage will be provided with alternative educational resources that do not involve AI. This measure aims to give families control over their children’s exposure to AI technologies within the school environment.

In addition to consent requirements, the new policies establish specific prohibitions for AI tools employed in educational settings. These include restrictions on AI tools designed to simulate friendship with students, a ban on AI tools that perform undisclosed psychological profiling, and a prohibition against the sale of student data collected through these tools.

Public schools and charter schools across Florida have been given a deadline of July 1, 2027, to fully implement these new AI policies. This extended timeframe allows educational institutions sufficient opportunity to develop and integrate compliance measures.

The scope of these regulations extends to Florida College System institutions as well. For these higher education entities, the rules require instructors to authorize the use of AI tools by students on assignments that contribute to their grades. This ensures a more controlled integration of AI in college-level coursework.

Story summarized from the original created by Forrest Saunders on www.wtxl.com, see more information here.