Big news this week on tech from the nation's largest school districts: both New York City and Los Angeles’ public school systems announced bans on generative artificial intelligence product use. Los Angeles’ more sweeping ban applies to PreK through 12th grade. It follows on LAUSD’s strict limits on screentime for all grades as well, which also bans 1:1 device use before 2nd grade.

New York City’s one-year restrictions on AI only cover product use through 8th grade. It also bans 1:1 device use before third grade. The coalition pushing for a two-year moratorium on AI there were happy that the district was beginning to rein in use of products that have few benefit and known harms, but they are apprehensive about the many carve-outs in what was announced—both for high school pilot programs and for select products that are widespread in earlier grades in New York City. You can read the coalition's full statement here.

…what about Chicago?

Last week IL-FPS spoke at the monthly Chicago Board of Education meeting about our Pledge to Protect Human-Centered Education. (You can read or watch our remarks here.)

The pledge calls for a three-year moratorium on generative AI use in CPS, limits on screen time like those in LAUSD, creation of a chief privacy officer position, and a strict prohibition on biometric data collection with narrow exceptions for tech providing accessibility for students with disabilities. Details on these four components in this explainer.

We’ve been asking candidates running for the Board in this historic election to commit to the pledge, and so far 24 of now 46 have. This includes the majority of sitting board members, 13 of 21 (17 of whom are running for office.)

Check out the IL-FPS + Schools Beyond Screens - Chicago Pledge Scorecard to find your candidates and see who has committed — humancenteredcps.com:

Here’s some recent media coverage of the Pledge (more here):

• Chicago Tribune, Chicago school board candidates asked to sign pledge restricting AI, screen time, 9.2.2026
• Fox 32: The Chicago Report | CPS ban on AI, 9.3.2026

Note: the Chicago Board of Ed doesn't need to wait until new board members are seated in January to take action. If you are a Chicagoan, please reach out to both your current Board of Education member and candidates running for the November 2026 election and ask them what steps they are taking this fall to address Big Tech’s overreach into our children’s public education! Find your school board member here and their email address here.

Meanwhile, you can also sign Schools Beyond Screens - Chicago’s petition to the Board of Ed about intentional technology use. We are also working on a toolkit for families to protect students from genAI products. Look for that in the coming weeks!

More background...

There has been some good national media coverage of why families are pushing back on tech use in schools. If you are looking for some podcasts to listen to with a broader perspective on the backlash, we recommend:

• On the Media “How AI Chatbots are Infiltrating Classrooms” — interview with the reporter at the New Yorker who has covered the campaign against AI in schools there.

• Fresh Air “Understanding the tech giants' oversized influence in American schools” — interview with New York Times’ reporter Natasha Singer who has a new book out next week on this topic, Coding Kids.

Virtual forum: Tuesday 9/15: What Everyone Should Know About the Federal School Voucher Program

The majority of Illinois families want a well-resourced public school in their neighborhood. But the federal government is now rolling out a school voucher program that will send billions of tax dollars to private schools—with a faint promise that some money can go to individual public school students.

Illinois has the choice of participating or opting out, a choice that currently rests in the hands of Governor Pritzker. We’ve been asking him to keep school vouchers from returning to Illinois since last winter, but he has yet to make that decision.

What does this new voucher program mean for the future of our public schools in Illinois? And what can we do about it? Learn more at our online event:

What School Leaders Everyone Should Know
About the Federal Voucher Program:
Why Illinois Should Not Opt In
Tuesday Sept. 15th,
6:00-7:30 PM CT.
Register here: bit.ly/fedvoucherforum

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The forum will cover how this program will harm our public schools and hurt education equity. And you'll also hear about how you can educate and organize your community to advocate for keeping vouchers out of Illinois and strengthening our public schools.

Panelists include:

• Jessica Levin, Esq, Litigation Director, Education Law Center; Director, Public Funds Public Schools
• Jeff Schumacher, School board member, Ankeny Community School District, Iowa
• Cassie Creswell, Illinois Families for Public Schools Director; Public School Parent

Illinois Families for Public Schools is co-sponsoring this event along with League of Women Voters of Illinois, Public School Strong, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Education Association, Citizen Action/Illinois, Network 49, National Council of Jewish Women Chicago North Shore, Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois, West Suburban Teachers Union, Local 571, Illinois National Organization for Women, Indivisible Lincoln Square, and Palatine Supports Public Schools.