In July 2026, more than 90 Student Senators representing all 50 states did something no group of students had done before: they wrote the nation’s first student-led artificial intelligence (AI) policy for K–12 schools.
In a weekend-long mock senate at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston, student delegates showcased their leadership and negotiation skills as they collaborated in committees, debated conflicting ideas, and overcame disagreements, ultimately passing The STUDENTS FIRST Act, 82 to 16.
Their final proposal emerged from real student concerns and compromises, including how and when to teach AI; how to ensure fairness; and how to balance student, teacher, and family responsibilities in the digital age.
The bill includes five sections: general provisions, as well as provisions for students, parents and guardians, teachers, and administrators. It asks AI companies to disclose bias in their tools, affirms that no algorithm can replace a teacher’s human connection with students, and protects educators’ judgment to decide how AI fits their classroom. The bill also bans AI on graded tests and allows teachers to require oral defenses of work suspected of being AI-generated.
The full STUDENTS FIRST Act is free to download and read on The School Superintendents Association’s website.