Ninety-eight high school students from across the United States gathered in Boston to draft and pass the "Students First Act," a comprehensive policy framework for artificial intelligence in schools.

Key Points

• The student-led simulation took place at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, hosted by groups including AASA and MIT’s Day of AI.
• The "Students First Act" passed with an 82-16 vote, establishing guidelines for AI literacy, classroom usage, and academic integrity.
• Key provisions include banning AI on graded tests, requiring oral defenses for suspected plagiarism, and mandating that school chatbots alert officials to student crises.
• AASA, The School Superintendents Association, plans to distribute the bill’s text to 10,000 school leaders nationwide to assist in developing local AI policies.

Why it Matters

This initiative provides a rare, student-centered perspective on technology regulation that addresses the current policy vacuum in American K-12 education. By offering a concrete framework, these students are influencing how school districts nationwide might balance the educational benefits of AI with the need for academic guardrails.