WASHINGTON — States across the country are finalizing new education policies this month as the 2026-2027 school year approaches, with new laws taking effect on literacy instruction, classroom artificial intelligence use and phone-free school policies, according to state legislative records and education policy trackers.
Illinois' State Board of Education faced a July 1 deadline to issue statewide guidance for school districts on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary education, under a public act signed earlier this year, according to a legislative summary published by law firm Franczek P.C. The same law required Illinois schools to submit policies for reviewing law enforcement access to school facilities by the same date.
Several states have also enacted requirements tied to the start of the new academic year. Michigan's proposed HB 5819 would mandate that schools use science-of-reading instructional materials beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, according to ExcelinEd in Action, a nonprofit that tracks state education legislation. A companion measure, HB 5820, would require educator preparation programs to include training in the same literacy approach.
In Illinois, a separate provision set to take effect at the start of the 2026-2027 school year requires districts serving kindergarten through third grade to report details on early literacy screeners used in classrooms, including which reading skills the screeners assess and how often they are administered.
On school funding, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a law in the recent legislative session setting statewide per-pupil funding at $12,325 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, an increase of $449 over the prior year, bringing total K-12 funding to about $10.2 billion, according to ExcelinEd in Action. The law also introduces a three-year averaging model intended to stabilize school funding.
States have also continued to advance so-called distraction-free or phone-free school policies. Bills restricting classroom phone use had already passed in Michigan and New Jersey earlier this year, with lawmakers in several other states advancing similar legislation, ExcelinEd in Action reported.
On artificial intelligence, at least 31 states had issued some form of AI guidance or framework for schools as of early 2026, according to AI for Education, a provider of AI literacy training for educators cited by K-12 Dive. Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for AASA, The School Superintendents Association, said continual change to the education landscape makes it difficult for districts to plan and prepare for students.
Legislative sessions in states including New Mexico and Indiana concluded earlier this year with education bills sent to governors' desks. Implementation of the newly enacted laws is expected to continue through the start of the 2026-2027 school year in most states.
