On September 10th, the New York City public schools welcomed the new academic year of 2026 to 2027, with approximately one million students returning to campuses. The first batch of around 2,000 two-year-old children entered the brand-new free 2-K program. The city of New York has prohibited the use of generative AI for 2-K to 8th-grade students and set limits on students’ screen time. Some Chinese parents at 20 schools in Flushing expressed support for the Department of Education’s regulations on restricting students’ electronic device usage.
Mayor Mamdani, together with Governor Hochu and School Chancellor Samuels, held a press conference in Manhattan on the 10th to welcome the first group of 2-K students. The city plans to increase the quota by approximately 10,000 next year and gradually expand it citywide.
According to city data, this year, over 5,700 families applied for slightly more than 2,000 free slots. The city estimates that one free 2-K slot can save families around $26,000 in annual childcare costs. The 2-K program is characterized as “full-day, year-round,” operating from 8 am to 6 pm for 260 days a year, instead of the traditional 180-day school year schedule. Families not accepted in the first round can join a waiting list.
The key policies for the new academic year in New York City also include banning the use of generative AI for students below 8th grade, affecting nearly 600,000 students. High school students will receive AI critical thinking and literacy education, with only a few approved classes allowed to experiment with generative AI. Additionally, there are restrictions on daily screen time for students in 8th grade and below.
Outside the 20 schools in Flushing where many Chinese immigrants reside, some Chinese parents shared concerns with reporters about their children spending excessive time playing games and using electronic devices, supporting the Education Department’s measures to limit screen time for students.
One parent, Joyce, expressed frustration about her child spending too much time playing games, saying, “My child is always holding an iPad, and once they start playing, they don’t stop,” resulting in less time dedicated to studying at home.
Another Chinese parent, Sissi, took a more direct approach. She mentioned encouraging her child to read more English materials and utilizing the “Screen Time” feature built into the iPad to set daily usage limits for games. Once the time limit set by the parents is reached, the gaming applications are restricted, preventing the child from continuing to play. Sissi found this method to be effective in controlling her child’s game time.
Miss Li, another Chinese parent, mentioned that her child, who has been in the U.S. for just over three years, not only plays games developed in the U.S. but also games from mainland China, significantly occupying study time at home. She noticed that immigrant classmates tend to speak Chinese with each other privately, affecting their English proficiency. Li stated that while the school offers ESL courses, she feels the learning environment in American schools is relatively relaxed and lacks pressure. Without motivation and initiative, the progress remains limited.
As per the Department of Education’s policy to limit student screen time, from 2-K to 2nd grade, students are generally not assigned one-on-one computer or tablet usage. For grades three to five, it is recommended not to exceed 30 minutes daily, and for grades six to eight, not to exceed 45 minutes.
The Education Department stated that these measures aim to reduce unnecessary personal screen time to avoid affecting interactions, reading, writing, discussions, and hands-on learning among teachers and students. Individualized Education Programs (IEP), 504 Plans, tools needed for English language learners, and approved educational tools such as e-books and programming are exceptions to the general restrictions.