AI models in school now depend on age: students in grades 1–4 are barred from using them

The Ministry of Education sent methodological recommendations to the regions in letter No. SK-702-08-353937. AI at school helps the teacher but does not replace them, and the teacher is responsible for its results.

Age decides. Students in Grades 1–4 are not allowed to use AI services independently. From Grade 5 through Grade 9, AI may be used only with a teacher's permission and only to search for information, explain complex concepts, and test hypotheses. For students in Grades 10–11, project and research work, data analysis, predictive models, and presentation materials are open.

AI is prohibited in interim and final assessments. The same ban applies to assignments on analytical thinking and argumentation.

Students are allowed outlines, self-checks, additional explanations, and drafts. They may not pass off a “text, solution, presentation, or project fully created by artificial intelligence” as independent work. Teachers may use AI detectors for checks, accounting for their high likelihood of errors.

Do not upload student data. Teachers were advised not to upload the personal data of students, parents, or colleagues to AI services. Grades, evaluations, student work, and internal documents containing confidential information are under the same ban.

Previously, each school chose which service to use. Now the document divides services into four categories: foreign public services with data stored outside Russia, Russian services trained on open data, AI in state systems without internet access, and AI in state systems with internet access. Priority goes to domestic services based on a sovereign language model.

Teachers are already being prepared for this. From 1 September 2026, the Ministry of Digital Development and the State University of Education are training teachers free of charge under the “Artificial Intelligence in a Teacher's Work” program: 36 academic hours online, registration through Gosuslugi, with content developed by Yandex. By the end of 2026, 250 thousand teachers, around a quarter of Russia's teaching workforce, are expected to complete the program.

From September 2027, a standard takes effect that embeds AI competencies in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics as cross-cutting outcomes.