Bixby students returning to class Aug. 19 will be among the first in the Tulsa area to start the school year under a formal artificial intelligence policy after the Board of Education voted Aug. 13 to adopt new rules governing how AI tools are used across all 10 district campuses.

The policy, presented by Cody Coonce, Bixby's director of digital learning, applies to the district's 8,061 students and staff beginning with the 2026-27 school year, according to the board's meeting agenda. Superintendent Lydia Wilson also delivered a report at the 6 p.m. meeting.

The move puts Bixby well ahead of a state deadline. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 1734, the Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act, on May 13, requiring every Oklahoma district to have a written AI policy in place before the 2027-28 school year. Bixby adopted its policy more than a full year early.

The state law, authored by state Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, requires AI tools used in classrooms to be age-appropriate, mandates that teachers review any AI-generated content before it reaches students and gives parents the right to opt their children out of AI tools without academic penalty. District policies must also address approved and prohibited instructional uses, data protection and family transparency, according to a FutureEd legislative tracker of state AI education bills.

The law also prohibits AI from serving as the primary basis for grading, discipline, placement or other high-stakes decisions.

In a News9 report on new Oklahoma education laws this year, Seifried described the intent behind SB 1734: "We don't want students to have access to anything AI without some sort of guidance or some sort of oversight in the classroom. We want to make sure that teachers always can know the output and making sure that parents are informed as well on what tools are being used."

The specific provisions of Bixby's local policy beyond what state law requires were not publicly available as of Aug. 17. The agenda listed the item under "Teaching and Learning" as an action item but did not attach the full policy document.

Oklahoma is one of four states, along with Idaho, Maryland and Virginia, that enacted laws in 2026 requiring state education departments to develop AI frameworks for districts. A June 2026 NPR/Ipsos poll found that more than half of teachers surveyed said their districts either hadn't offered guidance on AI use or they weren't sure what the guidance was.

Board member Drew Martins, who represents Seat 1 and was appointed in May, is among the current members. The exact vote tally on the AI policy was not recorded in the publicly available meeting minutes.

Bixby's first day of school is Aug. 19. Parents seeking details on the new AI policy can check the district's meeting portal for updates.