Back to school 2026-2027, ban on phones in high schools, regulation of artificial intelligence by European law: the current education news in France is structured around several recent texts that concretely modify the functioning of educational institutions. What are the gaps between the stated ambitions and the measures actually deployed on the ground?
AI Act and education: what the European regulation changes for student assessment
The European regulation on artificial intelligence (AI Act) classifies systems used for the assessment, guidance, or selection of students in the high-risk usage category. The obligations for transparency, technical documentation, and human oversight will fully apply starting from August 2, 2026, according to a written question from the French Senate dated July 31, 2026.
This framework directly affects the digital guidance tools already used in some institutions. Software that recommends a track or assigns a score to a school record will have to comply with traceability requirements that most current solutions do not yet meet.
The analyses published on edunews.fr detail the practical implications of this regulation for teachers and school leaders confronted with these tools on a daily basis.
Ban on phones in high schools and social media for minors: 2026 measures overview
Two laws passed in July 2026 reshape young people’s relationship with digital technology. One extends the ban on mobile phones to high schools, while the other prohibits access to social media for those under 15 years old.
| Measure | Concerned Level | Effective Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ban on mobile phones | High School (extension of the existing framework to middle schools) | Back to school 2026 | NPR, July 22, 2026 |
| Ban on social media for those under 15 | All levels (national measure) | July 2026 | Reuters, July 21, 2026 |
| AI Act – obligations on high-risk school tools | All levels | August 2, 2026 | French Senate, July 31, 2026 |
The main gap lies in implementation. The ban on phones in middle schools has existed for several years, but feedback shows very variable practices from one institution to another. Extending this ban to high schools poses a different logistical problem: high school students are often of legal age or close to it, and the educational uses of smartphones are more common there.
Back to school circular 2026: consolidation rather than new structural reforms
The back to school circular 2026 published by the Ministry of National Education shows a clear direction: no new structural reform, but a consolidation of existing measures. The text refocuses priorities on two missions, educating and protecting.
Among the maintained axes are the “Colleges in Progress,” a program targeting institutions with the most fragile results. The 2026 diploma is also subject to adjustments: after assessments deemed too easy, the Director General of School Education Édouard Geffray indicated a desire to “reconsolidate the level of the exam.”
The mental health of students remains a priority. A specific circular now frames the detection of psychological distress among students, with protocols aimed at educational staff.
Engineering Year 2025-2026: what is the mid-term assessment?
Jointly led by the Ministry of National Education and research stakeholders, the Engineering Year aims to promote technical professions among students, particularly targeting young girls. The website annéeingenierie.fr centralizes educational resources and events. The stated objectives cover a broad spectrum:
- Combat gender stereotypes in scientific and technical fields by valuing the diversity of pathways from vocational training to doctorate
- Raise awareness of the challenges of adapting to climate change, industrial sovereignty, and energy transition
- Bridge the worlds of education, research, and business through classroom interventions and visits to industrial sites
The funding for this operation has not been publicly specified, which limits the evaluation of its real impact on student orientation.
Teaching AI in high school: a planned ramp-up for 2027
The Higher Council for Programs was approached at the end of July 2026 to develop an artificial intelligence curriculum for high school students. According to Le Figaro, the goal is to consolidate algorithmic thinking and develop critical thinking in the face of generative AI tools, with deployment planned starting in 2027.
This timeline creates a notable gap: the AI Act imposes obligations starting in August 2026 on school tools, while training students to understand these same systems will not begin until a year later. However, teacher training could accelerate the upskilling of educational teams before that of students.
The underlying issue goes beyond just the technical question. Existing educational resources treat AI as an object of knowledge, but few measures prepare students to interact with systems that evaluate them. The convergence between the European regulatory framework and French school curricula remains to be built, and it is likely that this gap will determine the credibility of digital educational policies in the coming years.