Lawmakers in 21 states introduced over 50 bills in the 2025 session addressing AI’s role in schools, according to a Center for Democracy and Technology analysis. Proposals spanned five categories: AI literacy and teacher professional development, guidance on responsible classroom use, task forces to study AI’s impacts, prohibitions on specific AI uses such as mental-health bots, and protections against AI-generated nonconsensual imagery. Four bills passed, including two in Illinois focused on guidance and task-force creation. For higher education leaders, state K–12 AI legislation matters because it reshapes the incoming student pipeline, teacher preparation, and campus outreach responsibilities. District-level policies that restrict or require AI training will influence remediation needs and curricular expectations in freshman-level courses. Universities should track state action for admissions, articulation agreements and pre-college partnerships where AI literacy becomes a prerequisite for college readiness.