Florida is about to require every state college to write its own AI rulebook. Miami Dade College started building one before the state asked.
The Florida Department of Education is proposing a rule affecting all 28 Florida College System institutions. Each would need a board-approved policy governing AI on campus.
What the Rule Actually Requires
The policies would cover academic integrity, course assignments and grading. Students couldn't use AI on graded work unless an instructor specifically allows it.
The rules apply broadly, to students, faculty, staff, administrators and campus guests alike. Colleges would also need AI literacy standards to prepare students for the workforce.
Education Commissioner Henry Mack approved the proposal this week. The State Board of Education takes it up September 16 at Polk State College.
The state insists this isn't a ban. "The purpose of this rule is to require Florida College System institutions to adopt policies," the proposal states, aimed at protecting education quality and campus safety.
Miami Dade College Didn't Wait
Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega has been building an AI strategy across the entire institution. It's not just a single policy document.
That includes stackable AI credentials, faculty development around skepticism and adoption, and a specific approach to academic integrity. Rather than simply banning AI tools, MDC teaches students how to properly cite AI-generated content in their work.
Pumariega has framed the stakes bluntly for higher education broadly. Institutions that treat AI integration as optional risk falling behind their own students' expectations.
Other Colleges Are Still Catching Up
Not every Florida college is at the same stage. Seminole State College has had a policy in place for more than a year, built by an ongoing AI task force.
"We established an AI task force, which continues to this day," said Seminole State President Georgia Lorenz. Faculty there have also gone through related professional development.
Lake-Sumter State College is still working through the details. Spokesperson Kevin Yurasek said the college supports responsible AI use but is reviewing the specific new rule this week.
The K-12 Rules Coming Alongside This
Florida is moving on younger students too. K-12 districts are being directed to add AI rules to their internet safety guidelines.
Parents would have to be notified when AI tools are used in classrooms. They'd have the option to opt their child out entirely. AI use in pre-K through fifth grade would face extra review.
A related, harsher AI Bill of Rights proposal stalled earlier this year. House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Republican representing Miami, argued AI policy belonged at the federal level, not the state's.
What This Means for Florida's Colleges
For most of Florida's 28 state colleges, September 16 marks a starting line. For Miami Dade College, it looks more like a checkpoint on a strategy already underway.
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