Google switched off Gemini and Search by default for K-12 school accounts until administrators turn them on
Schools that keep AI off may lose Google Search too, and the sources disagree on how much flexibility administrators will get.
In brief
Google's school accounts: AI and Search off
Google turned off Gemini and Search by default for K-12 students. Administrators must turn them on. Google has not published a date, and sources differ on whether Search can run alone.
Google has changed the default settings for school accounts. Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search are now off for K-12 student accounts until a school administrator turns them on. Google announced it on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, in an education blog post by Chris Phillips, its VP and general manager for education.
Before this, Gemini products were switched on automatically for schools using Google Classroom, according to NBC News.
The catch: Search
Google says Search and AI are now deeply woven together. So a school that keeps AI off also loses Search, and students see a message that the service is unavailable, according to CNN and CBS News.
Imagine a school that wants no chatbots but still wants students to look things up. Under the first version of the plan, it would have faced a hard choice.
Do schools have to take it all?
The sources do not agree. NBC News reports that after backlash Google said schools could turn on Search alone. But Search would still carry AI features, such as AI summaries.
Engadget reports Google told it that the products can be enabled one by one and that the setup is not all-or-nothing. CNN says the blog post gives no detail on how the controls work, and that a later post on X suggests Search still uses AI features.
Criticism and Google's answer
Critics include the American Federation of Teachers. They accuse Google of using its search dominance to push schools toward AI. Randi Weingarten, the union's president, said Google put its business interests ahead of children's education.
Google has said the policy gives schools more choice, not less.
Guided Learning
The same post brings Guided Learning to Search and Classroom. It coaches students with step-by-step questions instead of handing over final answers. It is in Classroom now, and a Search pilot starts in select US schools this month.
Google has not published a date for the change and says it will share details in the coming months. The exact controls, and whether Search can truly run without AI features, are not spelled out in the sources.