Almost two years since ChatGPT burst onto the scene, artificial intelligence policies continue to vary widely among school districts nationwide.
As of June, 15 states had developed AI guidance for schools, according to the U.S. Education Department. That guidance, however, is disjointed and often lacks details about use cases and implementation, the Center on Reinventing Public Education said in a report released this month.
“Without clear policies and guidance, districts will continue to struggle with procurement, data-sharing policies, technical questions, and implementation strategies, ultimately leading to disjointed approaches and unequal access,” CRPE said. “Conflicting policies are already generating mixed signals for edtech developers.”
AI has the potential to address teaching and learning barriers in K-12, but current operating conditions in the ed tech market could lead companies to overlook high-quality and equitable solutions, the report said. The risk comes as vendors continue a “race to the market” mentality that could bring a “flood” of products without demonstrating how they can improve student outcomes.
To speed up the development of AI guidance in education, CRPE in April gathered over 60 state and federal policymakers, ed tech innovators, school system leaders and advocates to discuss how the technology can help schools make needed changes, how ed tech market conditions could hinder the ability to close equity gaps, and how policies must adapt. Overall, participants agreed that a broader challenge in integrating AI is the technology’s “fragmented” policy landscape.
To date, the federal government has addressed AI through executive orders, with little specific guidance for schools. The U.S. Department of Education is, however, expected to release an AI resource bank for schools this fall.
To help districts tackle AI implementation, the CRPE report outlined a roadmap and called for strong leadership involving students, parents, community leaders, teachers and tech innovators. Here are some of the center's proposed solutions:
- Consider innovative ways AI could transform education. District leaders can use AI to rethink and redesign schools, but they first need a clear vision of what that would look like. States and philanthropies should partner with teachers, policymakers, community leaders and ed tech developers to help districts get there.
Georgia’s Gwinnett County Public Schools, for instance, has developed an AI Learning Framework that aligns with the district’s portrait of a graduate, CRPE noted. On top of that, the district designed a three-course AI and career and technical education pathway with the Georgia Department of Education and opened an AI-themed school that integrates the technology across all subjects.
- Help districts strategically use AI tools. As districts sift through the wide array of AI-enabled ed tech tools, there’s a risk they could invest in the wrong ones. Given that, CRPE said, state leaders should help districts identify needs and then streamline funding sources to purchase AI tools proven to solve specific problems.
- Give priority to funding initiatives that test AI solutions in low-income and historically marginalized communities. Research from CRPE and the Rand Corp. released in April found early signs of gaps in AI use, with districts in advantaged communities more likely to train teachers on the tools. To address those equity concerns, CRPE suggested targeting funding for evidence-based initiatives to communities that may be falling behind in AI training and use.
- Provide districts with detailed, actionable implementation plans for adopting AI effectively. State leaders should ensure schools get technical assistance and can partner with researchers for support as they use different AI approaches, CRPE said. State policymakers could incentivize collaboration among states, districts, communities and ed tech leaders to develop standardized AI tools and frameworks.
And policymakers could establish a state-funded training program for educators to effectively integrate AI tools into their teaching practices. To determine the best solutions for wider adoption, policymakers can encourage implementation of AI pilot programs in certain districts.
