News

U.S. Education Department Releases New AI Toolkit for Schools Amid Growing Demand for Federal Guidance

• By John K. Waters
• 10/29/2024

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a comprehensive 74-page toolkit to help K-12 education leaders safely and effectively incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into their districts. Released by the Office of Educational Technology, the toolkit ("Empowering Education Leaders: A Toolkit for Safe, Ethical, and Equitable AI Integration") follows an executive order by President Joe Biden in October 2023, which urged federal agencies to establish resources aiding schools in AI integration.

As AI adoption surges among school districts for both classroom instruction and administrative functions, education leaders have increasingly sought federal guidance to establish uniform standards. The new toolkit comes at a time when nearly half of U.S. states have already rolled out their own AI policies for K-12 education, but calls for cohesive federal oversight persist within the sector.

The toolkit emphasizes a strategic and cautious approach to AI, balancing opportunities and risks while addressing issues of equity, privacy, and accessibility. It's divided into three main sections:

1. Mitigating Risks: This section addresses the safeguarding of student privacy, security, and civil rights in AI use. It outlines Federal laws, such as FERPA and IDEA, that protect students' rights and discusses how to manage risks associated with surveillance, data privacy, and algorithmic bias.
2. Building a Strategy for AI Integration: Educational leaders are encouraged to develop a strategic plan, including community engagement, evidence gathering, and setting priorities. Modules focus on integrating AI in alignment with educational goals and ensuring it supports instructional effectiveness rather than replacing human educators.
3. Maximizing Opportunity: This section aims to guide leaders in evaluating AI’s effectiveness, building AI literacy, updating policies, and creating systemic plans for ongoing support and monitoring. It also emphasizes transparency and providing opt-out options for AI-enabled tools.

Key themes include transparency, ethical considerations, and maintaining human oversight. The toolkit aligns with Federal policies, such as the Executive Order on AI, to ensure that AI use in education supports learning without compromising safety, fairness, or equity.

In a statement, Sara Kloek, vice president of education and children’s policy at the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), praised the toolkit for providing “actionable guidance” that districts and states can adapt to their unique needs. She also noted the importance of continuous input from the educational community, particularly on assessing the impact of AI and implementing rigorous testing.

"Many of the recommendations will need additional insights from the education community," she added, "such as the use of impact assessments, testing AI, and other suggestions outlined for education leaders to manage risks. We look forward to working with our colleagues to address how best to implement these processes in an education setting."

Building on Extensive Educator Feedback

The AI toolkit was shaped by insights from 90 educators in K-12 schools across the country, gathered during public listening sessions held from December 2023 through March 2024. Additionally, the department hosted 12 roundtable discussions with educational leaders nationwide to capture a diverse array of perspectives.

Despite these efforts, research indicates that many school districts still lack formal policies on AI use. A recent analysis by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) found that only one-third of 40 early-adopting districts have publicly available AI guidelines. Meanwhile, a report from Rand Corp. and CRPE, based on a fall 2023 survey of 231 districts, revealed that just 5% had implemented specific policies for student use of generative AI.

More "Urgent" Priorities

As districts navigate AI implementation, many leaders remain cautious. A survey by consulting firm EAB earlier this year found that only a small fraction of superintendents considered AI an "urgent" need.

"EAB’s report confirms that teacher shortages, behavioral disruptions, worsening student mental health, and other familiar challenges are so pervasive that exploring how new technologies such as AI can help doesn’t even make the 'to-do' list," said EAB Senior Director of K-12 Research Ben Court, in a statement.