Schools are finding AI use tough without guidelines

[Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge]

View in browser     |   No. 712  |   12/18/25   |   Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by AI investments represent a major part of the administration’s approach to American competitiveness, and new tools are being increasingly used by schools for everything from lesson plans to helping school therapists handle overwhelming student caseloads. Some schools have even reduced instruction time by relying on AI.   Yet, rules about AI are still being written. It’s what’s led students to lobby to tame some of the darker sides of the technology.    The majority of state attorneys general have entreated AI companies to build better protections for students. And some criticize existing state guidelines around AI for not focusing enough on issues like deepfakes and the potential to increase police interaction with students.    But how much of a voice students — or even states — should have in shaping those rules is contested. For instance, last week saw a new executive order that will likely push states to avoid regulating AI.    It was not necessarily received well. For example, Becky Pringle, president of the labor union National Education Association, called the order a “reckless” attempt to sideline experts and consolidate power in the hands of Big Tech, in a statement sent to reporters.   The order does not specifically mention K-12 schools, and some say its impact on schools will be indirect. But a provision in the order threatens to pull away federal funding from states that regulate AI. This might not actually shift the state guidelines for schools specifically, but states may be more reluctant to regulate AI in ways the administration won’t like, because they could potentially lose “nondeployment funds,” says Doug Casey, executive director of Connecticut’s Commission for Educational Technology. This money — sometimes used to buy computers, Wi-Fi or hot spots, in ways that impact students — can be significant.    Some note that this move sits uncomfortably with the Trump administration’s calls to “send education back to the states.” And for others, it’s prevented clarity for schools.   “Federal preemption is appropriate only when it establishes a clear, well-designed, widely accepted federal alternative,” wrote Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN, a school tech leaders professional association, in an email to EdSurge. Instead, this order “appears to displace state AI oversight without providing a meaningful federal framework to replace it.”    — Daniel Mollenkamp, EdSurge reporter 📣 TOP STORIES   PLEASE PITCH IN: A new report by the Milken Institute found a lack of AI expertise and guidelines in the classroom. In order to get students up to speed — especially girls and children in rural and low-income areas — experts are pushing for companies, schools and philanthropists to get involved.    SPATIAL AWARENESS: In this Q&A profile, Josh Grenier, a former teacher who became an architect, talks about the value of renovating old schools and how his experiences as a teacher help him design for today’s learners.   Sponsored by GenerationAI RETHINKING ASSIGNMENTS: Generative AI has forced a reset on what meaningful work looks like in school. By inviting students to co-design projects, test AI’s limits and layer in hands-on creation, teachers are turning AI-rich tasks into opportunities for curiosity, agency and deeper thinking. 🗓️ GOINGS ON   SEE YA LATER: This newsletter is hibernating for the holidays. We’ll be back in your inbox on Jan. 8.  The following is a message from our sponsor Find. Compare. Decide.   Since 2012, educators have trusted the EdTech Index to find the most complete, reliable, and up-to-date information available for learning technology products, including quality indicators from trusted sources. Explore the EdTech Index today. LEARN MORE!    edtechindex.org   📺 EYES AND EARS NOT ENOUGH SPACE? After the pandemic, more than 80 percent of after-school program providers are worried that not all students can access their offerings. Read more here. 🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS   TRUTH TO POWER: Former EdSurge Voices of Change fellow Fatema Elbakoury confronts the growing apathy she sees among her students — and questions whether today’s schools can truly empower them. She argues that students need more than academic rigor: they need structured opportunities to organize and act. Without this shift, she warns, schooling risks reinforcing the very conditions students hope to escape.   LESSONS ON FIT: When one student thrived in her microschool and another struggled, EdSurge Voices of Change fellow April Jackson began to question what “education for all” really means. In this candid reflection, Jackson shares how those two children reshaped her understanding of fairness, belonging and school choice.   🔗WHAT WE'RE READING   Scientists explain what children’s books inspired their careers. (The Washington Post)   Think tank assesses how deportations have affected the child care industry. (New America)   Data shows cellphones correlate with falling student test scores. (NPR) Six immigrant students share what it’s like for them to be in high school right now. (Education Week) 📈 STORY IN A STAT 14 percent The share of school districts that have finished, or are close to finishing, digital accessibility updates, according to a report from the National School Public Relations Association. The federal government set deadlines for schools and edtech companies to make websites digitally accessible, a requirement under disability law, as EdSurge has previously reported. Those deadlines are now just around the corner. Less than half of schools reported that digital accessibility is a priority in their district, according to the latest report.   Post a job | See all jobs   Key Account Manager | IXL Learning | Raleigh, NC ​IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by millions of people globally, is seeking a Key Account Manager to join our IXL account management team.   District Partnerships, Manager of Sales Development | Goalbook | Remote Goalbook is hiring for a Lead Development Manager role to fuel our growth. You’ll lead efforts to bring Goalbook into school districts across the country and work closely with instructional leaders.   Events See all events and meetups   THANKS FOR READING   ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you’ve got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. EdSurge is an editorially independent project of ISTE+ASCD reporting on the powerful forces, fascinating people and innovative practices shaping teaching and learning. International Society for Technology in Education 2111 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia, 22201, United States To update your email preferences or unsubscribe, click here.