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| March 3, 2026 |
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A growing number of states are considering or advancing legislation to limit or ban edtech in classrooms, extending beyond student devices to those issued by schools, as they attempt to address concerns about the effect of digital tools on learning environments and student well-being. For example, a Tennessee bill would ban K-5 students from using digital devices for instruction; a Virginia bill would limit instructional screen time by grade; and an Alabama bill that's made it through the state House would limit screen time for children in child care, preschool and kindergarten. However, a coalition of educational organizations opposes blanket bans, instead suggesting investment in professional development and technical assistance with safeguards. |
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SmartTake: Technology's on-the-fly updates are riding in a car with schools eager to incorporate important tools -- and they're crashing into the education sector’s inability to rapidly assess what's best for students. "These tools have advanced rapidly, while education has not kept pace," Virginia Del. Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke) says. "This disparity is limiting students’ cognitive development, particularly in high school. It is essential to view this as an educational crisis, which necessitates prompt and significant measures."
This friction was illustrated in California last year when a seemingly straightforward fourth-grade assignment to use AI to create a book cover ran headlong into an AI tendency to sexualize images -- even of Pippi Longstocking. The state Education Department's recently delivered usage guidelines suddenly required an immediate overhaul, highlighting a modern-day dilemma: How do we reconcile schools' immediate need for comprehensive state or federal safeguards with governments' slower-than-dial-up response time? By the time formal guardrails are devised, many students will have already graduated lacking the job-ready knowledge needed for an AI-integrated world.
While educators must be part of these policy discussions, the clock is ticking. "Educators have a narrow window to set norms before they harden," LaShawn Chatmon, CEO of the National Equity Project, says. "Local education agencies that take advantage of this opportunity to co-design learning and policy with students and families can help shift who gets to decide AI’s role in our learning and lives."
The best bet is for edtech developers and educators to work in concert before the window closes.
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The recent raids on Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's home and office are connected to a New York criminal fraud charges against Joanna Smith-Griffin, founder of AllHere, a now-defunct education chatbot company that had contracts with LAUSD and Miami-Dade County School District, where Carvalho previously worked. The LAUSD board placed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on indefinite paid leave and has appointed Andres Chait as acting superintendent until the situation is resolved. Carvalho has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
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SmartTake: The AllHere investigation exposes significant vulnerabilities in educational procurement and municipal bonding, raising urgent concerns about the privacy and effectiveness of AI in schools. This situation has triggered a push for stricter oversight and transparent governance to mitigate risks associated with executive overreach and vendor vetting. Ultimately, the fallout is expected to reshape national standards for how school districts manage high-stakes technology contracts and administrative accountability.
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OpenAI has secured $110 billion in a funding round backed by Amazon, Nvidia and SoftBank. Amazon has also announced a multiyear strategic partnership with OpenAI, including an expansion of the companies' existing agreement.
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A Texas school district has shifted from traditional professional development to a cohort-based model that is focused on direct collaboration between technology specialists and teachers. Morgan Cave, the district's director of instructional technology, says the program provides individualized support and allows educators to reflect on their pedagogy to leverage technology effectively.
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William Brackett, technology director for Oak Park Elementary School District, highlights the growing threat of AI-driven cyberattacks in schools. As AI enables individuals to automate and scale penetration testing and attacks, even students with minimal experience can deploy multiple AI models to exploit vulnerabilities. Brackett emphasizes that AI's ability to mimic voices and writing styles increases the risk of successful phishing attempts, making it harder for staff to distinguish legitimate communications from malicious ones. The evolving AI landscape has intensified the cybersecurity arms race in educational settings.
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Teens in the US are increasingly using AI chatbots for schoolwork, information seeking and entertainment, according to a Pew Research Center study. While 54% of teens say they use chatbots for schoolwork, only 10% rely on them for most or all assignments. Teens are generally positive about AI's personal impact but more critical of its societal effects, with concerns about over reliance and job loss.
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The Education Department has announced nine interagency agreements with four agencies as part of President Donald Trump's plan to reduce the department's federal footprint, covering billions of dollars in program responsibilities under laws such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Higher Education Act. Supporters say the agreements will benefit students and schools by reducing bureaucracy, but critics say that the agreements are illegal and could cause confusion in education programs.
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget for fiscal 2027 includes a change to the funding model for cyber charter schools, allowing school districts to deduct more costs before calculating tuition payments to the schools. While proponents say the change would save districts tens of millions of dollars, critics say it would hurt students by forcing cyber charters to reduce programs and services.
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Edtech, including elementary-school 1:1 Chromebooks, is among the many areas the Iowa City Community School District is considering trimming to achieve about $9 million in budget reductions. Many people are worried about classroom-related cuts, but one parent told the school board that "as money for edtech goes up, learning goes down" and asserted that "teaching kids to fragment their attention ... is at odds with learning."
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Top stories from last week's newsletter
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| About ISTE Solutions Network |
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| The Solutions Network a member-based community that aims to 1) connect innovative solution providers to one another to learn, explore, and share best practices, 2) engage with the ISTE/ASCD member community to gather feedback and increase the impact of high-quality learning solutions, 3) engage in thought leadership conversations and 4) provide benefits for the annual ASCD + ISTE conference, where approximately 16,000 educators, decision-makers, and vendors convene. This community is made up of edtech companies of various sizes that are interested in engaging with each other and with ISTE to discuss Edtech’s role in teaching and learning, industry trends, and solve common challenges. Members of this network can benefit from connecting with industry experts and thought leaders, as well as from gaining key buyer information and insights.
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| Product announcements appearing in SmartBrief are paid advertisements and do not reflect actual ASCD + ISTE endorsements. The news reported in SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official position of ASCD + ISTE.
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| You have to tell the story, not change it. |
Susan Sheehan,
journalist, writer, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
1937-2026
March is Women's History Month |
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