AI has immense potential to improve instruction, particularly for students with learning differences.
Educators focused on inclusivity can enhance individualized education plans with AI, and they can find guidance in a Stanford Accelerator for Learning white paper published this summer.
There are several tools to create and improve IEPs, including Polaris, an AI-supported platform that allows educators to create, implement and monitor IEPs tailored to each student’s needs.
Addressing ethical implications
Educators must vet the safety of AI tools and the risk to student data, says Nneka McGee, the white paper’s project lead.
“Many times, leaders are told what questions to ask a vendor, like, ‘What type of safety protocols do you have?'” she says. “So, we have the question, but we’re not given the information we need to know if we’ve been given a viable answer.”
This reflects numerous studies that suggest school districts are still in the early phases of AI implementation, largely because leaders have yet to obtain the knowledge and expertise to launch the technology in their districts confidently. Research published in July by Child Trends revealed that only 31% of districts have adopted an AI policy.
Leaders’ hesitancy to adopt AI also stems from misconceptions about how different models operate. When it comes to assistive AI, it most likely won’t be generative like ChatGPT, McGee explains.
Building trust in new technology
Because many AI tools are still new, leaders should first consider solutions providers that succeeded in the space before ChatGPT’s release.
“I’m a big proponent of what I would call ‘anchor’ or foundational organizations, particularly because many of them were dealing with AI before ChatGPT,” she says. “I’ve been focused on AI in education for eight years, and there’s a difference between a company that started this work some time ago versus new companies.”
Superintendents and IT leaders can build their AI skills by working with organizations like Digital Promise, ISTE and Code.org, which have well-established knowledge bases.
AI’s disruptive nature means leaders should also communicate clearly with families about the technology’s purpose before it is introduced, McGee advises.
“As a superintendent, you don’t want outside forces or information to influence how families perceive the technology, because if it’s perceived in a negative light, now you’re on the defensive,” she says. “Bring in the families and make them part of the process.”
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