E&W Blog

Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a seismic impact on our economy and everyday lives. During today’s hearing on the impacts of AI in the classroom, Committee Members and witnesses highlighted the power – and pitfalls – artificial intelligence will have in modern classrooms.
 
At the start of the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) noted that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction – it’s already part of our everyday lives.

"We are already seeing AI widely adopted by students in limited ways… The question is not whether students will use AI – that’s already happening. Rather, the question is how schools can support students in using AI responsibly and in unlocking its full potential to advance student achievement,” Kiley said.

Throughout the hearing, lawmakers emphasized the importance of understanding the impacts of AI on students.
 
Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) raised concerns about the impacts of AI-driven tools on students’ critical thinking skills. On the need for more research into the issue, Dr. Sid Dobrin, Chair of the Department of English at the University of Florida, said, “We tend to talk about AI as a single thing – ‘AI does this, AI can do this.’ AI is an umbrella term for a lot of different kinds of technology and so when we start looking specifically at cognitive development, what we have to think about is how we use these kinds of AIs in various contexts… [T]his is about augmentation, not automation.”
 
Rep. Mike Rulli (R-OH) asked Chris Chism, Superintendent of the Pearl Public School District, about the potential for AI to help students with disabilities succeed. Mr. Chism noted that AI can provide students with individualized plans far beyond K-12 classrooms that meet their needs. “In the end, it gives that kid short-term, medium-term, long-term plans that are developed around that individual child… I don’t think this stops at K-12. Honestly, I don’t think this stops at college. We’re going to see this moving into the business world. Knowledge is going to be something for everybody now, and I think that’s what’s changing in the world of AI,” Chism said. Republican Members also expressed concern about how to leverage AI tools effectively – and about the federal government’s role in classrooms.
 
Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) noted that federal overregulation of the use of AI in classrooms could have detrimental effects on student success. When asked about these kinds of consequences, Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, CEO of the ILO Group, stated, “This is moving too fast. There is nothing that the federal government could put on paper that wouldn’t be outdated a couple of months from now, and it is imperative that states have the ability and flexibility to make these decisions within their own contexts and allowing districts the ability to innovate.”
 
Democrats tried to hijack today’s hearing to protest the Trump administration’s effort to shutter the Department of Education. The Democrat-invited witness, Erin Mote, CEO of InnovateEDU, argued America needs a “federal framework” to regulate AI and empower government bureaucracies like the Department of Education. Committee Democrats repeated similar claims throughout the hearing, even as witnesses like Dr. Rafal-Baer noted any federal guidance could be outdated by the time it’s issued. Most Americans would agree: if you need something done quickly and efficiently, you don’t ask the federal government.
 
The bottom line: AI will likely revolutionize the way students learn, but the federal government doesn’t need to be involved. As Republicans and the Trump administration return education to states and families, local educators will be better positioned than any D.C. bureaucrat to decide how AI impacts K-12 classrooms. As we work to disempower federal bureaucracies and strengthen families and states, Committee Republicans also stand ready to ensure AI enhances students’ learning experiences and makes American classrooms the best in the world.