SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House Education Policy Committee approved a bill Wednesday to help guide the use of artificial intelligence in schools.
This legislation could create the state's first framework for evaluating and implementing AI technology for teachers and students.
Sponsors and advocates are calling for an Instructional Technology Advisory Board to provide guidance, oversight, and evaluation of AI technology for education.
"A year and a half after I had to start making my own decisions about AI in the classroom, I still have no official guidance to turn to," said math teacher Sarah Murmann. "I believe at this point 25 other states have official guidance. CPS recently issued its own, but smaller districts like mine don't have the same resources."
The advisory board would work the Illinois State Board of Education to develop standards for safety, transparency, and data privacy for any AI that may be used in schools.
The legislation requires the Illinois State Board of Education to develop statewide guidance for districts and teachers on the use of AI in elementary and secondary education.
House Bill 2503 passed out of the House Education Policy Committee on a partisan 9-4 vote. Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake) committed to bringing the proposal back to committee with amended language in the coming weeks following more negotiations with stakeholders.
"I think it's really important that we teach students how to use AI to harness it's benefits but also ethically and responsibly," Faver Dias said. "The intent of this bill is to offer that support from the state."
The measure also requires publication of AI tool evaluations as a non-binding resource for school districts. Guidance and training programs for educators could be required as well. The State Board of Education would be required to provide this guidance to all school districts and charter schools by the end of this year and no later than July 1 of each subsequent year.
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