Schools face AI, screens, federal cuts

Fifty-four million K-12 students are returning to classrooms this month and next. The new school year is shaped by major shifts in technology policy and federal oversight, according to an NPR interview with education editor Nirvi Shah.

Artificial intelligence prompts classroom changes

Concerns that AI makes cheating easier and outsources student thinking are leading to direct changes in teaching. An NPR and Ipsos poll from last spring found that four in ten teachers are now requiring more assignments to be done by hand. The same proportion are making students complete more work in class.

Teachers reported that students are not yet widely using AI for classroom tasks. Some teens told NPR they believe AI should not be allowed for writing assignments. Students who do use it think they should have to show exactly how it was used. For more data on educational trends, see our stats page.

School districts move to limit screen time

A pushback against pervasive technology has some districts adopting broad screen time limits. Los Angeles Unified, one of the nation's largest districts, has rolled out a policy eliminating school screen time for its youngest learners. The district plans to have time limits for all students by the end of the school year.

This shift presents challenges. Armaghan Khan, a middle school science teacher in Los Angeles, told NPR that technology formed the backbone of his curriculum. "I would say about 75% of our work was on some kind of screen-based activity," Khan said. He noted his students previously conducted large-scale science experiments on laptops, but he now lacks a budget for in-person lab materials.

Families of students with disabilities have expressed concern. Soraya Martin, a high schooler with dyslexia, said screen-based tools like speech-to-text revolutionized school for her. "I started getting really good grades. And I had so much more to say, and it made me feel more confident in myself," Martin stated. She worries new limits will cause her to fall behind. Information on related health and wellness policies can be found in our injuries section.

Federal education oversight faces uncertainty

The Trump administration's efforts to close the U.S. Department of Education are affecting its operations. Staff from different parts of the department are being shifted to other federal agencies, though employees are being told their work remains unchanged and they still work for the existing Education Department.

The restructuring raises questions about enforcing federal protections for students. Laws guaranteeing an equitable education for children with disabilities remain in effect. However, the Office for Civil Rights, which helps ensure those rights, at one point had half the staff it previously did.

Looking ahead to the school year

Amid the changes, educators anticipate moments of discovery. Some administrators are experimenting with AI in hopeful ways. David Lawrence, a superintendent in Dayton, Ohio, is piloting AI chatbots in classrooms. He suggested future historians might view such efforts as cutting-edge and innovative.

NPR's Lee Gaines has been leading coverage of artificial intelligence in schools.