This week, a state task force released new guidelines for the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence in schools. At the same time, officials said they are providing schools across the state with programs that use A.I. to help students with math and reading.
To manage the technology safely, the new state Department of Education guidance recommends that educators undergo additional training so that they can protect student data and detect when students misuse the technology, including by plagiarizing others' work
"A.I. presents a transformative opportunity for Louisiana's education system, offering innovative ways to customize learning, streamline tasks and enrich the classroom experience," the 18-page guidebook says. But "its integration raises essential questions about academic integrity and the authenticity of student work."
Louisiana joins a wave of states rushing to give schools guidance on A.I., which some educators already use for tutoring, lesson planning and other classroom tasks. Over the past year, more than 20 states have issued similar recommendations for K-12 schools, according to AI for Education.
Students have quickly taken to the technology. A December report by ACT, the nonprofit organization that administers the college readiness exam, says that about half of high school students said they had used A.I. tools like ChatGPT.
But many educators worry about the technology's pitfalls. A 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Education says teachers recognize that A.I. can generate content that is inappropriate or inaccurate and allows students to pass off A.I.-generated work as their own.
To mitigate the risks, the Louisiana guidebook suggests safeguards, including plagiarism detection tools, creating assignments that encourage original thought and requiring students to show their work or provide evidence of their learning.
The guidance also recommends that teachers undergo training to learn how to use A.I. tools that can detect academic dishonesty, and that they educate their students about academic integrity and digital literacy.
"Adults are trying to figure out the rules to the game," Ronnie Morris, president of the state's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, said during a meeting Tuesday. "I think we've established some groundwork" for providing schools with A.I. guardrails.
Teachers should be prepared for the technology to become a bigger part of their jobs this school year as the state education department pilots two new A.I.-powered learning tools and expands a third already used in some Louisiana classrooms.
During Tuesday's meeting, Adam DiBenedetto, the department's director of innovation, said the state is broadening the use of Amira Learning, an A.I.-powered reading tutor for students in grades 3-5. As of this school year, the state has expanded the program to 34 districts.
It is also piloting Google Read Along, another language-learning app, and Khanmigo, an A.I.-powered math tool by the education nonprofit Khan Academy.
Louisiana has leaned heavily on technology to mitigate pandemic learning loss, with state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley making A.I. programs a key component of his statewide tutoring campaign.
Although experts caution that research on computer-based learning is still emerging, early data suggests that some programs can improve student learning at a fraction of the cost of human tutoring.
DiBenedetto said the task force expects to routinely update the guidebook.
As the technology evolves, the state "will continue to monitor current research, the impact of these tools and continue to provide clear guidance for our school systems," he said.
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