In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use
Educators urge that statewide AI guidance be grounded in classroom realities, empower teacher leaders, and keep human connection at the center of learning
AI is a daily reality in the nation’s schools, and in Illinois, it shapes how students research, problem-solve, and create. Now, Teach Plus Illinois and the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance (IDEA) are releasing “From ‘Rules and Tools’ to Schools,” a follow-up to the 2024 report that first sounded the alarm on AI’s “Wild West” conditions in schools.
Top Stories
We can’t punish our way out of the attendance crisis
In the Ithaca City School District, we have long understood that relationships are not peripheral to the work; they are the work. A culture of love is not aspirational language but a daily commitment to ensure that every student, every family, and every member of our community feels seen, valued, and connected to something greater than themselves.
In a new survey, AI scores high as a math learning tool
AI plays a supportive educational role for nearly 70 percent of top-performing math students asked about their study habits, according to a new survey.
What higher ed can do about getting research into the K-12 classroom
Educational research has never been more abundant, yet its impact on classroom practice remains uneven at best. While universities continue to produce studies on instructional strategies, student outcomes, and emerging technologies, many K-12 educators rarely engage with this work in meaningful ways.
This elementary school banned screens in the middle of the year. Will it solve their reading crisis?
Last month, Mesick Consolidated Schools banned digital devices in its elementary school of about 250 students. The decision wasn’t an agonizing one. The ban came at astonishing speed, almost overnight, after a conversation between Mesick Superintendent Jack Ledford and Jewett Principal Elizabeth Kastl.
Oracy is the missing link for multilingual learners
For multilingual learners, language is not just a subject to be learned–it is the very medium through which they access the curriculum.
Why so many students struggle in math before learning even begins
In mathematics education, we have long relied on a familiar sequence: introduce vocabulary, demonstrate procedures, and assign practice. For some students, this works well enough.
When AI means something different in every classroom
In many schools, AI is being handled through individual teacher decisions rather than a shared structure. That makes sense in the short term. Teachers are responding in real time, trying to protect their classrooms, their expectations, and their students.
What it takes to build teacher confidence in math: 4 lessons for district leaders
After 20 years teaching high school math, I thought I understood why students struggled. Then I sat in my first professional learning session focused on early math and was humbled.
Sponsored Content
Why interactive solutions are a smarter investment for schools
School IT leaders face a constant balancing act to deploy technology that enhances learning while keeping systems secure, manageable, and cost-effective.
Advancing digital equity through teacher leadership
Meaningful opportunities for teachers to build expertise and leadership beyond their classroom add to a sense of professionalism and fulfillment. In an age when the role of technology in education is rapidly changing, why not allow teachers to lead the way?
Why interactive solutions are a smarter investment for schools
School IT leaders face a constant balancing act to deploy technology that enhances learning while keeping systems secure, manageable, and cost-effective.
Wearable tech helps students overcome central vision challenges
Central vision loss–a condition that impairs the ability to see objects directly in front of the eyes–can have profound academic and social impacts on K-12 students.
