Many school officials are waiting for guidance on appropriate and conscious use of AI in schools.
The use of artificial intelligence in education has drawn a wide variety of reactions from teachers and staff, with some embracing the technology and others opposing its use in classrooms.
A survey by Teach Plus Illinois found many teachers feel there is potential for the technology but that there should be guidance on when and how the technology is used.
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Teach Plus Illinois is a group of educators who have worked to determine how teachers are using AI in classrooms and what guidance they would like.
In 2025, the organization used survey data to draft Senate Bill 1920, which would direct the Illinois State Board of Education to develop statewide guidance on AI use and curriculum. It passed and, now, the Illinois State Board of Education is required to develop the guide by July.
The survey found many educators understand AI is something that will be part of the future and it is important that students learn how to use it effectively and ethically.
Whether through lesson redesigns or aid in feedback, there are ways teachers can use AI, former Beardstown High School teacher Joe Brewer said.
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AI no longer is theoretical but a set of tools people can access, he said.
"In schools, the discussion is whether AI helps or hurts," Brewer said. "Our responsibility is to find the best ways to use it consciously."
There are many benefits from appropriate use of AI, for both teachers and students, Brewer said.
As the technology develops, guidance on what can and should be done will change, he said. It is up to teachers, administrators and state organizations to develop guidelines for how it can be used, he said.
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AI can help streamline some tasks, freeing up teachers' planning time, Brewer said, noting AI also can aid in lesson planning.
Brewer and some fellow teachers have run assignments through AI before and asked for ways to improve student interest in the lessons, he said.
"We have to learn how AI can enhance lessons, not replace them," Brewer said. "We are not cognitive unloading."
Because AI is being used across fields, students cannot go into the workforce or college without AI experience, Brewer said.
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Instead, it's important to ensure they are given the tools to use it effectively and consciously, so they can use it to enhance learning, not replace learning.
Some concerns often raised are that AI could replace student learning and allow them to do less work, Brewer said.
While he agrees that could happen, it is up to educators and administrators to outline how and when AI can be used, he said.
For example, using AI to make suggestions for essays can benefit students but still require them to do the work.
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"We have to go through some of these issues and find solutions," Brewer said. "Find ways they demonstrate understanding before AI use."
The Teach Plus survey echoed many of Brewer's points, finding that some teachers use the technology to adapt content to meet student needs.
About 49% of survey respondents said they use AI to create differentiated or individualized content for students, and 34% use it to help translate for multilingual learners. About 31% reported using it to help students with disabilities.
The technology can be used to help translate information, increase readability, and generate vocabulary supports and other tools to aid in a student's learning.
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Only a quarter of respondents reported using it for feedback or grading support.
Others use it to help students edit or receive immediate feedback on practice assignments.
"The pattern that emerged from the survey data is the belief that AI may be most appropriate for supporting low-stakes drafting, editing and organizational tasks, but that concerns surfaced around the use of AI in high-stakes work that affects important decisions about teachers and students," according to the report.
Teach Plus Illinois is asking the state school board to develop best practices and inappropriate-use guidelines, encourage support for effective AI implementation, develop a statewide framework for vetting AI tools and position AI as a tool to support, but not replace, human connection.
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Brewer said he is sure of one thing: A blanket ban on AI in schools will not work.
"A ban isn't going to prepare students for the world they are entering," Brewer said. "We have to look at what knowledge and skills we want our students to have."
Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree has been a reporter for the Journal-Courier since May 2014. She joined the staff after graduating from Eastern Illinois University. The Cahokia native worked with her school newspaper in various editor roles.
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