On May 23rd, Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced the bi-partisan NSF AI Education Act to the Senate. The initiative promotes the incorporation of artificial intelligence methods in teaching and learning through targeted fellowships for students, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). By incentivizing AI literacy in schools, Moran said in a statement, Congress hopes that the US will “unlock [AI’s] capabilities” through a “skilled and capable workforce”.
The announcement of the NSF AI Education Act comes less than a month after the Oklahoma State Department of Education became just the 11th official state entity to release state-specific guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in schools. The state’s resource provides an overview of AI’s current position in learning environments, outlines the potential benefits and risks of AI, and defines the roles of educators, administrators, and students in the implementation of AI in schools. Whereas some states have flouted their new AI guidance, Oklahoma’s AI resource was released quietly on the state department’s official website on April 30th, along with the announcement of upcoming introductory webinars– no media outlet has made any mention of the resource since.
State-specific policies, such as that of the Oklahoma Department of Education, make their way into classroom environments around the country, and improve teacher digital literacy and inform curriculum design. These policies, more than national directives and resources, are crucial to advising school-wide initiatives and normalizing important conversations surrounding AI in our nation’s schools. However, the release of these policies has been slow, and guidance has largely come from the nation’s wealthiest states. Of the eighteen states that have now released their own guidance on AI’s role in education (as of June 2024), ten rank in the top 25 in regards to statewide GDP. Likewise, forthcoming guidance favors wealthy states, who have developed dedicated AI Task Forces to inform future policy. It is these state-specific policies, beyond any resources released by Congress or the Department of Education, that will define our nation’s paradigm shift in technological development and educational practice.
The strong correlation between state wealth and published AI education guidance suggests that wealthier states will invest more into the incorporation of AI into classrooms. Student digital literacy will follow organically in these “AI-ready” states, as teachers become more comfortable using Generative AI in curriculum and workflow, and teaching about topics relating to artificial intelligence. As such, national support for AI initiatives, such as the NSF AI Education Act, will disproportionately advantage students from wealthier (often more populous) communities, despite their best efforts to draw attention to America’s rural, traditionally disadvantaged, school districts and institutions. Without state policy on AI in education, educators have no way to gain the background necessary to put their students in a position to receive support such as the NSF AI Fellowship. Instead, the students more likely to be awarded generous federal funding, and to be in a position to become future AI industry leaders, come from states with better access to technology, AI literacy courses, and instructors who are equipped to support students in AI-powered school projects. Published resources, such as Oklahoma State DOE guidance, are crucial to level the currently uneven AI playing field.
According to Cantwell, the NSF AI Education Act of 2024 “will open doors to AI for students at all levels, and upskill our workforce”. The question then is, which students will become the young professionals who will form this upskilled workforce? More importantly, who will be the ones left behind as we enter a new, smart-tech age of enterprise? Though the initiatives and rhetoric promoted by national entities may seem to provide equitable opportunities for Americans, it is up to state departments– especially in states at a financial disadvantage– to take the lead preparing teachers to guide students into an AI-reliant future. Without state education departments around the country following Oklahoma’s lead, AI will become another technological advancement disproportionately benefiting the states with the most money, resources, and academic opportunities, leaving many others to fend for themselves. Per Senator Moran, “If we want to fully understand AI and remain globally competitive, we must invest in the future workforce today.” Fifty comprehensive, state-specific policies are the first step in this necessary investment, and they are crucial to ensure that we are adequately prepared for an inevitable AI-driven world.
