On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education issued new guidance on how schools can use AI under existing funding rules, and on Wednesday, the White House unveiled a 28-page national AI road map. Education leaders said it’s a signal and support will need to follow later.
“It’s this idea of having the U.S. government planting a flag and making it clear that AI literacy is a top priority,” Alex Kotran, CEO of the nonprofit AI Education Project (aiEDU), said.
NATIONAL AI STRATEGY HIGHLIGHTS EDUCATION INDIRECTLY
The White House’s AI Action Plan outlines more than 90 federal directives across three pillars: accelerating AI innovation, building AI infrastructure, and leading in international AI diplomacy and security. It frames AI as a transformative force for the economy and national security akin to a new industrial revolution. While the document focuses heavily on bolstering research, industry and defense, it also touches on education and workforce development.
“AI systems will play a profound role in how we educate our children, do our jobs, and consume media,” the action plan said.
Many of the plan's education-related commitments were not directly linked to classrooms but instead tied education to a changing economy. For example, one recommendation directs the U.S. departments of Education, Labor and Commerce along with the National Science Foundation, to “prioritize AI skill development as a core objective of relevant education and workforce funding streams,” including in career and technical education and workforce training programs.
“It didn't strike me to have an education focus at all,” Jacob Kantor, owner of JK K12, an ed-tech business, said of the plan.
While the plan lacks a granular policy for K-12, Kotran said it does validate years of advocacy from education leaders. He noted that the action plan echoes priorities laid out in the “Blueprint for Action: Comprehensive AI Literacy for All,” a policy document aiEDU co-authored earlier this year. That document called for AI to be integrated across core subjects and for national investments in teacher training, apprenticeships and AI-aligned curriculum.
“One of the ways that AI can be used is in classrooms to enhance learning, to support students, and that is perhaps necessary, but definitely insufficient,” he said. “Broader expression of how is AI going to change the macro labor market, societal context, that will dictate, you know, what skills and competencies that students need.”
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE: AI IN CLASSROOMS
On July 22, the federal Education Department sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to state and district leaders about using AI in education. The guidance clarifies that schools may use existing federal funds for AI-related initiatives, so long as usage is responsible and meets privacy and civil rights rules. The letter highlights several allowable use cases, including AI-powered instructional materials, tutoring services, and college and career advising. It also encourages using AI to reduce administrative burdens and support students with disabilities.
“It codified using AI in tutoring sessions, and helping amplify personalized learning,” Kantor said. “It talked about college counseling and career pathways, and then some of it was around upskilling teachers and professional development, so all the things that you would hope for.”
Along with outlining acceptable use, it supplied guidance on responsible use. It said AI use should be educator-led, ethical, accessible, transparent and protect student data.
FUNDING FREEZE UNDERSCORES SCHOOL CHALLENGES
The timing of these AI initiatives coincides with a tumultuous summer for school funding. In late June, the administration withheld nearly $6.9 billion in federal K-12 education funds that normally flow to states on July 1, as part of a dispute over budget priorities. The unexpected freeze left districts “in limbo for nearly a month,” according to the National Education Association.
Federal officials released a portion of the funds in mid-July, and unfroze the remaining $5.5 billion Friday.
“I’m convinced nobody’s going to think about AI or anything like that, when they have $25 million in missing funds [from their] operating budget because it’s frozen,” Kantor said. “It’s hard to think about new and innovative things when they’re just worried about, ‘Hey, are we going to be able to feed the kids that come to school?’”
