AI education bill introduced in House

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(The Center Square) - Rep Nikki Rivera, D-Lancaster, is proposing new legislation to ban charter schools from using AI instructors moving forward.

The proposal comes as the use of AI has greatly expanded, with functions ranging from warehouses to doctors’ offices, and now classrooms.

In January, the state rejected an application for a charter school that would have used AI technology to evaluate student needs, design curricula, and even teach students, leaving the role of “guide” open for human educators. The incident sparked heated debate about both AI and the dismal performance of the state’s existing charter schools.

The application from Unbound Academic Institute, which aims to give students a complete education in two hours or less per day, was not rejected solely on the grounds of its use of AI, with the Department of Education citing several deficiencies and areas of concern. That hasn’t stopped them from setting up shop in other states including Texas, Florida and California.

“The consideration of these charter applications required both PDE and SDoL to commit an exorbitant amount of time to evaluate the applications before they were ultimately rejected,” wrote Rivera in a memo garnering support ahead of the bill. “I believe students deserve certified teachers to provide direct instruction.”

As the state faces labor shortages, some fear that efforts to curtail the technology may lead to missed opportunities to fill in the gaps. On the other hand, entrepreneurs and legislators alike have been frank that AI developments will likely lead to the elimination of certain types of jobs. 

Teaching, many say, shouldn’t be one of them.

The aims of the bill are to “prevent students from unproven institutional practices” as well as to save relevant departments the time and expense of reviewing applications. The memo also says it would protect “taxpayers’ money from those manipulating the law for their own profit at the expense of our students.”

Experts in the field of AI are cautioning against blanket moratoriums and hasty prohibitions of the technology in different industries as the globe stands at the edge of a future that’s difficult to imagine.

Some have advocated for regulatory sandboxes which give businesses the flexibility to experiment with new technology with fewer constraints before taking a product to the public for widespread adoption. During that time, legislators are able to determine what guard rails should be in place.

Most companies and products using AI seek to oversee its activities by keeping a “human in the loop” or even a “human at the helm.” This allows people to spot unexpected actions and behaviors from the AI and correct them. Just as AI health care apps require clinicians’ involvement, it would be reasonable to expect certified human teachers to oversee a child’s education.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has rolled out the use of A.I. throughout government positions in the commonwealth. He espouses the ethos that with AI, employees are able to cut down on administrative work, documentation, and other time-consuming tasks, empowering them to be more creative and spend time on work that feels meaningful.

Those working in health care and other fields have celebrated gains in time management and data accuracy with AI applications on their sides as well. If educational parallels are made possible, it could help to address the burnout experienced by teachers leading to high rates of attrition.

Rivera’s bill so far leaves the door open for such “human at the helm” proposals, specifically prohibiting applications from schools which would use AI as the “primary delivery system of instruction.”