Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 2025—Teach Plus Illinois today released the following statement in response to the introduction of SB1556 and HB2503, legislation that would establish the state’s first comprehensive framework for evaluating and implementing AI technology in schools.
“Teach Plus Illinois commends Senate Education Chair Meg Loughran Cappel and House Education Policy Committee Vice Chair Laura Faver Dias for sponsoring SB1556 and HB2503, which would create a state Instructional Technology Advisory Board. The legislation, developed in partnership with Teach Plus Illinois, the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance (IDEA), and a coalition of 13 other education organizations, addresses the urgent need for guidance as educators navigate AI’s growing role in education. This board would collaborate with the Illinois State Department of Education (ISBE) to develop essential criteria for evaluating AI technology in schools, focusing on safety, privacy, bias prevention, and educational quality.
“The rapidly expanding presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools means that teachers need guidelines now. I’m proud of the leadership of our teachers for calling attention to this issue and for developing smart recommendations that both address the possibilities AI offers for innovative teaching and learning, and the need for policies to ensure this learning benefits all students,” said Bill Curtin, Teach Plus Illinois Policy Director.
“AI is moving forward in classrooms now, and policy makers need to catch up quickly, because the choices Illinois makes today will determine whether AI becomes a powerful tool to bridge the achievement gap or a missed opportunity,” wrote Joe Brewer, dean of students for Beardstown Middle School and a 2024-25 Teach Plus Illinois Policy Fellow, in an op-ed published earlier this month. “Teachers don’t need help next year,” said Mr. Brewer, “This is our daily reality. We need guidance on this now.”
In a recently published report, Teach Plus shared findings from a survey of educators across Illinois conducted to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in the classroom. The findings highlight the urgent need for consistent, expert-driven guidance as teachers face daily decisions about AI technology use. Key provisions of the legislation directly reference Teach Plus teacher leaders’ recommendations and include:
- Establishment of an Instructional Technology Advisory Board
- Development of comprehensive evaluation criteria for AI tools
- Publication of evaluations of AI tools as a non-binding resource for districts
- Creation of guidance and training programs for educators
- Regular updates to keep pace with evolving technology
“Rather than asking 852 districts to duplicate these efforts 852 times, or leaving individual teachers to navigate these complex decisions alone, this legislation creates a streamlined, expert-driven process that will help ensure students can safely benefit from educational AI tools,” said Mr. Curtin.
For more information about this legislation or Teach Plus Illinois, please contact Bill Curtin, Policy Director, Teach Plus Illinois (bcurtin@teachplus.org / 708-337-1932)
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership and voice in shaping education policy and improving opportunities and outcomes for students. https://teachplus.org/il/
