The use of AI in education is uncharted territory. This legal case is becoming a catalyst for discussion about its use in schools.

As artificial intelligence (AI) companies rapidly release new models and major tech firms restructure to accelerate their initiatives, the debate over the use of AI in schools is intensifying.

A Massachusetts family is suing a teacher at Hingham High School, along with district faculty members, after the school claimed their son cheated when he utilized AI on a history project and dropped his grade on the assignment to a "D."

The family’s attorney argues the student had used AI similar to a Google search engine, and only in the outline stages. There remains an open dispute between the two parties as to what the school's AI policy is and whether it was breached. 

The incident brings attention to the use of AI in schools and what's acceptable.

The Kinders to College initiative by Federal Way Public Schools (FWPS), launched during the 2023–2024 academic year, aims to introduce college and career readiness to the youngest scholars in Federal Way. At the heart of the program, every kindergarten student can explore higher education by visiting a local Seattle college campus.

“I wanted to launch Kinders to College in FWPS because all scholars, from as early as kindergarten, should be aware of the college and career opportunities available to them,” stated Superintendent Dani Pfeiffer. “With repeated exposure to multiple post-secondary pathways, over time students will build an appetite for success,” she said, noting, “They’ll also know the avenues to take to get there.”

The program was part of a broader initiative that provides South King County students with college-related activities throughout the year. Devised as a component of Goal 5 of the district’s strategic plan, Persistence to Graduation: High School Graduation through Successful Transitions, the program aims to connect every student with successful transitions to prepare for post-secondary experiences.

Washington State has already prohibited public universities from using affirmative action for the past quarter-century, but that doesn’t mean the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College won’t have far-reaching consequences beyond state collegiate systems. While the court has effectively ended admission policies that address inequity through race-conscious measures, this decision has the potential to set back equity efforts through the entirety of the educational pathway.

“I have real concerns not only for Seattle, but more prominently in the U.S., about how this is going to impact funding models long-term,” said Brandon Hersey, the South End’s director on the Seattle Public Schools board. Hersey recognizes that numerous universities and colleges have been working in preparation to ensure equity in their admission processes. His greater concern is the legal precedent of calling into question any strategy based on race, potentially limiting both the ability and resources to support students of color throughout their entire academic timeline.