Creates an artificial intelligence working group within the department of education for the purpose of developing guidance and a model policy on the safe and effective use of artificial intelligence in ways that benefit, and do not harm, pupils and educators.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6972
SPONSOR: Solages TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to creating an artificial
intelligence working group in the department of education; and providing
for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
PURPOSE:
Creates a working group within the department of education to study the
state of artificial intelligence in the schools, including AI as a topic
of instruction in developing class content.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 is the legislative findings.
Section 2 amends the education law by adding a new section 115.
Section 3 sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technolo-
gies have rapidly transformed educational environments, significantly
influencing teaching methods, student learning practices, and classroom
interactions. Recent data from Common Sense Media indicates that approx-
imately 7 in 10 teens have already engaged with generative AI tools for
personal and educational purposes, yet about 6 in 10 teens report uncer-
tainty or absence of clear school guidelines governing their use.
(https ://www. commonsensemedi a.org/research/the-dawn -of-the-ai -era-
teens-parents-an d- the-adop tion-of-generative-a i-at-horne-and-
school). Concurrently, parents often remain unaware of their children's
AI interactions, highlighting a critical gap in communication and over-
sight. Furthermore, the Walton Family Foundation reports widespread
acknowledgment among parents, teachers, and students of Al's positive
educational impact, with over 80% recognizing its benefits.
(https://wwwwaltonfamily foundation. org/learning/the-value-of-ai-in-
todays-classroorns ;
https://8ce82b94a8c4fdc3ea6d-b1d233e3bc3cb10858bea65ff05e18f2,ssl.cf2.ra
ckcdn.com/bf/ 24/03646584af89e7c668c7705a006/deck-impact-analysi s-na-
tional-schools-tech-tracker-may-20 24-1.pdf) Despite this, there remains
a substantial lack of formal Al training for educators, standardized
guidelines for classroom use, and adequate preparation to address issues
like academic integrity and student data privacy. As AI increasingly
becomes integral to both education and workforce readiness, New York
must proactively establish clear standards and policies. This bill
establishes a dedicated working group tasked with developing comprehen-
sive guidelines and best practices, ensuring AI technology in education
supports educators, enhances student learning, and safeguards against
potential harms.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed on January 31, 2031.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6972
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 18, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating an artificial
intelligence working group in the department of education; and provid-
ing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds and declares
2 that there is an urgent need for state guidance and locally adopted
3 policies regarding the safe and effective use of artificial intelligence
4 in education to benefit and protect pupils and educators. It is the
5 intent of the legislature to ensure that the use of artificial intelli-
6 gence technology-enabled teaching and learning practices are in coordi-
7 nation with, rather than a replacement of, educators.
8 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 115 to read
9 as follows:
10 § 115. Artificial intelligence working group. 1. For the purposes of
11 this section:
12 (a) "Artificial intelligence system" or "AI system" shall mean a
13 machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers,
14 from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions,
15 content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or
16 virtual environments. Different AI systems vary in their levels of
17 autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment.
18 (b) "Working group" means the artificial intelligence working group
19 created by this section.
20 2. There is hereby created in the department an artificial intelli-
21 gence working group for the purposes of:
22 (a) developing guidance on the safe and effective use of artificial
23 intelligence in ways that benefit, and do not harm, pupils and educa-
24 tors;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10463-02-5
A. 6972 2
1 (b) developing a model policy, reflecting available research, for
2 school districts and charter schools regarding the safe and effective
3 use of artificial intelligence in ways that benefit, and do not nega-
4 tively impact, educational quality, pupil critical thinking and writing
5 skills, creativity, and the essential work of educators; and
6 (c) identifying other ways in which the state can support educators in
7 developing and sharing effective practices involving artificial intelli-
8 gence that minimize risk and maximize benefits to pupils and educators.
9 3. (a) The working group shall consist of:
10 (i) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee;
11 (ii) the director of the office of information technology services or
12 the director's designee;
13 (iii) thirteen additional members to be appointed as follows:
14 (1) eight members to be appointed by the governor;
15 (2) one member to be appointed by the temporary president of the
16 senate;
17 (3) one member to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
18 (4) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
19 (5) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
20 and
21 (6) one member to be appointed by the director of the office of infor-
22 mation technology services.
23 (b) The members appointed pursuant to clauses one, two, three, four
24 and five of subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of this subdivision
25 shall be selected from school district administrators, public school
26 teachers serving in elementary and/or secondary teaching positions with
27 knowledge of the use of artificial intelligence in education, university
28 and community college faculty with expertise in artificial intelligence
29 and its uses in education, and representatives of private sector busi-
30 ness or industry, with expertise in artificial intelligence and its uses
31 in education.
32 (c) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall serve, ex
33 officio, as the chair of the working group, and the director of the
34 office of information technology services or the director's designee
35 shall serve as the vice chair of the working group. In appointing
36 members of the working group, appointing authorities shall ensure that
37 such members, as a group, represent diverse scientific perspectives
38 relevant to the duties of the working group. The members of the work-
39 ing group, except those who serve ex officio, shall be allowed their
40 actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
41 duties under this section but shall receive no additional compensation
42 for services rendered pursuant to this section.
43 (d) The working group, on call of the chair, shall meet at least twice
44 each year and at such other times as may be necessary. The working group
45 may establish quorum requirements and other rules and procedures regard-
46 ing conduct of its meetings and other affairs.
47 (e) If any appointments to the working group are not made by July
48 first, two thousand twenty-five, then the working group may proceed to
49 meet and fulfill its responsibilities, pursuant to this section, without
50 such appointees.
51 4. The working group shall have the following powers and responsibil-
52 ities:
53 (a) to assess the current state of artificial intelligence used by
54 school districts and charter schools, including all of the following:
55 (i) technologies most commonly in use;
56 (ii) the typical cost of such technologies;
A. 6972 3
1 (iii) the ownership structure of such technologies;
2 (iv) the ownership structure of pupil- and employee-created materials;
3 (v) the licensing agreements for those technologies;
4 (vi) the ability to access source code for those technologies;
5 (vii) the degree to which educators were involved in the decision to
6 use artificial intelligence; and
7 (viii) artificial intelligence as a topic of instruction in developing
8 class content.
9 (b) to assess the projected state of artificial intelligence use in
10 education, including anticipated and potential developments in artifi-
11 cial intelligence technology in education.
12 (c) to conduct at least three public meetings to incorporate feedback
13 from pupils, families, and relevant stakeholders into the assessment
14 required by this subdivision. Such public meetings may be held by tele-
15 conference.
16 (d) (i) to detail current uses of artificial intelligence in educa-
17 tional settings including through the identification of the following:
18 (1) examples of human-centered artificial intelligence that aid,
19 further, and improve teaching and learning, including in ways that do
20 not exacerbate existing inequities, and the work of educators;
21 (2) examples of human replacement artificial intelligence that could
22 negatively impact pupil development, jeopardize pupil data security, or
23 risk the jobs of educators; and
24 (3) examples of strategies to ensure that there are opportunities for
25 stakeholders to offer meaningful feedback before any given form of arti-
26 ficial intelligence is introduced to pupils or educators.
27 (ii) In performing the work required by this subdivision, the working
28 group shall solicit input from educators and pupils on their experience
29 using the technologies identified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
30 (e) to identify other ways in which the state can support educators in
31 developing and sharing effective practices that minimize risk and maxi-
32 mize benefits to pupils and educators, including, but not limited to,
33 establishing communities of practice on the use of artificial intelli-
34 gence in education.
35 (f) to make recommendations for legislative and administrative
36 proposals to further the findings of the working group.
37 5. (a) On or before January first, two thousand twenty-six, the work-
38 ing group shall develop guidance for school districts and charter
39 schools on the safe use of artificial intelligence in education. The
40 guidance shall address the following:
41 (i) academic integrity and plagiarism utilizing artificial intelli-
42 gence systems;
43 (ii) acceptable and unacceptable uses of artificial intelligence
44 systems by pupils and educators;
45 (iii) pupil and educator data privacy and data security;
46 (iv) parent and guardian access to information that pupils enter into
47 artificial intelligence systems; and
48 (v) procurement of software by school districts or charter schools
49 that ensures the safety and privacy of pupils and educators, and the
50 protection of their data;
51 (b) On or before July first, two thousand twenty-six, the working
52 group shall develop a model policy for school districts and charter
53 schools regarding the safe and effective use of artificial intelligence
54 in ways that benefit, and do not negatively impact, pupils and educa-
55 tors. This policy shall address the following:
A. 6972 4
1 (i) academic integrity and plagiarism utilizing artificial intelli-
2 gence systems;
3 (ii) acceptable and unacceptable uses of artificial intelligence
4 systems by pupils and educators;
5 (iii) pupil and educator data privacy and data security;
6 (iv) parent and guardian access to information that pupils enter into
7 artificial intelligence systems;
8 (v) procurement of software by school districts or charter schools
9 that ensures the safety and privacy of pupils and educators and their
10 data;
11 (vi) effective use of artificial intelligence to support, and avoid
12 risk to, teaching and learning;
13 (vii) effective practices to support, and avoid risk to, educators and
14 pupils;
15 (viii) strategies to ensure that artificial intelligence does not
16 exacerbate existing inequities in the education system; and
17 (ix) professional development strategies for educators on the use of
18 artificial intelligence.
19 6. The department shall post on its website the guidance developed and
20 the model policy for school districts and charter schools developed
21 pursuant to subdivision five of this section.
22 7. The working group shall be subject to article seven of the public
23 officers law.
24 8. On or before January first, two thousand twenty-seven, the working
25 group shall submit a report presenting the results of the assessments
26 preformed pursuant to subdivision four of this section, and a summary of
27 the working group's findings, conclusions and recommendations to the
28 governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the
29 assembly. The working group shall be dissolved upon submission of the
30 report required by this subdivision.
31 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
32 deemed repealed on January 31, 2031.
