Jahana Hayes Emphasizes The Importance Of Technology Experts For Vetting AI Usage In K-12 Schools

2 days ago

During Tuesday's House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing, Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) questioned witnesses on the role technology and software experts can play in the implementation of A.I. in K-12 classrooms.

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Transcript

00:00Representative from Connecticut, Representative Hayes is recognized for five minutes.

00:09Thank you, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today to testify.

00:13Advanced instructional technologies can be transformative, enhancing both teaching and

00:19learning.

00:20However, any implementation of AI technology in the classroom should maximize both safety

00:25and privacy, while also advancing equity and fairness.

00:32Ms. Smote, recently the Office of Education Technology, or OET, at the Department of Education

00:38was eliminated as part of a reduction in force at the agency.

00:44OET played an integral role in developing and implementing policies and initiatives

00:49on education technology.

00:52What has been the role of OET, and how has this office assisted states in the implementation

00:57of AI technologies in the classroom, from your perspective?

01:01Well, I think it's important to name that OET really puts out guidelines and really

01:07best practices for states and districts to follow, providing that necessary expertise

01:13and knowledge that, frankly, would be impossible for there to be an AI expert in every district

01:19to be able to do.

01:20Ways to communicate to parents who say that their schools right now aren't communicating

01:26with them about AI, 83% of parents have said in a common sense survey that they haven't

01:32heard anything from their schools about generative AI.

01:35As a parent, we know that we need to be working alongside our educators to provide that critical

01:41guidance.

01:42But I want to talk to you about something very quickly, which is a foundational layer

01:45of data privacy, security, and interoperability, which every technology needs, whether it's

01:51AI or it's cybersecurity.

01:53From 2002, sorry, from 2022 to 2023, there was 105% increase in known ransomware attacks

02:03against K-12 and higher education institutions.

02:06State and local cybersecurity grant programs were provided not only by the Department of

02:11Education, but also by CISA and other entities that provided critical support for not just

02:18AI, but technology as a whole.

02:20Without that guidance, without that knowledge, without that expertise, states and districts

02:24will have to navigate this changing technology on their own.

02:30I appreciate that.

02:31And to your point, it is very important, this is something I've been saying all month, that

02:35people understand the role of the Department of Education in providing frameworks and guidelines

02:41These things are implemented at the local level, but in many districts they don't have

02:45the resources or the knowledge or even basically the skill set to pursue aggressively emerging

02:53technologies and things like that, especially in a field that is moving as quickly as AI.

03:00Earlier this month, the Department of Education eliminated half of their staff.

03:05Additionally, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the department.

03:11Ms. Moe, again, how does the elimination of OET and the calls to dismantle the department

03:16entirely impact the role of the federal government in supporting access and deployment of safe

03:21AI technologies in the classroom?

03:23Well, I think everyone here has talked about access and how important it is for us to be

03:28thinking about access.

03:30And so I want to think about the role of the essential frameworks and connectivity that

03:35have powered our communities and the ability to use that technology.

03:39The U.S. Department of Education has provided that support, the U.S. Department of Commerce

03:43has provided that support, CESA has provided that support.

03:47We talk about the need for states to be able to drive connectivity, to drive access, but

03:53they wouldn't have been able to do that without universal service funds.

03:56They wouldn't have been able to do that without the Digital Equity Act, Title II, Title IV

04:01dollars, in order to lead professional development.

04:04So if we really want there to be the type of infrastructure that allows all students

04:09to thrive, we need to invest in institutions that can provide that capacity.

04:16I appreciate that, because I can tell you, even within the school district where I worked

04:20in my school, our computer and technology classes were taught by teachers, not practicing

04:27professionals in the field.

04:29So the ability to have outsiders come in with additional support or professional development,

04:35which is something that the Department of Education provides for school districts across

04:38the country, is not only critical and fundamental, but it is necessary, especially when we're

04:44talking about something like AI, where the technology is advancing so quickly.

04:49The safety of our students has to be a critical focal point.

04:54I don't have much time, but I'm going to ask a question.

04:56If maybe you could submit the answer for the record, that would be great.

05:00So just some ideas on what local school districts can take, steps that local school districts

05:05can take when vetting AI technology to ensure that student access is tailored to educational

05:10content and improves engagement, but also does not allow disruptions in learning or

05:19many of the other things that we saw.

05:22And with that, I yield back.

Jahana Hayes Emphasizes The Importance Of Technology Experts For Vetting AI Usage In K-12 Schools

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