BOISE, Idaho — Idaho is becoming one of the first five states in the country to put artificial intelligence guidelines into law for K-12 education.
Gov. Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1227 at the Statehouse Thursday morning, officially putting artificial intelligence parameters into Idaho’s education law. The legislation takes effect July 1.
Watch to learn more about Senate Bill 1227
The legislation is designed to give educators clear frameworks for using AI — both as a professional tool and for student learning — while leaving final decisions to local school boards.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield said teachers are mainly asking two questions: how to use AI ethically as a professional tool, such as for lesson planning, and what role AI should appropriately play for students.
"Some feel more comfortable, some are not using it, and so it will direct the Department of Education to develop guidelines and standards at the appropriate grade levels," Critchfield said.
Critchfield noted that the appropriate use of AI will change depending on the grade level.
She shared a story about visiting a Treasure Valley 4th-grade classroom on "coding day." When she asked the students how many used AI every day, every single kid raised their hand.
Critchfield said the adults in the room were the ones surprised by the students' answers.
"Legislation forces adults to catch up to where our kids are," Critchfield said.
She pointed out that AI has actually been in classrooms for years without being called AI — specifically in the form of adaptive testing, where test questions get harder as a student progresses.
Sen. Kevin Cook (R - District 32), who hosted a working group last summer with education stakeholders and parents to help shape the legislation, said the technology is already here and requires immediate attention.
"Artificial intelligence isn't something on the horizon. It's shaping how we learn, how we work, and how we live right now," Cook said.
Cook, who described himself as a "computer geek," said the issue is personal to him. He said the goal is to ensure students aren't just consumers of technology, but creators, thinkers, and leaders in it.
"If we get this right, we are not just keeping up, but we will be setting the pace," Cook said.
The bill also launches a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership with Micron, Microsoft, Stukent, and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The partnership will also bring free training, resources, and curriculum to schools.
Critchfield noted that the state is in a budget year where there are no resources to go toward training, making the free resources from industry partners critical.
"Now, we can say here are all the things that you need to do. Here are partners that are offering those things at no cost to you," explained Critchfield.
Each partner brings something unique to the table in terms of AI.
Microsoft is providing statewide AI literacy training through its "Elevate for Educators" program, while Micron is expanding its training offerings for educators and students. Stukent is aligning free curriculum to the state's upcoming digital literacy standards. Additionally, the INL is offering hands-on "teaching in the age of AI" workshops that will allow teachers to earn continuous education credits, even leading toward graduate credits.
The Idaho STEM Action Center and the Idaho Technology Council are also involved as community partners, with the STEM Action Center providing grants and contributions to support teachers and students.
State education leaders say that by 2029, the program will have trained 40,000 educators and students on AI literacy, preparing them for a rapidly changing job market.
Addressing concerns that AI will deter students from learning, Critchfield said the legislation is meant to put AI in its proper role and does not take away the need for critical thinking. She clarified that the legislation does not require schools to use AI in the classroom, but provides a framework for doing it responsibly if they choose to.
Critchfield noted that while AI is not going to replace humans in the future, individuals and students who know AI are going to have a leg up. She also mentioned the new guidelines will help protect student privacy — both physical and online safety — and promote digital literacy, all while addressing parents’ concerns over AI use in classrooms.
"We want our students to be critical consumers of technology. This legislation will help us be able to do that uniformly and consistently around the state," added Critchfield.
Gov. Little compared the rise of AI to the time when "we were telling every kid they needed to learn coding." He referenced Moore's Law — the historical doubling of computing speed every 16 to 18 months — and noted that AI is advancing even faster. He emphasized that the state must adapt to the reality of the technology to ensure children can thrive and choose to stay in Idaho.
"The genie is out of the bottle, and nobody's putting that genie back in the bottle. We'd better recognize the genie's out, and this piece of legislation is a great place to start," Little said.
