Before your child uses an AI tool at school, ask what learning need it serves, how the teacher supervises it, what information it collects, and how the school handles mistakes and parent review. A useful conversation is about the specific tool and classroom activity—not assumptions that all AI systems work alike.
1. What learning problem does the tool solve?
Start with the purpose. The U.S. Department of Education’s August 20, 2026 guidance recommends evaluating education technology by asking:
- “What learning problem does it solve?”
- “When should it be used?”
- “For whom should it be used?”
- “For how long should it be used?”
- “What evidence demonstrates that it improves student learning?”
Ask the school to explain which activity or learning need the tool supports, when students use it, and how educators will know whether it is helping. The Department says technology decisions should take account of evidence, educator judgment, student outcomes, and screen time. Read the Department’s guidance.
2. Who chooses the tool, and what does the teacher do?
Find out who selected the tool and what the teacher does before, during, and after its use. For example, ask whether the teacher sets the task, checks the material students receive, and discusses how to assess the AI’s responses. Also ask when and how parents will be told that the tool is being used and what students are expected to do with it.
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The Department’s 2025 AI guidance highlights involving affected stakeholders—especially parents—in decisions about new technology. It also says uses in federally funded education programs must meet applicable legal requirements. See the Department’s AI guidance.
3. What information does the tool collect about my child?
Ask for a plain-language explanation of what students enter and what account or usage information the service collects. Clarify who can access it, whether it is shared, whether it is used for purposes beyond the school activity, and how long the provider keeps it.
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- What student prompts, work, or other inputs are collected?
- What account details or usage records are collected?
- Who at the school or provider can access the information?
- Is it shared or used for a commercial purpose unrelated to the educational service?
- Can the school review or request deletion of the information?
- How long does the provider retain it, and what security measures apply?
The Federal Trade Commission’s COPPA guidance gives schools questions to consider when evaluating online service providers. It explains that a school may act as a parent’s agent for certain school-contracted services only in the educational context—not for another commercial purpose. That is limited guidance, not blanket permission for schools to consent to every service or use. Read the FTC’s COPPA FAQ.
4. What happens if the AI is wrong or unsuitable?
Ask how the teacher checks AI-generated material and what students should do if an answer seems incorrect, confusing, or inappropriate. Find out whom a student can tell and how the school responds to a problem.
Do not assume a tool is error-free. The relevant question is what adults and students are expected to do when an output needs checking or raises a concern.
5. Is this use right for my child?
Ask whether the activity is intended for your child’s age, grade, and learning needs, and whether there is another way to complete it. The Department’s guidance asks schools to identify whom a product is for, but the cited federal material does not set one universal age cutoff for classroom AI.
6. What notice, consent, and review process applies?
Ask the school to identify the policies and rules it believes apply to this particular tool and activity. Also ask what information you can inspect, how to request it, and whether any consent process applies. The answer may depend on the school, service, student’s age, the information involved, and how it is used.
FERPA is a federal law protecting student education records. The Department of Education’s overview describes its application to schools receiving funds under an applicable Department program; it should not be read as applying identically to every school or every type of information. See the Department’s FERPA overview. For online services, the FTC’s COPPA guidance has its own scope and conditions, including the limits on school action described above.
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UNESCO recommends a human-centered approach to generative AI in education and research and notes uneven regulatory coverage and preparedness. Its guidance offers an international perspective, not a binding U.S. rule. Read UNESCO’s guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to prepare for the school conversation
- Ask the teacher or school which tool and classroom activity are involved.
- Use the six questions above to discuss purpose, oversight, data, output problems, suitability, and parent review.
- If the school’s answer is unclear, ask where the relevant policy or provider information is available and who can explain it.
These questions help you understand the school’s particular arrangement; they do not determine whether a school or provider complies with the law. The federal legal guidance cited here is U.S.-specific, and state rules, district policies, contracts, a student’s age, the tool’s design, and actual data practices may affect the answer. The cited sources do not establish a universal parental opt-in right for every classroom AI use.
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