The Illinois State Board of Education released a 409-page guidance document on July 9 outlining how K-12 schools should and should not use artificial intelligence - and the agency disclosed upfront that AI tools including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini helped write it. The transparency around AI's role in crafting the guidance offers a model for how educators might approach the technology in their own classrooms.
Bill Curtin, Illinois policy director for the nonprofit advocacy group Teach Plus, said the disclosure builds credibility. "Upfront, they said, 'We did use AI,' and they were very clear and specific about how they used AI," Curtin said. "And that actually builds trust because these days you can look at almost anything that anyone writes and wonder if it's AI. It's much better when, upfront, you say: 'We did use AI, and here's where, and here's where the human element is really still seen in this guidance.'"
What the legislation required
The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1920 in 2025, directing ISBE to develop guidelines amid rising concern about students using programs like ChatGPT for research and essay writing. Teachers and administrators also wanted direction on constructive uses - developing lesson plans or grading student work. A 2024 survey of Illinois educators conducted by Teach Plus and the Illinois Digital Educator Alliance found widespread worry that AI misuse could threaten student learning, endanger privacy, and expose students to inaccurate or harmful information.
One educator responding to the survey put it bluntly: "Schools are behind. Students utilize AI often, and we have nothing in place. It is a bit like the Wild West right now."
How AI was used in the guidance
The document, developed with input from a panel of experts in education, technology, and public policy, includes a note explaining that initial drafts used ChatGPT primarily, with Claude and Gemini playing smaller roles. After drafting, the authors prompted AI tools to find links and verify that outside resources were publicly available. AI also generated and edited graphic figures, and helped polish text by answering questions like "what might be missing from this section" or "what would be clearer in this section." Any AI-generated information was vetted outside of AI, the note says.
The guidance itself draws a firm line: teaching and learning are shaped by human relationships and experiences. AI is a tool to inform instruction, not a substitute for human interaction. State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said, "Our responsibility is to help schools navigate new technologies in a way that strengthens instruction, protects students, and builds trust for informed AI use between districts and the families and communities they serve."
Practical advice without mandates
The document does not impose rules. Instead, it offers frameworks for teachers and administrators evaluating AI products. One section suggests questions to ask before adopting a tool: "What is the learning problem I'm solving - and is AI the right tool for that problem?" and "If AI were unavailable tomorrow, what would I do instead - and is that actually better for the learning goal?" For educators looking to build these skills systematically, an AI Learning Path for Teachers can provide structured training on classroom applications.
On the question of students using AI to cheat, Curtin drew a comparison to earlier technologies. "Students have always found ways to cheat, and teachers have always responded," he said. "That's a practice-level issue. They're going to, given enough time to catch up and learn AI, find ways to adapt in the classroom to make sure that students are still learning." He distinguished this from policy: "A policy issue is putting together the framework by which teachers can develop the skills and ethics and mindsets in students where they can really be successful and use it ethically."
Why this matters for education professionals
Illinois has not handed down a list of approved or banned AI tools. It has produced a detailed reference that models transparency - showing exactly where AI assisted and where human judgment remained essential. For teachers and administrators, the practical takeaway is twofold: document how you use AI with students, and treat the technology as one input among many, always subject to human review. Resources like AI for Education offer ongoing guidance as districts work through these decisions at the local level.
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