Nebraska schools are struggling to set rules for artificial intelligence as more teachers and students adopt the tools, with parents raising concerns about grading bias and teachers questioning where the ethical line falls. A new series from Nebraska Public Media News examines how the state's K-12 and higher education institutions are responding to the rapid classroom adoption of AI.
A Center for Democracy & Technology survey found 83% of teachers reported using ChatGPT or another generative AI tool in the 2023-24 school year, up from 51% the year before. More than half of teenagers surveyed by Pew Research Center say they used an AI chatbot for schoolwork.
Megan Wissing, a sixth-grade teacher in one district and a parent of a first-grade student in Omaha Public Schools, said she amended her daughter's individualized education plan to ensure her daughter is graded by teachers, not by an AI fluency-grading tool called Amira. OPS said the tool is used only for independent reading practice and doesn't replace teacher instruction.
Wissing said she witnesses the consequences of student reliance on AI tools like Grammarly in her own classroom. "I have sixth graders that don't capitalize the beginning of their sentences," she said. "The computer has been doing that thinking for them for so long that they're not doing it themselves."
Teachers question ethical boundaries
Jordan Martin, a new high school business teacher at Wilber-Clatornia Public Schools, said he uses artificial intelligence to create materials such as incorrect answer choices for multiple-choice tests. But he also sees ethical questions emerging in his colleagues. "I have worked with teachers who have admitted to me that they will have AI grade essays that they need to look over," he said. "There comes a question at that point, is there an ethical line that we've breached there?"
Martin said teachers should model acceptable AI use for students by giving clear expectations for each assignment. "I think our job as teachers is to really communicate that line of, like, look, here is how you can use this in a way that is ethical and is good, and here are the ways that are unethical and are cheating," he said.
A survey focused on higher education and AI found that 90% of college students report using AI in class. But 65% of college students and educators said they are concerned that AI can sound confident even when it's inaccurate.
Andy Udby, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln undergraduate studying wildlife management, said he tried to get training on AI but found a biology professor answered his questions through an AI chatbot instead of directly. He also had to take timeouts during chemistry tests under an AI tool called ALEKS. "UNL needs to be, not just buying these tools, but also actually taking the time to teach its instructors how to use them empathetically and humanize the process," Udby said. The University has an approved list of learning tools such as ALEKS guidelines on how faculty should use AI to "enhance or improve assignments."
Some students and teachers avoid AI entirely
Scout Traxler, a fashion design student at Metropolian Community College in Omaha, called generative AI "horrendous" in creative fields. They cited a fellow student who used ChatGPT to generate a final project design for a historical collection and didn't apologize for it. Traxler said they don't use AI at all.
Wissing plans to take a tech-free approach in her classroom this year. Students will handwrite essays and use hand-purchased pencils as incentives. "You need to learn how to draft essays. You need to learn how to fix your own spelling manually," she said. "If you write a note to someone handwritten and they can't read it, you're only failing yourself."
Wissing said she supports schools teaching students about AI tools. "I think it's important for kids to know what it is, to know what it's capable of," she said. "But, kind of like a driver's license, you need the proper training to use it."
Why this matters for education professionals
Teachers now face a concrete decision about whether - and how - to integrate AI into their classrooms without undermining core learning. The Nebraska series points to a gap similar to other research: widespread AI use among students and teachers exists alongside minimal training for either group. For educators, the immediate practical step is to define acceptable use for each assignment, not just for the year, consistent with Martin's approach. Those seeking structured guidance can explore AI for Teachers courses designed for classroom contexts. For broader discussion, the AI for Education tag covers policy and implementation across institutions.
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