Wabash Community Unit School District #348 will spend the coming school year developing its own approach to the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
During last week’s school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer told board members the Illinois State Board of Education recently released its long-awaited guidance on artificial intelligence. He said the guidance is intentionally broad and leaves policy decisions up to local school districts.
Bleyer outlined the state's four guiding principles, which emphasize that teaching and learning should remain grounded in human relationships, schools serve academic, developmental and civic purposes, artificial intelligence should be used as a tool to support teaching and learning rather than as an end in itself, and that effective use requires deliberate local oversight.
Bleyer said the final point is the most significant because it gives local school boards the flexibility to determine how AI will be used in their own communities.
He compared the state's approach to its recent guidance on student smart device policies, saying the state is not attempting to micromanage districts but instead expects local officials to develop policies that fit their schools.
Bleyer said he believes the 2026-27 school year will be a significant one as artificial intelligence continues to evolve. He has already begun discussing the issue with district principals and plans to involve teachers as the district works to develop local guidelines for AI use in the classroom.