NEW LAW WILL SHAPE THE USE OF AI. LEADERS HERE AT MSDE WILL COME UP WITH NEW GUIDANCE ON AI AND RELEASE IT. THEN SCHOOL SYSTEMS WILL HAVE TO CREATE THEIR OWN POLICIES, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO USE AI FOR THEIR FUTURE. I THINK IT’S USED TOO MUCH. I FEEL LIKE THERE IS KIND OF A GRAY AREA WHERE IT’S COMING OUT, LIKE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW HOW TO USE IT, BUT ALSO KNOW HOW TO USE IT CAREFULLY AND NOT JUST LIKE USE FOR ANSWERS AND CHEATING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE IDEA OF USING AI IN SCHOOLS GETS PEOPLE TALKING. SENATOR KATIE FRY HESTER HAS BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS, TOO. AS A MOM LIKE I HAVE JUST BEEN SUPER CONCERNED ABOUT MY KIDS INTERACTION WITH IT. THEY’RE OLDER NOW, BUT I KNOW IT’S AFFECTING ALL OF THE GRADES. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ACROSS MARYLAND, THEY’RE GOING TO GRADUATE IN A WORLD WHERE NEARLY EVERY CAREER USES AI IN SOME WAY. AND SO I FELT LIKE IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE PREPARED TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE, KNOWING HOW TO USE AI. THAT’S WHY SHE SPONSORED THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE READY SCHOOLS ACT, NOW PASSED AND SIGNED INTO LAW. IT EMBRACES IT, AND IT ALSO PUTS THE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE. AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT SOME OF THE DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE WERE USING AI IN A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE WAY. OTHERS WERE BANNING CERTAIN TOOLS, AND MANY OF THE TEACHERS HAD LIKE LITTLE OR NO TRAINING. AND I JUST DIDN’T WANT MARYLAND STUDENTS FALLING BEHIND SIMPLY BECAUSE THEIR SYSTEM LACKED THAT LEVEL OF GUIDANCE. ASIDE FROM CREATING STATEWIDE GUIDANCE, THE NEW LAW ALSO PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN AI FOR EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL LEADERS. IT ALSO INCORPORATES AI LITERACY INTO WORKFORCE PREP AND COMPUTER SCIENCE STANDARDS FOR K THROUGH 12TH GRADE, MEANING STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO USE AI IN ORDER TO GRADUATE, AND IT CREATES AN AI COLLABORATIVE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS THE STATE COMING TOGETHER TO SHARE LESSONS, BEST PRACTICES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE USE OF AI. SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE HOWARD COUNTY ARE ALREADY EMBRACING AI IN THE CLASSROOM, GIVING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THEIR OWN EDUCATION BASED GEMINI AI ACCOUNTS. IF WE DON’T TEACH KIDS HOW TO USE IT RIGHT, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO LEARN ON THEIR OWN AND NOT LEARN WELL. AND SENATOR FRY HESTER TELLS US THAT MSDE HAS ALREADY STARTED ON THAT GUIDANCE, AND IT SHOULD BE ROLLED O
Maryland schools to implement AI guidance, training under new law taking effect Monday
Maryland State Department of Education to develop guidance on how schools should use AI for instruction
Updated: 5:55 PM EDT Jun 1, 2026
Maryland’s Artificial Intelligence Ready School Act took effect Monday, creating statewide guidance for the technology’s use in schools.The new law requires school districts to develop policies and prepare students for an AI-driven workforce.The idea of using AI in schools is still something that gets mixed reactions.”I think it’s used too much,” said Dara Hoffman.”I think there is a gray area where it’s coming out and people should know how to use it, but also know how to use it carefully and not just use it for answers and cheating and things like that,” said Natalie Barber.The legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Katie Fry Hester, D-District 9, explained her motivation for the law.”As a mom, I have just been super concerned about my kids’ interaction with it,” Hester told WBAL-TV 11 News. “They’re older now, but I know it’s affecting all of the grades, and I think all of our students across Maryland, they’re going to graduate in a world where nearly every career uses AI in some way, and so, I felt like it was our responsibility to make sure that they were prepared to enter the workforce knowing how to use AI.”The senator, who represents a district that encompasses portions of Howard and Montgomery counties, explained how districts across the state had varying policies.”(The law) embraces (AI) and it also puts the guardrails in place. What we found was that some of the districts across the state were using AI in a pretty aggressive way. Others were banning certain tools, and many of the teachers had, like, little or no training,” Hester told WBAL-TV 11 News. “I just didn’t want Maryland students falling behind simply because their system lacked that level of guidance.” Maryland State Department of Education leaders will develop guidance on how schools should use AI for instruction in grades K-12. The school districts will have to develop policies, get AI tools that align with the guidance and appoint an AI coordinator.| MSDE: Artificial Intelligence in schoolsThe law also provides professional development in AI for educators and school leaders, incorporates AI literacy into workforce preparation and computer science standards for K-12 students, and establishes an AI collaborative to share lessons, best practices and recommendations statewide.Some districts, like Howard County, have already started integrating AI into classrooms. High school students in Howard County have access to education-based Gemini AI accounts.”If we don’t teach kids how to use it, they’re going to learn on their own and not learn well,” said Danielle Dunn, a media specialist at Hammond High School in Columbia.Hester confirmed that MSDE has started developing the guidance, which is expected to be rolled out soon.
BALTIMORE —
Maryland’s Artificial Intelligence Ready School Act took effect Monday, creating statewide guidance for the technology’s use in schools.
The new law requires school districts to develop policies and prepare students for an AI-driven workforce.
The idea of using AI in schools is still something that gets mixed reactions.
“I think it’s used too much,” said Dara Hoffman.
“I think there is a gray area where it’s coming out and people should know how to use it, but also know how to use it carefully and not just use it for answers and cheating and things like that,” said Natalie Barber.
The legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Katie Fry Hester, D-District 9, explained her motivation for the law.
“As a mom, I have just been super concerned about my kids’ interaction with it,” Hester told WBAL-TV 11 News. “They’re older now, but I know it’s affecting all of the grades, and I think all of our students across Maryland, they’re going to graduate in a world where nearly every career uses AI in some way, and so, I felt like it was our responsibility to make sure that they were prepared to enter the workforce knowing how to use AI.”
The senator, who represents a district that encompasses portions of Howard and Montgomery counties, explained how districts across the state had varying policies.
“If we don’t teach kids how to use it, they’re going to learn on their own and not learn well.”
“(The law) embraces (AI) and it also puts the guardrails in place. What we found was that some of the districts across the state were using AI in a pretty aggressive way. Others were banning certain tools, and many of the teachers had, like, little or no training,” Hester told WBAL-TV 11 News. “I just didn’t want Maryland students falling behind simply because their system lacked that level of guidance.”
Maryland State Department of Education leaders will develop guidance on how schools should use AI for instruction in grades K-12. The school districts will have to develop policies, get AI tools that align with the guidance and appoint an AI coordinator.
| MSDE: Artificial Intelligence in schools
The law also provides professional development in AI for educators and school leaders, incorporates AI literacy into workforce preparation and computer science standards for K-12 students, and establishes an AI collaborative to share lessons, best practices and recommendations statewide.
Some districts, like Howard County, have already started integrating AI into classrooms. High school students in Howard County have access to education-based Gemini AI accounts.
“If we don’t teach kids how to use it, they’re going to learn on their own and not learn well,” said Danielle Dunn, a media specialist at Hammond High School in Columbia.
Hester confirmed that MSDE has started developing the guidance, which is expected to be rolled out soon.