At least, for now, I’m going to make this a weekly feature which will highlight additions to THE BEST NEW – & FREE – ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS THAT COULD BE USED IN THE CLASSROOM.
Here are the latest:
Story-AI generates stories, is free, and provides an outline users can use.
1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has www.npr.org/2025/10/08/n…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) October 8, 2025 at 9:46 AM
The post linked here describes the problems in teachers using AI to assess student work. In it, the writer also describes a structured process a teacher can use where students can use AI to initially self-assess their own work (it’s similar to a process I’ve used in the past). Because of that description, I’m adding it to A Beginning List Of Different Types Of Guidance Educators Are Giving Students About AI Use In Their Classes:
I’m fine with AI assessing online game results (Blooket, Wayground) & for low/no-stakes grammar practice (Quill) or pronunciation practice for ELLs (Speakable). Or, like this poster describes, students using it as part of a structured process to help with initial self-assessment. That’s about it.
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) October 10, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Making Space for Real Conversations: AI Chatbots in the Language Classroom is from FLT Magazine.
I review Google’s new AI tool. Not ready, not really close to ready, but shows promise.
dtwuva.substack.com/p/will-googl…
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— Dan Willingham (@dtwuva.bsky.social) October 12, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Four AI Tools (You May Not Have Heard About) That Are Helping Teachers Engage is from AJ Juliani.
Here are some recent useful posts and articles on educational policy issues (You might also be interested in seeing all my “Best” lists related to education policy here):
Creating Communicators and Critical Thinkers: Soon There Will Be A Test For That www.the74million.org/article/crea…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 21, 2026 at 7:59 AM
DOJ Extends Website Accessibility Deadline. Will It Help Schools Get Ready? is from Ed Surge.
Trump steps up a campaign against teaching English to immigrant kids www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 21, 2026 at 5:10 AM
The influx of fans later this week has led the school district to make a controversial decision: canceling in-person school. n.pr/4cxl1MM
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— NPR (@npr.org) April 21, 2026 at 2:36 AM
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 21, 2026 at 5:02 AM
Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in classrooms, US appeals court rules
apnews.com/article/texa…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 21, 2026 at 4:31 PM
School Vouchers Fail the Civil Rights Test. The Federal Program Is No Exception is from The 74. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning Why School Vouchers Are A Bad Idea.
The Los Angeles school board votes to limit screen time, following pressure from parents who said their children developed unhealthy habits after schools required them to use iPads and laptops every day.
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— NBC News (@nbcnews.com) April 21, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Today, Los Angeles Unified became the largest school district yet to move to scale back Ed tech in classrooms
YouTube will be blocked for students, PreK-1st grade won’t use iPads anymore, and the district is required to start tracking mins students spend on devices
www.nbcnews.com/news/educati…
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— Tyler Kingkade (@tktk.bsky.social) April 21, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Inside Linda McMahon’s effort to dismantle the Department of Education is from NPR.
Trump administration delays rule aimed at improving disability access in schools is from NPR.
Yale Has Come Up With a Surefire Way to Make a Terrible Situation Worse www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/o… gift link
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 22, 2026 at 7:12 PM
A lot of folks were approvingly sharing Kelsey Piper’s post about the problems of educational research. Here’s my take. // Ill-Informed Essays About Education Research are Weak and Sloppy. Why?
edpolicyhub.substack.com/p/ill-inform…
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— Morgan Polikoff (@mpolikoff.bsky.social) April 23, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Schools, colleges and other public institutions originally had until this week to make online content accessible to people with disabilities. Now, the Justice Department has delayed that deadline. n.pr/3Qnk6Hq
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— NPR (@npr.org) April 22, 2026 at 2:56 AM
Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, a U.S. appeals court rules, in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools.
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— NBC News (@nbcnews.com) April 22, 2026 at 3:20 AM
The Business Case Against Judging Schools Like Businesses is from The 74. I’m adding it to The Best Posts & Articles Explaining Why Schools Should Not Be Run Like Businesses.
“There will now be 35,000 vouchers available — funded through taxpayer dollars.”
AGAIN: Almost entirely to kids already in private schools. They won’t track that, because they know it.
@GovBillLee’s legacy will be coupons for the wealthy that take hundreds of millions from public schools.
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— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) April 24, 2026 at 5:23 AM
Private school voucher scam lobbyists were up in the balcony hovering to pressure Republicans to expand @GovBillLee’s vouchers to hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and eliminate testing requirements that show they don’t work
(From @Justinjpearson @VoteGloriaJ)
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— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) April 24, 2026 at 6:40 AM
Student Contest Based on Trump’s Garden of Heroes Downplays Darker History www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/a…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 24, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Thou Shalt Not Post the Ten Commandments in Classrooms www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) April 26, 2026 at 9:42 AM
I’ve been trying to think of something simple that could help teachers deal with a very complicated topic – Artificial Intelligence usage in education.
I’m wondering if we can answer “yes” to either one of these question, then it’s okay to use AI. If not, we take a pass:
If teachers are considering having students use AI: Does this particular use of Artificial Intelligence provide an obviously superior learning benefit to students that is not available through any other means, safeguards their privacy, and is not cost prohibitive?
If teachers are considering using AI themselves: Does this particular use of Artificial Intelligence provide a superior method of planning, data analysis or development of a teaching resource that is not available through any other means using the same amount of time or energy, safeguards their privacy and the privacy of their students, and is not cost prohibitive?
I’m probably missing something. In fact, I’m probably missing many things.
Let me know what you think – all thoughtful feedback and critique is welcome. I’ve had to turn-off comments because of AI spambots, but you can contact me here or on pretty much any form of social media.
