NPR: special ed teachers use AI for IEPs

NPR reported on May 20 that special education teachers are increasingly using artificial intelligence tools to help draft Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, as staffing shortages and paperwork demands strain schools. The report centered on Mary Acebu, a special education teacher at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point, California, who told NPR she has used AI for the last two years to move through paperwork faster. Federal law requires IEPs for eligible students with disabilities, and those plans are developed by a team that includes school staff and a child’s parents or guardian. Recent research and advocacy reports show both wider adoption of AI in this work and a growing debate over privacy, bias and legal compliance. ### Why are special education teachers using AI for IEP work? Mary Acebu told NPR that AI has helped her spend less time at a computer and more time with students. NPR said Acebu previously arrived at school by 6:30 a.m. and often left after dark with paperwork, a workload the story tied to the broader strain on special education staffing. (nprillinois.org) In the 2024-25 school year, 45 states reported special education teacher shortages, according to NPR’s report. NPR said some teachers describe legally required paperwork as a major source of overload on top of classroom instruction, and identified IEP drafting as one of the tasks teachers are increasingly trying to speed up with AI. (nprillinois.org) ### How common is AI use in IEPs now? The Center for Democracy and Technology said 57% of teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or 504 plan during the 2024-2025 school year. CDT said that was up 18 percentage points from the previous school year, a figure NPR also cited in its reporting. That figure matters because IEPs are not optional classroom paperwork. The Congressional Research Service said IDEA requires a free appropriate public education for eligible children with disabilities, and that the IEP is the plan through which those services are implemented by a local educational agency. (nprillinois.org) CRS said about 7.6 million children ages 3 through 21 received services under IDEA Part B in the 2022-2023 school year. (cdt.org) ### Does the research say AI-written goals are worse? NPR said research from the University of Virginia and the University of Central Florida found that, when used appropriately, AI can help teachers craft IEPs of equal or higher quality than teachers produce alone. A study indexed by ERIC said researchers comparing teacher-written and AI-generated IEP goals found no statistically significant difference in quality ratings, with p = 0.67. (congress.gov) That does not mean schools can hand decisions to software. A Virginia family-support resource published in January 2026 said AI may be used for drafting or organizing materials, including IEP development, but “should not be used” to make decisions about eligibility, services, placement, goals or accommodations. It said those decisions must remain with families, teachers and specialists working together as an IEP team. (nprillinois.org) ### What are the biggest legal and ethical risks? CDT said the legal concerns include compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. The group said teachers should not enter personally identifiable information into AI tools if their school does not have an agreement with the vendor, and urged districts to require human oversight and consult compliance offices. (peatc.org) Federal regulations underscore the privacy issue. The electronic Code of Federal Regulations says FERPA sets requirements for protection of parent and student privacy, and notes that IDEA regulations contain confidentiality requirements for information relating to children with disabilities who receive services under Part B. ### What should families ask schools now? A January 2026 resource from PEATC, a Virginia parent center, said families should ask whether AI-generated materials are reviewed by a teacher or specialist, whether personally identifiable information is entered into tools, and how schools check AI-generated content for accuracy, bias and errors. (cdt.org) The document also tells families to ask what safeguards and staff training are in place. (ecfr.gov) The next step is likely to play out at the district level. CDT said schools and districts should create policies for AI use in IEP development, communicate those practices to parents and students, and provide teacher training on legal and privacy requirements. (cdt.org) (peatc.org)