Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Missouri Schools

By : Abigail Medler

Published On: September 30, 2025

The use of Artificial Intelligence is on the rise in classrooms across the country, and while some districts have begun implementing guidelines and integrating AI tools into their schools, Missouri does not yet have a formal policy in place.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), however, just released guidance on the responsible use of AI in classrooms, to be used by local education agencies statewide. This guidance reviews the possible challenges and benefits of AI to students, schools and administrators, leadership and policy, and parents and community stakeholders. Some of the challenges listed include the risk of copyright infringement, plagiarism, inaccuracy, over-reliance, loss of human interaction, and concerns about cheating and students being unable to learn the content for themselves. 

Some of the benefits, however, include using AI to make practice problems, to brainstorm or refine student writing, to serve as a personalized tutor, or offer immediate feedback on student work. For these reasons, and in order to align AI's use with the Missouri Learning Standards and current assessment frameworks, DESE advises schools to implement AI gradually and thoughtfully. 

According to DESE, educational professionals should not use AI to replace their work, but to enhance it. The department stresses that teachers must continue to be the main decision-makers in the classroom and that AI tools should always be used under human supervision. The 22 page document (found here) also discusses important issues like cybersecurity, fairness, ethical use, and student data privacy. Schools are urged to make sure AI tools don't reinforce bias or widen learning gaps. DESE has started providing professional development, including workshops that assist teachers in understanding how to assess content produced by AI and use it to enhance student learning rather than replace it. All things considered, the state supports a strategy in which AI improves education while upholding strict security, human supervision, and educational equity. 

The authors of this corresponding brief touch on DESE’s guidance before diving into some additional professional guidance, such as that of the comprehensive toolkit used by the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA). This toolkit incorporates crucial tenets like safety and equity, and ensures that AI tools are consistently utilized under human supervision. Additionally, the authors look into sample policies provided by the Missouri Consultants for Education (MCE) as well as those from several Missouri school districts and the American Bar Association. 

Read the full brief and the authors’ recommendations for moving forward here.

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