Congress Begins to Grapple with Artificial Intelligence - Implications for Schools, Students and Parents

As artificial intelligence continues to transform education, language educators have been among the early adopters of tools that use AI and chatbots to enhance communication, feedback, and personalized learning. In language education, these technologies can strengthen interpersonal speaking and writing practice, support differentiated instruction, and expand access to authentic language interactions—particularly when resources or staffing are limited.

The Joint National Committee for Languages–National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) continues to monitor these developments to ensure that new privacy protections and safeguards do not unintentionally limit the effective and responsible use of educational technology in world language classrooms.

In the past few months, multiple new bills related to AI and students have been introduced in Congress. On October 28th, the Senate HELP Committee’s Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) dropped his Learning Innovation and Empowerment (LIFE) with AI Act, which focuses on upgrading student privacy protections and parental choice. This bill follows his September introduction, along with a bipartisan bicameral group of legislators, of the Recommending Artificial Intelligence and Standards in Education (RAISE) Act, which would encourage states to develop academic standards for artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

Also in October, Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) held a press conference to announce their introduction of the Guidelines for User Age-Verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act of 2025, which would require artificial intelligence chatbots to implement age-verification measures. If those weren’t enough, a package of House legislative proposals is expected as soon as the federal government reopens.

The Cassidy and Hawley/Blumenthal bills are the most substantive pieces of legislation introduced in the AI space to date, and each warrants attention. Senator Cassidy’s LIFE with AI Act would make several changes to existing federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Title II-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; create a Golden Seal of Excellence in Student Data Privacy; and establish a Privacy Technical Assistance Center at the U.S. Department of Education. Upon the bill’s introduction, Cassidy stated: “AI holds enormous potential to meet children’s unique learning needs. As AI increasingly gets intertwined with students’ education, the LIFE Act empowers parents to ensure their children are protected from potential harm.”

Key provisions include:

• Establishing a Golden Seal program for schools and districts demonstrating exemplary student data privacy standards through transparent parental engagement and consent management.

• Updating FERPA to broaden definitions of educational records and restrict the use of student photographs for facial recognition AI without parental consent.

• Requiring public notice for school contracts with third-party technology providers and empowering the U.S. Department of Education to investigate violations.

• Creating model privacy agreements and a Privacy Technical Assistance Center to support implementation.

• Amending Title II-A of ESEA to fund professional development that helps educators effectively integrate AI into instruction, while also addressing potential risks.

  
  

The Hawley/Blumenthal GUARD Act, on the other hand, is focused on age verification and content moderation. It would prohibit creators of AI chatbots, defined as “companions,” from allowing minors to access or use them, and require creators to establish robust age-verification systems. It would also mandate that chatbots regularly disclose to users that they are not human and bar them from representing themselves as licensed professionals. The bill outlines civil and criminal penalties for violations.

For the language education community, this growing wave of federal AI legislation underscores both opportunity and concern. While these bills aim to protect students and families, they could also impose new constraints on how AI tools are used for language learning and assessment. Many of the most innovative applications of AI in world languages—such as conversational chatbots for interpersonal speaking practice, adaptive grammar feedback systems, and AI-driven assessment tools—rely on responsible access to student input and interaction data.

If implemented without careful consideration of instructional realities, new federal restrictions could inadvertently limit teachers’ ability to employ AI in ways that build communication skills and cultural competence. JNCL-NCLIS will continue to advocate for balanced policy that protects students while preserving the essential flexibility for educators to use technology to enhance language instruction and assessment. Ensuring that legislation supports—not stifles—innovation is critical to maintaining the United States’ leadership in multilingualism, global competency, and workforce readiness.