Increased use of AI in special education brings increased risks

Diving overview:

• Teachers are increasingly using generative methods artificial intelligence tools The aim is to support students with disabilities in a way that saves educators time and provides students and parents with best practices for intervention and clear communication, according to a new paper from the Center for Democracy and Technology.
• However, the CDT warns that using AI to create personalized education programs has risks, including potential violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and privacy laws, as well as the potential for inaccuracies and bias.
• Additionally, teachers should be careful about entering student identifying information into AI tools, especially if they are not vetted and approved by the school system, the center said.

Dive Insight:

Almost 60% of special education teachers reported using AI to create an IEP or Section 504 plan during the 2024-25 school year. This is an 18 percentage point increase compared to the previous year, according to the CDT poll.

According to the poll, 64% of parents of students with IEPs or Section 504 plans and 63% of students with either plan say this use of AI is a good idea.

Additionally, approximately one-third of special educators said they used AI to perform specific tasks during the 2024-25 school year, including:

• Help identify trends in student progress and determine patterns in goal setting.
• Summarize the contents of your IEP and 504 plan.
• Select specific accommodations when creating your IEP or 504 plan.

Fewer special educators said they used AI to create only the instructional portion of an IEP or 504 plan (21%) or to fully create either plan (15%).

According to CDT, the main benefit for special educators using AI was time savings. The center cited research showing that teachers who use AI tools weekly can save up to six weeks over the entire school year.

This is a significant time saver considering some school systems are reporting. Serious shortage of special educators According to CDT, it’s a case of burnout.

“Teachers and administrators are interested in tools that can save even a little bit of time per IEP, including tools that use AI,” the paper said.

However, with that possibility comes certain risks, particularly legal and privacy responsibilities, CDT said.

For example, IDEA requires that each IEP be unique and tailored to each student’s disability, goals, and process for achieving those goals. The CDT paper states that AI tools that develop IEPs with little student-specific information and without significant teacher review and editing will likely not meet these IDEA requirements.

Educators and school systems should also be aware of the Privacy Rule under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, IDEA, and other state-level privacy policies when using AI tools, CDT said. The center said student information included in queries to chatbots is likely to be collected and stored by chatbot companies.

Privacy risks and potential violations of FERPA depend on factors such as the version of the chatbot being used and whether the school or district has a contract with a vendor that licenses proprietary tools with enhanced privacy protections.

To support special educators as AI becomes more integrated into the field, CDT recommends that school and district administrators provide guidance and training on how to use AI responsibly and ethically to develop IEPs, including how to comply with legal requirements. The center also suggests that school and district administrators establish communities of practice to help teachers discuss best practices when using AI to develop IEPs.

In addition, schools should discuss how AI can be incorporated into the IEP development process with parents and students and allow them to share their concerns and suggestions, the center said.

For this study, CDT surveyed 275 licensed special education teachers, 394 students with IEPs or 504 plans, and 336 parents of children with IEPs or 504 plans. CDT’s online survey of a nationally representative sample included 1,030 students in grades 9-12, 806 teachers in grades 6-12, and 1,018 parents of students in grades 6-12 and was conducted between June and August 2025.