HEARING RECAP: Owens Questions Experts on Innovation in  K-12 Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Education and the Workforce Committee Vice Chair Burgess Owens (R-UT) participated in a Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education hearing titled “From Chalkboards to Chatbots: The Impact of AI on K-12 Education.”

Click here or above to watch.

Owens welcomed a bipartisan discussion on the opportunities and risks of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools in America’s K-12 classrooms. He stressed the importance of approaching AI as a tool to augment—not replace—educators and called for locally driven innovation grounded in transparency, research, and parental engagement.

Owens: “We want our children and our education system to lead the world. That only happens if we adapt to new technology in a way that keeps humans—parents, teachers, and students—at the center.” 

Owens questioned Dr. Sid Dobrin, Chair of the Department of English at the University of Florida, on how AI tools affect student learning and cognitive development.

Owens: “One tricky aspect of AI adoption in schools is assessing the cognitive impact. You mentioned that further research is needed to understand how AI-generated content and automated problem-solving might affect students’ ability to think critically. What does the current research base show, and what kind of studies would be most helpful?”

Dr. Dobrin: “We have some data that suggests AI tools can improve problem-solving and critical thinking skills, but we also see instances where students let the technology do the work for them.”

“The key issue is that ‘AI’ covers a wide range of tools. We need to demystify how these technologies work and focus on their role in augmentation, not automation. The human must remain in the loop. Long-term research is needed to understand how human expertise and AI can effectively coexist in learning environments.”

Owens then turned to Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, CEO of the ILO Group, to discuss how states and districts can responsibly integrate AI into education systems. 

Owens: “You highlighted the importance of state autonomy in implementing AI literacy and tools in classrooms. As AI adoption grows across school systems, how can we ensure that all states develop the necessary frameworks and support structures for safe and effective integration?”

Dr. Rafal-Baer: “At ILO Group, we’ve worked with 40 districts and states to create practical frameworks for AI integration—one for state agencies and another for district superintendents. Our approach begins with deep stakeholder engagement, followed by ethical guardrails, and then tailored implementation.”

“Too often, states rush to publish generic guidance that doesn’t reach parents or reflect local concerns. The key is starting with listening—then building guidance that communities trust.”

Owens closed by reaffirming his support for locally led innovation in K-12 education and rejecting top-down federal mandates.

Owens: “That ship has sailed when it comes to D.C. micromanagement. Going forward, we need to ensure that those driving AI integration are the ones closest to the students—not bureaucrats, but parents, teachers, and trusted community leaders.”

The full hearing is available to watch here.

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