By Noa Emert.
The Classroom of the Future is Already Here
AI isn’t just a topic in computer class anymore—it’s becoming part of the classroom itself. On April 23, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 1477, “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth,” urging federal agencies to enhance AI literacy across K-12 and higher education. Accordingly, the Unbound Academy, an Arizona AI-powered charter school, opened enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year. Most importantly, this innovative school offers tuition-free education, making cutting-edge AI education accessible to all students, regardless of their background.
The academy’s typical school day is organized into two hours of core subject learning, consisting of twenty-five-minute blocks for reading, writing, math, and science. AI actively adjusts to a child’s learning plan in real time based on their performance in each subject. The student will spend the rest of the day in “life skills” workshops, focusing on topics of interest such as STEM, arts, and business. Human teachers drive student motivation and emotional support in this model, while AI systems handle most of the instruction.
While this model is efficient and affordable, this new type of schooling raises important legal and ethical questions. These questions include concerns about data privacy for students, inclusiveness for individuals with disabilities, and how schools can ensure that AI systems are fair and unbiased.
The Benefits of an AI-Powered Charter School
Using AI in education holds significant promise. It enables highly tailored learning experiences by adjusting lessons to each student’s individual pace and style. This approach helps struggling students to catch up and allows advanced students to progress beyond standard grade levels. AI also offers instant feedback, alleviates administrative tasks for teachers, and creates more classroom time for creative, hands-on activities that develop essential life and career skills. For families, Arizona’s tuition-free, AI-powered charter schools could improve equitable access to personalized, technology-driven learning.
This system complies with the educational framework established by the state of Arizona. Under A.R.S. § 15-901.08, Arizona expressly allows flexible instruction time models. Two-hour learning blocks may be sufficient because Arizona allows charter schools to meet annual instructional hour requirements through any combination of direct instruction, project-based learning, and independent learning. This approach remains valid as long as the total time meets the yearly minimums established by the Instructional Time Model.
Additionally, the United States allows AI in schools when appropriate safeguards are in place. In response to the president’s executive order, the United States Department of Education (ED) issued guidance and toolkits to promote responsible AI in K-12 education, emphasizing compliance with federal and state laws concerning privacy, civil rights, and accessibility, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The Risks of an AI-Powered Charter School
However, the new school raises significant data privacy and security concerns. The school’s AI system will use webcams to “capture emotional feedback” from students. Under FERPA, biometric records, including facial characteristics, are considered personal identifiers that require specific protections. New York has already prohibited facial recognition surveillance in K-12 schools, citing concerns about data security and discrimination. Stefanie Coyle, Deputy Director of the Education Policy Center at the New York Civil Liberties Union, emphasized ethical and practical concerns, stating, “[s]chools should be safe places to learn and grow, not spaces where they are constantly scanned and monitored, with their most sensitive information at risk.”
It is also important to remember that innovation must still function within the framework of federal special education law. In 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States clarified in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District that a Free Appropriate Public Education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) must be “reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress in light of the child’s circumstances.” The charter school’s mastery-based or time-restrictive model centers around only 25 minutes per subject and requires 100% “mastery” before proceeding. This model poses significant compliance risks. Although noted to be adaptable, any rigid structures may prevent a student with a disability from making progress, causing the school to fall short of the Endrew F. standard.
Another concern is educational equity because AI algorithms can perpetuate bias. Algorithmic bias occurs when data or the design of AI unintentionally favors certain individuals over others because the platform may learn from existing data that reflects historical inequalities related to race, gender, disability, or socioeconomic status. For example, the charter school’s system tracks engagement with learning activities. If it misinterprets student expressions with darker skin tones or neurological differences, the score might not be accurate. Algorithms may also misunderstand or underestimate ability based on biased patterns. The DE’s Office for Civil Rights has cautioned schools about the potential for bias in AI algorithms.
Best Practices in AI Education
As Arizona’s first AI-powered school prepares to open, innovation must align with federal guidance and student protection laws. The ED’s Office of Educational Technology provides valuable recommendations and a practical toolkit for schools utilizing AI. These guides emphasize continuous human oversight, transparent processes, and data protection.
In addition to these guides, K-12 schools implementing AI tools should include data governance plans focused on student information that ensure compliance with FERPA and other relevant privacy laws. Schools must also avoid webcam-based facial analytics that may violate student privacy or civil rights. Regular audits by school districts, AI vendors, and independent reviewers are essential to monitor automated learning systems for bias and to address inequities before they impact students.
Finally, educational leaders and administrators should ensure that accommodations are in place for students with disabilities, complying with the IDEA, ADA, and other applicable laws. They must also ensure that instruction meets the Endrew F. standard by allowing flexibility and extended time for core learning.
AI guidance can support and empower human learning. By following these best practices, Arizona’s tuition-free charter school has the chance to lead the nation in a new era of responsible, inclusive, and transformative education.
Noa Emert is a second-year law student at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, transitioning from a career as a registered dietitian. She is interested in leveraging her healthcare background to pursue opportunities in health law and has also developed a strong interest in intellectual property. Originally from Long Island, New York, she moved to Arizona four years ago and enjoys hiking and other outdoor activities when the weather allows.