As the number of special education complaints increases, some experts in the field and educators are wondering if artificial intelligence is playing a role in helping more families express their dissatisfaction with the services provided by their child’s school.
Though the evidence is more anecdotal than empirical, this concern has led one technical assistance center to issue guides on ethical and practical ways AI can help parents advocate for their children with disabilities.
In July, the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) published a parents’ guide, available in multiple languages, for using AI in special education advocacy. CADRE is a technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).
State dispute resolution agencies said that not only have written state complaints and due process complaints increased, but AI has affected both the quality and complexity of those filings. In addition, a number of complaints contain hundreds of pages that have inaccurate interpretations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and may have due process filings with fabricated case law cited. Some reports also have inaccurate requirements for how to file complaints and what issues can be resolved under IDEA dispute resolution options.
CADRE’s guide emphasizes to parents that AI can make mistakes, has affirmation biases and won’t know a child’s specific circumstances. It also cautions that a child’s personal data is exposed if parents provide an AI tool with identifying information, unredacted documents or reports, or confidential case details.
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