To the Editor:
The debate over AI in writing individualized education programs is pointed in the wrong direction (“Teachers Are Using AI to Help Write IEPs. Advocates Have Concerns,” Oct. 29, 2025). The threat to special education isn’t AI but an overwhelmed system with impossible caseloads, staffing shortages, and paperwork that pushes teachers out of the field entirely.
No one is restricting teachers from Googling, Pinterest, TPT, or crowdsourcing language, yet suddenly using AI to streamline repetitive drafting is portrayed as “concerning.” That’s backward.
Ohio is already moving toward AI governance, not bans, because structured, ethical use of AI frees teachers’ time for instruction, planning, problem-solving, and collaboration with families. That’s where human expertise belongs.
Used responsibly, AI strengthens compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, improves clarity, and can empower parents to better understand data and advocate for their children. It’s time we stop fearing AI and start leveraging it so special education can function.
Dawn Fleming-Kendall
Advocate & Former Public and Private Education Administrator
Thompson, Ohio
