New poll shows Mass. parents are split on AI in schools

Massachusetts parents are divided over the use of AI in K-12 education, according to a new poll released Wednesday. Roughly a third of respondents expressed a positive opinion, a third shared a negative view, and another third indicated mixed feelings or uncertainty.

The poll, conducted by education research firm EdTrust in conjunction with polling firm MassINC, surveyed 1,350 parents statewide last fall.

Nearly 60% of respondents said their children have used AI in schoolwork — with higher usage among older students. But parents are split on the effect of AI on kids’ learning: 48% said AI will have a positive impact, while 42% said it will have a negative effect.

“These findings make one thing unmistakably clear: families are wary about how quickly AI is entering classrooms,” Jennie Williamson, state director for EdTrust in Massachusetts, said in a statement. “Yes, AI can be a powerful resource that offers new opportunities, but it also introduces complex challenges and cannot replace the foundational skills that students need to think critically and solve problems on their own.”

The poll comes as a state task force is developing AI-related guidance for school districts. Launched in 2024, the AI task force is trying to help educators navigate AI-related issues like ethical use, access, data privacy and academic integrity.

Some polled parents interviewed by WBUR said AI is already an everyday part of their kids’ learning at home. Di Luo, who has a kindergartener and fifth grader at Chickering Elementary in Dover, said AI helps his daughter learn math. She also uses AI to practice her native Chinese language, he said.

He sees the benefits of AI tools on his kids’ learning journey and backs the use of it in schools with the right support.

“ Technology, like AI, is a double-edged sword for everyone, especially for kids,” Luo, who has a product management background, said. “We have to embrace it, not just escape or avoid.

“I think AI can be helpful but only if teachers provide proper guidance for the kids.”

Keiko Zoll has a seventh grader at Marblehead Community Charter Public School. She’s not sure if AI is used at his school, but said her son has started to use Claude — an AI assistant — on his own for a computer programming project related to a Minecraft campaign with his friends.

“ I think for him it's really developing his outside interests around computer programming and that kind of thing,” she said.

Zoll, who works as a communications consultant, said she wants schools to teach AI literacy so students are able to tell whether an image or text is AI-generated or not.

“Not so much media literacy, but maybe more as like AI detection. I think that's a really important skill that students should learn,” she said.

Some of the poll results varied depending on family background and demographics. A larger share of parents of multilingual kids (76%) said their children use AI for schoolwork compared to the percentage of parents overall (59%).

But how widespread the use of AI instruction is in classrooms is a mixed bag. About half of poll respondents said they don’t know whether teachers are using AI as part of their kids' education. Many parents are unclear or not aware of an AI policy in their district.

Some education advocates say districts who do implement AI tools need to be more transparent with families.

“As AI becomes more common in classrooms, families need clarity and confidence in how these tools are being used,” Jorge Fanjul, executive director of Latinos for Education in Massachusetts, said in a statement. “Clear expectations, strong guardrails, and consistent communication can help ensure AI is used responsibly and equitably so that all students benefit, not just a select few.”