Schools across the state of Missouri are turning to artificial intelligence to help teachers in the way they teach and providing a new avenue for students to learn.
Educators in all levels of education are beginning to tinker with these new tools in the way the teach while also trying to find a balance without losing that human connection with students.
From elementary school classrooms across the state to statewide policy guidance, higher ups in education across the state say the goal is not to replace teachers but to support them and prepare students for a future that is embracing technology and evolving together.
At Gateway Science Academy in south St. Louis, Jessica Mayberry, a middle school teacher, said AI is helping with lesson planning and taking the burden of some of the daily workload teachers face.
“AI helped me think of options I didn’t think of,” Mayberry said. “I think teachers will find more joy in teaching by getting rid of some of those tasks.”
The charter school is rolling out a two-year plan using an AI platform called MagicSchool. During the first year, teachers are piloting several applications focused on lesson planning, assessments and differentiated instruction. The second year will expand access to students to support personalized learning and goal setting.
School leaders say the emphasis remains on responsible use. Gateway’s director of teaching and learning, Dr. Brian Schick, said educators must approach the technology carefully.
“AI is like every other piece of technology we’ve encountered,” Schick said. “Great resource, great opportunity, but a lot to consider when using it responsibly and safely.”
Several other school districts in the St. Louis metro area has also begun their own round of testing AI and what it can do.
At Sperreng Middle School in the Lindbergh School District, seventh-grade math and science teacher Matt Carmody uses a chatbot powered by AI to help students understand math.
Instead of opening textbooks, students scan a QR code and begin interacting with a teacher-controlled chatbot that answers questions and provides explanations.
“If there’s something you don’t know, you can ask it,” Carmody told his class. “If you struggled with last night’s worksheet, see if it could help you out.”
Officials in the district say introducing students to artificial intelligence early is essential as the technology becomes more common in everyday life when students grow older.
“It’s our responsibility to teach them how to use this ethically and responsibly,” said Colin Davitt, Lindbergh’s director of artificial intelligence and blended learning.
Several districts are moving slowly as they test the technology and ease their way in. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provided guidance to school districts in the summer of 2025 that allows each school district to have and enforce their own AI policy instead of forcing one rule across the entire state which has led many school districts to move slower and with caution compared to others.
The Lindbergh school district in St. Louis has welcomed AI by approving training tools for teachers and students while colleges in Missouri are having professors state when AI will be used in class and how students are to use it with most saying that if AI is detected could result in academic dishonesty.
Michelle Dirksen, the director of technology for the Hancock Place School District, said the goal is not to replace teachers but to enhance what they already do.
“We’re trying at every age level to show teachers, one way or another, that they could use AI, not to replace their job, but to enhance what they’re already doing in the classroom and help with creativity,” Dirksen said.
The state also emphasizes that students should learn digital literacy and critical thinking skills so they can use AI responsibly as it is introduced gradually for professional and academic development.
While there are many district officials giving the green light on AI some are still remaining skeptical.
Some school leaders worry about cheating, misinformation and over-reliance on technology. Surveys cited by education officials show most teachers and students already are using AI in some form, which has increased the pressure on schools to develop clear rules.
Eric Curts, a former middle school math teacher turned technology consultant for many school districts, said the rapid pace of change can be unsettling for some educators.
“We’ve always had technology in the classroom, in one form or another,” Curts said. “We just have never had technology this powerful. I get it, that can be a little scary.”
As testing continues across the state, finding a balance will be the key in seeing the benefits that AI can offer not just for teachers but also for the students themselves.
