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Teachers鈥� lived experiences are indispensable in shaping how technology is introduced in our schools. Yet too often, conversations about regulating artificial intelligence in education focus on infrastructure, cybersecurity or worst-case scenarios. While those concerns matter, they are incomplete without educators' perspectives on how students learn and where they struggle in their day-to-day classroom experiences.

Last year, I joined policymakers, researchers and fellow educators at New Mexico Highlands University as part of the Legislative Education Study Committee's working group on AI. That experience reminded me why these policy conversations matter. After integrating AI tools into my own classroom for nearly a year, I know how access to the right tools, or the lack thereof, can define a student鈥檚 future.

I teach students who are learning English as a second language. Last spring, one student froze when asked to write a career exploration presentation. While language was the first barrier, the real obstacle was access to information. Using an AI tool, I generated a short, sixth grade-level summary about careers in aviation, his dream field, to serve as a reference. His confidence changed immediately when he realized he could now complete the assignment, proudly, on his own terms.

Without support, a moment like that could have easily led him to abandon his dream before it even began. For many students, limited access to information, not ability or motivation, can quietly close doors long before their potential is realized. That story is one example of why teachers belong at the policy table. Industry leaders may build the tools, but educators see their impact unfold in real time. We understand where guardrails are needed and where flexibility inspires and encourages learning.

In New Mexico, that distinction matters. Our state continues to face some of the most persistent educational challenges in the country, ranking  nationally in reading and math proficiency, particularly for English learners and low-income students. At the same time, classrooms are increasingly asked to do more with less. Recently, the Office of Management and Budget withheld more than  in federal K-12 education funding for New Mexico, stretching already-thin resources even further.

In a single class period, I support more than 20 students, including English learners, students with Individualized Education Programs and advanced learners, each with different needs. AI has helped me generate differentiated assignments, translate passages and adapt materials in minutes rather than hours. The outcome of outsourcing these tasks is more time devoted to individual student support and engaging lessons, resulting in better outcomes for my classes. In a time when 5 low-income students achieve fourth-grade reading proficiency, every minute of personalized support can help change the trajectory of their education.

Responsible use of AI in my classroom came through experimentation, collaboration with colleagues and constant attention to student outcomes. Teachers are already on the front lines of AI literacy, yet policy discussions often treat us as passive end users rather than informed, experienced practitioners.

New Mexico has taken promising steps by convening educators through the Legislative Education Study Committee and partnering with institutions like Highlands. However, as lawmakers consider national guidelines or restrictions on AI, educators must be meaningfully involved in drafting, testing and refining those policies from the outset.

The students in my classroom are growing up in a world shaped by AI. Ensuring these tools are safe, equitable and culturally responsive is essential, but so is ensuring they are usable in real classrooms with real resource constraints.

Policy and practice don鈥檛 have to live in separate worlds. When educators, lawmakers and technologists work together, New Mexico can lead with an AI model that protects students while empowering teachers. If we want AI to serve kids like mine, especially in a state where resources are limited, we must start by trusting the professionals already doing the work.

Jaycie Homer is a sixth-grade teacher leader, career and technical education department head and technology mentor at Sixth Grade Academy in Lovington. She is a 2026 Teach Plus Leading Edge Fellow.