Keeping Up with AI: Are Student Protections Falling Behind?

AI tools are quickly entering Rhode Island classrooms, from monitoring software to learning platforms, but the laws protecting students haven’t kept up. Attorney and RWU Law adjunct professor Linn Foster Freedman breaks down what FERPA, COPPA, and state-level policies cover. And what Rhode Island can learn from states like Texas and California as they roll out their own AI governance rules.

We explore:

• How schools can balance safety with privacy
• Why parents need to guide students in ethical tech
• What questions families and districts should ask before adopting new systems

Resources

Linn Foster Freedman

https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/linn-foster-freedman

FERPA

https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/ferpa

COPPA

https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa

CA’s AI Policy

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-sb-53-advancing-californias-world-leading-artificial-intelligence-industry/

TX’s AI Policy

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00149I.pdf

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