At a U.S. Senate hearing on AI in schools, witnesses pressed for guardrails that preserve “human judgment” while acknowledging schools need training and standards for responsible AI use. Delaware Secretary of Education Cynthia Marten said policymakers should lead with shared responsibility, keep students at the center, and judge AI tools by learning outcomes rather than hype. The hearing also highlighted the federal policy gap: there is no comprehensive national framework guiding how schools should deploy AI. Some states and districts have moved ahead—at least seven states have enacted AI policies, and Delaware has an AI Assurance Lab that evaluates tools with teacher input on safety and learning improvement. The debate now centers on practical classroom risks including cheating and weakening critical thinking, alongside the opportunity for AI to expand access. For higher education educators and education researchers, the hearing signals how K-12 policy frameworks may influence teacher training, assessment norms, and future educational technology procurement.