Illinois Bans AI Use in Teacher Evaluations Starting 2027

Illinois Enacts First-in-Nation Ban on AI Teacher Evaluations

Illinois will prohibit the use of artificial intelligence in teacher performance reviews under a new law that takes effect January 1, 2027. The legislation establishes clear boundaries for AI deployment in education workforce management, requiring human judgment rather than algorithmic assessment.

Senate Bill 2909 passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly without opposition and was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on Friday. The measure restricts AI use from both sides of the evaluation process: administrators cannot use AI systems to assign numerical scores or qualitative ratings for any component of a teacher's evaluation, and teachers themselves are barred from using AI to generate their portions of the assessment documents.

Why It Matters

This legislation addresses growing concerns about algorithmic bias and transparency in high-stakes employment decisions. As AI tools become more prevalent in human resources and performance management, Illinois is establishing a precedent that some professional evaluations require direct human observation and judgment. The law protects educators from opaque algorithmic scoring while maintaining accountability through traditional evaluation methods.

Broader AI Regulation Framework

The teacher evaluation ban represents one piece of Illinois's comprehensive approach to AI governance. State Senator Christopher Belt, who sponsored the legislation, emphasized the importance of human judgment in assessing classroom performance. "I believe that our teachers should be judged based on actual observations and professional judgement, not by AI software," Belt said in a statement. "Our educators deserve a transparent and fair evaluation process that demonstrates their actual work in the classroom and protects their privacy."

During the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers advanced multiple AI-related bills. The state also enacted the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, which establishes disclosure requirements for AI companies including OpenAI and Anthropic. That legislation mandates public reporting of safety practices and incident disclosure.

Illinois will become the first state to require third-party audits of AI systems under the safety measures framework. Governor Pritzker signed that bill into law earlier this month, also on a bipartisan basis.

Implementation Timeline

The nearly two-year implementation window before the teacher evaluation ban takes effect in 2027 gives school districts time to review and modify their assessment procedures. Districts currently experimenting with AI-assisted evaluation tools will need to develop alternative approaches that rely on direct human observation and professional judgment.

The unanimous passage in both legislative chambers suggests broad political consensus that teacher evaluations require human expertise rather than algorithmic mediation, even as AI tools proliferate in other administrative functions.

These details were first reported by NBC Chicago.