NCTE Releases Working Framework on AI in ELA
The National Council of Teachers of English has published a working framework on artificial intelligence in English language arts education and is seeking educator feedback.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Language Learning
Live Poll
Should your child's school teach students how to use AI tools responsibly?
The National Council of Teachers of English published a working framework on AI in English language arts education, supported by a national grant from Google.org. The framework centers on student voice and agency, critical AI literacy, and academic integrity.
Why it matters
The framework gives English language arts teachers across the United States a structured starting point for deciding how AI tools fit into reading, writing and classroom practice. NCTE is inviting educators to review the document and provide feedback before an updated version is released to the field.
The working framework was conceived by three dozen ELA thought leaders in February 2026 and is now being applied by 60 classroom teachers across 12 cohorts. An updated version will be released after the 2026 guidance development is complete.
The players
National Council of Teachers of English
The NCTE is a national professional organization supporting English and language arts teachers at all levels.
Tom Stephens
Stephens is a Mount Vernon High School teacher with over twenty years of experience in Iowa public schools who has directed fifty theatrical productions and was inducted into the Iowa Thespian Hall of Fame in 2023.
The details
NCTE built the framework around three elements: student voice and agency, critical AI literacy, and academic integrity. Cohorts were chosen through a competitive application process, and each is facilitated by an NCTE member with expertise in teaching and learning with AI.
Timeline
February 2026: Framework conceived at an NCTE weekend in Los Angeles.
Throughout 2026: Classroom teacher cohorts develop guidance and resources.
Saturday, Nov. 21: Mount Vernon High School teacher Tom Stephens participates in a panel and roundtable.
December: Cohort work continues and resources are shared.
Language Learning Landscape
The framework extends NCTE's long-standing role as the national professional body for English language arts teaching into the question of how AI tools fit into reading and writing instruction. Its three-part structure places student agency and academic integrity alongside AI literacy rather than treating the technology as a standalone subject.
Educators can review the working framework and submit feedback directly to NCTE. Teachers working in English language arts classrooms may draw on the framework and the cohort resources as they decide how to handle AI tools in their own lessons.
The takeaway
Teachers who want to shape the guidance can review the NCTE working framework and send feedback before the updated version is released. Watching for the cohort resources expected in December may also help educators plan how to use AI in their own English classes.
What happens next
Cohort work continues through December, and resources developed by the classroom teacher cohorts will be shared at that time. An updated version of the framework will be released to the field after 2026 guidance development.
Further reading
Explore more on Language Learning to see how classroom approaches to teaching English are changing.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.
Live Poll
Should your child's school teach students how to use AI tools responsibly?
