Australia’s private schools are calling on the Federal Government to launch a national, sector-blind pilot program on Artificial Intelligence in schools amid fears the technology may be widening existing learning gaps in the nation’s classrooms.
Independent Schools Australia (ISA) warns that while Australia has strong foundations, the absence of coordinated national direction risks widening divides and squandering a major opportunity to improve student learning.
The call coincides with the release of a new Independent Insights paper by ISA examining how schools across Australia are integrating generative AI into teaching and learning, the benefits already emerging, and the risks if adoption continues without a shared framework.
ISA CEO Graham Catt said the paper showed Australia is neither a laggard nor yet a leader, but is now at a critical point where policy choices will determine whether AI becomes a tool for equity or inequality.
“There are already excellent examples of AI being used to support equity, inclusion and student wellbeing,” Catt said in a statement published by ISA this week. “But without a shared national direction, those successes remain isolated rather than becoming part of a system-wide lift for students across all sectors.”
The ISA paper argues that to realise the full potential of AI in education, policymakers must champion a shared national direction, invest in sustained, high-quality professional learning, and embed equity as a guiding principle so no student is left behind because of postcode, background or learning context.
The insight highlights case studies where AI is helping bring learning to life for students who have traditionally missed out.
At Nyangatjatjara College, a remote Anangu school in Central Australia, students and Elders are using AI alongside on-Country learning. Cultural sites and experiences are filmed and transformed into immersive digital resources, strengthening language, culture and connection to Country, while also improving accessibility for students with disability.
“This is a powerful example of how AI can strengthen culture, engagement and inclusion, but without a deliberate effort to pilot and scale approaches like this, they remain pockets of excellence rather than shared solutions,” Catt said.
The paper also highlights the use of AI to support students with complex needs and reduce teacher workload. At St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls in Perth, AI-powered dashboards give teachers a holistic view of each student, combining academic, wellbeing and attendance data to personalise support and identify learning gaps earlier.
“These kinds of tools have enormous potential,” Catt said. “A national pilot would allow us to test how they can be implemented safely and responsibly across all school sectors.”
Alongside these opportunities, the insight warns that without coordinated action there are real risks, including over-reliance on AI that weakens critical thinking, privacy and data-security concerns, bias in AI systems, and a growing digital divide between schools.
“If we don’t act deliberately now, we risk creating a two-speed system,” Catt said. “Some schools will surge ahead, while others struggle to keep up.”
The paper also cautions against cognitive off-loading, where students rely on AI to do the thinking for them unless assessment and teaching practice evolve.
“AI should support learning, not shortcut it,” Catt said.
ISA says a national pilot should centre on scaling equity-focused AI initiatives that are already proving effective in schools, supported by safe, education-ready tools with strong privacy protections.
Additional areas the pilot should prioritise, says ISA, are teacher-led professional learning, whole-school implementation rather than isolated trials, a clear focus on regional and under-resourced communities, and robust evidence-building to inform future policy and funding decisions.
“Done properly, a national pilot would reduce risk, build capability and give Australia the chance to lead rather than follow,” Catt said.
The original version of the above article was first published as a media release by Independent Schools Australia (ISA).