Latest news with #Kiplinger
Epoch Times
a day ago
- Business
- Epoch Times
What You Need to Know About the New Rules for Student Loans
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance Sweeping changes are coming to student loans, courtesy of a new federal education bill. Almost everyone with a federal loan for higher education will be affected—including the more than 9 million Americans older than age 50 with student loans—as well as families who will need to borrow in the future to cover college costs.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
8 Ethical Ways Teachers Can Use AI in Their Classrooms
Nearly three in five teachers — 60% — now report using AI in their daily practice, signaling that AI is no longer a futuristic concept but today's educational reality (Kiplinger). Schools and systems that ignore this shift risk being left behind. At the same time, rapid adoption has surfaced pressing concerns—about privacy, algorithmic bias, and whether AI will support or undermine the human-centered teaching that matters most. 8 Ethical Ways Teachers Can Use AI In Their Classrooms Here's a roadmap to integrate AI into classrooms ethically, effectively and inclusively for: • Teachers and school leaders seeking high-impact, real-world strategies that preserve equity, foster agency, and strengthen relationships. • AI companies and developers aiming to create tools educators don't just use, but endorse, shape, and build with. AI can be a powerful assistant for teachers, says Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), helping with tasks like lesson planning, IEP writing, and personalizing materials—freeing more time for building relationships. But she warns the current school landscape is a 'Wild West' with minimal regulation, leaving student privacy, equity, and teaching integrity at risk. Her solution is proactive: AFT, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic launched the $23 million National Academy for AI Instruction to give 1.8 million educators free AI training—ensuring they have both the skills to use AI effectively and the leverage to shape how it's built. She stresses that AI's impact differs depending on whether it's teacher-facing (assisting educators behind the scenes) or student-facing (direct use with students), the latter requiring stricter guardrails. Weak policies can amplify bias, especially against marginalized populations. Weingarten cites AFT's Commonsense Guardrails for Using Advanced Technology in Schools and the AI Educator Brain webinar series on Share My Lesson as practical resources for both teachers and developers. Her advice: start with AI literacy—understanding where AI gets its data, how it works, and how to spot errors or bias. New users should begin with a few safe, teacher-only tools, try them even if hesitant, and move slowly; engaging students with AI 'requires more time and a deeper understanding.' Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner sees AI as the long-awaited key to truly individualized learning—something that, in the past, only the wealthy could access through private tutors. 'Now, thanks to AI, we can present materials in multiple ways, matched to the learner's interests and preferred modes of engagement… a perpetually evolving personalized tutor.' He cautions that such power must be used ethically, with all stakeholders—students, teachers, parents, and peers—agreeing on what constitutes proper use and avoiding what he calls 'pedagogical or student malpractice.' From a developmental standpoint, Gardner notes that AI's lack of true authority can confuse younger learners. Pre-teens often struggle to detect misinformation or nuance, so early use should be closely supervised. Older students can better handle complexity, debate, and contradictions. Ethics, he says, must be grounded in honesty, not surveillance: 'In a democracy, we rely on people's honesty rather than spying on them all the time and reporting what's been learned to Big Brother or Big Sister.' While he doubts the U.S. will lead on AI ethics in the near term, Gardner believes Europe may set the example. For getting started, he recommends practical thinkers such as Ethan Mollick (Co-Intelligence), Stephen Kosslyn (Minerva University), and Yuval Harari—and, above all, regular colleague conversations to exchange resources, examples, and lessons learned. Looking ahead, he predicts schooling will become more like children's museums or hobby clubs—hands-on and exploratory (see his blog post). Practical, high-impact uses include: • Lesson planning and differentiated instruction. • Individualized Education Program (IEP) drafting and report writing. • Accessibility support for diverse learners. • Generating multiple representations of a concept to match different learning styles. Gardner sees AI as a 'perpetually evolving personalized tutor' that adapts to each student's interests and needs—something historically reserved for those who could afford private tutors. For Weingarten, the key is to make AI a time-giver for teachers, freeing them to focus on relationships and in-person learning. Franklin School in Jersey City, NJ, shows what happens when the conversation shifts from if to how. Director of Innovation Jaymes Dec describes the approach as moving students 'from being passive consumers of technology to active designers and problem-solvers.' Projects are embedded into existing courses, supported by teacher training, and energized by partnerships with technologists and parents. Students have created accessibility tools and custom chatbots that act as college counselors, book recommenders, and homework helpers. Franklin's custom AI agent, Sparkz—built with Animated Intelligences—can be tailored to any topic or project. Internal classroom versions give students feedback on presentations before they deliver them, while public-facing versions, like those used during the school's global Sparkathon, act as 24/7 mentors offering targeted feedback on student pitches. Cross-disciplinary projects are common: in one, AI students coded chatbots to simulate Big Five personality traits designed by psychology classmates, then evaluated results against validated surveys. Head of School William Campbell emphasizes that the work builds technical skills and habits of mind—curiosity, resilience, systems thinking—alongside ethical reasoning and collaboration. Franklin serves as North America's lead node for the Fab Learning Academy, providing hands-on AI professional learning for teachers. The school has been named a Top 10 Finalist for the World's Best School Prize for Innovation. What others can try now: Start small with one AI project that solves a local need; co-design with students; and avoid unreliable AI-plagiarism detectors that erode trust. Free tools like Teachable Machine and beginner-friendly Python projects using OpenAI or Anthropic APIs can help teams prototype quickly and safely. Global education change expert Michael Fullan cautions against mistaking adoption for progress: 'AI provides the illusion of modernity. If it is not linked intimately with human purpose it will be inevitably superficial… a sure recipe for superficial learning.' He notes that AI's potential and risks are equally relevant in any setting—whether strengthening equity or widening gaps—depending on how it is used. He points to the Ottawa Catholic School Board—45 schools serving roughly 89,000 students—as a model sequence: • AI literacy (including ethics) • AI certification (practical skills for use) • Transformation at scale—embedding critical thinking for all, and rethinking assessment and evaluation For educators feeling overwhelmed, Fullan's advice is to start with pedagogy, not technology; prioritize ethics and equity; communicate a clear vision; invest in human capital; and foster a culture of experimentation and learning. Both Gardner and Weingarten warn against: Over-reliance on AI-generated content without human review. AI should always be checked for accuracy and appropriateness before use. Using AI to replace authentic teacher-student connection. Its role is to free up time for human relationships, not diminish equity—AI can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and compromise student privacy if not designed and monitored inclusively. Protecting marginalized populations and ensuring safe, ethical use must be central from the start. For AI companies, this means bias testing, inclusive design, and transparent sourcing are not optional—they are foundational to trust. Weingarten emphasizes starting with AI literacy for both teachers and students: how AI works and where its data comes from; how to spot errors or bias; and how to verify outputs with trusted sources. Her union's 'commonsense guardrails' guidance offers a framework schools and developers can adapt. Practical first steps: • Limit early AI use to teacher-facing tools. • Develop clear policies for student-facing AI before deployment. • Give teachers protected time to test and shape tools before rollout. She adds a note of patience: engaging students with AI 'requires more time and a deeper understanding.' Go slow to go far. Gardner believes AI will help transform schooling into more hands-on, exploratory learning communities. Weingarten's focus is ensuring that transformation is led by educators, not imposed on them. The message to both audiences is clear: • For teachers: AI can be a powerful ally if you take the lead in shaping how it's used. • For AI companies: Your best products will come from listening to, partnering with, and being guided by educators. One final thought—what we measure still shapes what we value. If AI can coach, adapt, and even create alongside students, how do we judge what's 'real' learning? Who decides what matters most when knowledge is no longer scarce? And what happens to grading, testing, and credentialing when the work in front of us may have been co-authored by a machine? Assessment expert Dylan Wiliam once warned: 'The most important assessment decisions are taken in rooms with no adults present.' In the age of AI, that room might include an algorithm—and the stakes for getting it right couldn't be higher.
Epoch Times
11-08-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Will Reshape 529 Plans
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance President Trump's tax package, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), was signed into law on July 4, with some provisions taking effect immediately. However, the exact timeline for 529 expansions may depend on guidance from the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Epoch Times
07-08-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
The Retirement Rule of $1 or More
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance People don't agree on much these days, except maybe this: a little extra money never hurts. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say they'd stop to pick up money off the ground.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Much the Average Middle-Class Retiree Receives in Benefits at Age 75
As much as it can be difficult to predict your financial life in retirement, taking a look at the average benefits by age may be a helpful guide. As of June 2025, the average Social Security monthly check for retired workers was $2,005.05, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Statistical Snapshot. Read Next: Check Out: But does that average change by age? Here's a closer look at benefits at age 75 and how to factor that into your retirement plan. Benefits at Age 75 According to Christopher Stroup, founder and president of Silicon Beach Financial, at age 75, the average Social Security benefit for a middle-class retiree is typically around $2,200 to $2,500 per month, or roughly $27,000 to $30,000 per year. That lines up with data from Kiplinger, which reported that the average monthly Social Security check for those aged 75 is just shy of $2,200. 'That may cover the basics, but it's rarely enough to sustain the kind of lifestyle many retirees hoped for,' Stroup said. 'Without additional income from retirement savings, real estate or investments, retirees often find themselves needing to cut back or draw down principal faster than expected.' Be Aware: The Importance of an Income Plan How can retirees age 75 and above create a sustainable and tax-efficient income plan? According to Stroup, a strong income strategy at this stage coordinates multiple sources of income, like Social Security, required minimum distributions, interest and other retirement accounts, in a way that minimizes tax drag. 'It's important to regularly assess spending, especially as healthcare costs rise and inflation affects fixed expenses,' Stroup said. 'Working with a financial advisor to adjust your withdrawal strategy and manage tax brackets can preserve wealth and reduce the risk of outliving your assets.' The Need for Good Budgeting Per Dennis Shirshikov, head of growth and engineering at Growth Limit and an adjunct finance professor at the City University of New York, a good rule of thumb is to budget for $25,000 to $30,000 per year from steady sources like Social Security and a defined-benefit pension and withdraw no more than 4% for everything else. 'A 'bucket strategy' can earmark guaranteed income to pay for necessities such as housing and healthcare, while drawing from a portfolio to finance travel and hobbies, which can reduce sequence-of-returns risk,' Shirshikov said. More From GOBankingRates 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years This article originally appeared on How Much the Average Middle-Class Retiree Receives in Benefits at Age 75 Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
