New Jersey is planning to use artificial intelligence to score student essays on statewide exams.

Adaptive testing can improve assessments. But when algorithms begin evaluating student writing on high-stakes tests, the conversation changes.

In New Jersey, tests such as the NJGPA can influence whether a student graduates. State test results can also factor into teacher evaluations.

So the question educators should be asking is simple.

Should an algorithm help determine whether a student earns a diploma?

In this special edition, I examine how automated essay scoring works, why multilingual students may be affected, and what questions educators should be asking before AI becomes part of statewide testing systems.