Purpose
The [DISTRICT] (hereinafter, “District”) is committed to providing students with the most innovative and effective educational experiences to foster high levels of learning and opportunities for self-expression. As schools prepare students for a future that demands adaptability, critical thinking, and increased digital literacy, the District recognizes the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and other related technologies.
This policy establishes guidelines for the ethical, equitable, and effective integration of artificial intelligence technologies in district schools to enhance both administrative functions and teaching and learning for all students and educators.
Guiding Principles
The use of AI in the District will ensure:
- Students and educators remain at the center of education;
- Evidence-based AI technology enhances the educational experience;
- The ethical development and use of AI technology and strong data protection practices;
- Equitable access to and use of AI tools; and
- Ongoing education with and about AI for all students and educators.
Definitions
ALGORITHMIC BIAS: “Systematic, unwanted unfairness in how a computer detects patterns or automates decisions,” often based on characteristics and identities such as age, class, culture, disability status, ethnicity, gender, location, nationality, political affiliation, race, religious background and practices, and/or sexuality.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI): Machine-based systems designed around human-defined objectives to perform tasks that would otherwise require human or animal intelligence.
AI LITERACY: Understanding what it means to learn with and about AI while gaining specific knowledge about how artificial intelligence works, the skills necessary to master AI tools, and how to critically navigate the benefits and risks of this technology.
DATA GOVERNANCE: A set of practices that ensures data assets are formally managed throughout a system/enterprise and that defines the roles, responsibilities, and processes for ensuring accountability for and ownership of data assets.
EDUCATORS: People employed by an institution dedicated to pre-K–12 or higher education.
GENERATIVE AI: Artificial intelligence tools that generate text, images, videos, or other content based on existing data patterns and structures.
TRANSPARENCY: Open disclosure of how AI systems work, including how they reach decisions and the data used to do so.
Equitable Access
The District shall ensure all students and staff have equitable access to AI tools, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, disability status, socioeconomic status, geographic location, or displacement status. The District shall provide assistive AI technologies to support diverse learning needs, including accommodations for students with disabilities according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Algorithmic Bias and Fairness
AI tools and systems utilized in the District shall undergo regular audits to identify and mitigate biases. Oversight committees, inclusive of educators, shall be established to review AI implementation efforts for unintended biases and to ensure alignment with district equity goals.
Student and Educator Data Privacy
The District shall adhere to all federal and state laws regarding student and staff data privacy. Only vendors with thorough data protection practices should be used for any purchases within the District. The District must inform educators, parents, and students of what and how AI tools are used in schools. Data collected through AI shall be subject to protocols providing transparency about the types of data collected and how the data is stored, utilized, and protected.
Vendor and Tool Selection
The District shall require all vendors of AI tools and resources to meet district standards for transparency, equity, and ethical decision-making. AI tools and resources shall only be adopted once there is data supporting a tool’s appropriateness and efficacy with potential users and, for instruction-focused AI, its alignment with high-quality teaching and learning standards and practices. If research is unavailable, AI tools shall be adopted on a pilot or trial basis if the evidence is being collected and analyzed in a timely manner, with an agreement in place to cease the use of the technology if the results of the research do not show the intended benefits. AI tools and resources that are made in collaboration with educators should be prioritized.
Professional Learning Opportunities
The District shall provide to educators high-quality, multifaceted, ongoing professional learning opportunities that help increase their AI literacy and understand what, how, and why specific AI is being used in their educational settings. Learning opportunities must be provided to educators in all positions and at all career stages. Special attention should be paid to how to use AI appropriately for all learners, including early learners, students with disabilities, and emergent multilingual learners. Learning opportunities shall assist educators in researching and assessing available evidence about effective AI uses in education; understand AI bias and know strategies for reporting and mitigating the harmful impacts of AI bias; and understand the ethical and data privacy hazards associated with AI.
AI Literacy and Curriculum Integration
The District shall take steps to ensure all students and educators become fully AI literate and develop a sense of agency with these technologies. Curricular changes should be made to incorporate AI literacy across all subject areas and education levels so that all students understand the benefits, risks, and effective uses of these tools.
Continuous Improvement
The District shall establish an AI oversight committee to monitor AI use, address interest holder concerns, and recommend improvements. The District shall conduct, at minimum, an annual evaluation of AI tools and practices to ensure they meet district goals. The District shall regularly engage educators, students, families, and local associations through workshops, surveys, and forums to gather input on AI use in schools.
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