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Division moves to implement state AI guidance and updates student handbook to cover AI, safety and discipline
Summary
District staff outlined steps to implement Governor's Executive Order 30 on artificial intelligence and proposed student handbook revisions addressing AI, plagiarism, bullying, health/clinic staffing and disciplinary codes; some discipline levels were increased to align with state model policies.
York County School Division staff reported on May 12 that they are developing local guidance to implement Executive Order 30 on artificial intelligence and presented a set of proposed student handbook and code of conduct revisions for 2025–26 that incorporate AI, clarify health and safety procedures, and align disciplinary levels with Virginia Department of Education model policies.
Assistant Superintendent Doctor Carroll summarized the division’s work on Executive Order 30 and said the division has established five guiding principles — safety and security, ethical use, instructional innovation, communication and collaboration, and accessibility — to shape AI policy and practice. Carroll said the division participated in a regional Virginia Gen AI training and is developing a teacher handbook, an AI software approval process and professional development for staff. “We will make sure that everybody has equitable access, has the same resources and training available to them,” Carroll said.
Separately, Director Doctor Aaron Butler presented proposed 2025–26 student handbook and code-of-conduct revisions that the division says are intended to align with state and federal law and current practices. Butler said changes include small fee increases (for instrument rental and activity participation), reinstating bus-stop timing and walk-distance language, and updates to curriculum references. Several health and safety clarifications were added: school clinics are staffed by registered nurses (rather than licensed practical nurses), and child abuse reporting language was corrected to reflect that child protective services — not school staff — conducts investigations.
On academic integrity and AI: Butler said the handbook now explicitly addresses artificially generated content in its plagiarism and scholastic-dishonesty sections, aligning with Executive Order 30. The handbook also clarifies that AI-generated material may constitute cyberbullying if it meets the definition.
On disciplinary codes: Butler said the student code review increased the severity of several offense codes (for example, certain unauthorized-device offenses were raised to Level 3, permitting up to 10 days' short-term suspension) after review by the student code of conduct committee and to align with state model policies. He also said staff added language to parallel federal FERPA requirements for video surveillance and added required language on behavioral threat assessment teams per Virginia code.
Why it matters: Updating the handbook to address artificial intelligence and to align disciplinary levels with state model policies sets local expectations for student conduct and clarifies procedures for safety, health clinics and reporting. The proposals will appear on the consent agenda for the regular meeting for formal board action.
Ending: Butler said proposed handbook revisions will be presented for board approval in the regular meeting; Carroll and Butler told the board staff will continue developing AI guidance, a software approval process and teacher training in the coming year.
