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Rye City School District outlines K–12 AI guidelines and pilot tools; plans strategic rollout and parent sessions
Summary
District technology and instructional staff presented AI guidelines developed by a 25-stakeholder committee, described approved tools (Magic School and Diffit) for teacher and student use, and outlined K–12 lesson trajectories, professional learning, and next steps including a parent university and an AI institute.
District staff on April 8 presented an overview of Rye City School District’s artificial intelligence guidelines, the classroom tools the district has approved for pilot use, and a planned K–12 rollout of lessons and professional learning.
The presentation said a technology committee of roughly 25 stakeholders — teachers, administrators, parents and staff — developed AI guidelines focused on leadership and vision, professional learning, data privacy/state mandates, alignment with existing policies (code of conduct and acceptable use), and an iterative review process. Staff said the guidelines are intended as a living document and will be revisited annually by the technology committee.
District presenters described two vendor platforms the district has approved for use: Magic School (a district-managed platform that uses ChatGPT on the back end but provides district controls and a teacher-configured “room” environment) and Diffit (teacher-facing tool to modify and level text, translate and generate Google Slides/Docs/Forms). Staff said Magic School has both teacher-facing and student-facing features, including a teacher dashboard that logs student interactions and lets teachers set which AI tools students can access per assignment. Diffit was described as currently used as a teacher-facing tool for text leveling, translation and rapid material generation.
Staff provided classroom examples: using secure tools to upload benchmark reports (referred to in discussion as NWA) to support small-group formation and targeted instruction; using AI to help draft and refine rubrics; using scaffolded outputs and translation to support emerging multilingual learners; and teaching students how to prompt tools effectively so they act as thought partners rather than replacements for student work.
Professional learning: the district described a multi-pronged professional-learning effort that began in fall 2023 and included book studies, workshops, coaching cycles, conference-day sessions, embedded training in faculty meetings and curriculum Mondays, quarterly newsletters, and weekly tech-tip emails. District leaders said roughly 40 teachers signed up for a two-day AI institute on June 30–July 1 (with a wait list of about 13–15), and that the district has scheduled a parent-university session and an AI-focused senior panel before the end of the year.
Data privacy and control measures: staff said Magic School was vetted through district privacy review (referenced as Ed Law 2-d compliance checks) and that teachers can limit tools available to students by assignment and grade level. Staff said ChatGPT is blocked on school accounts, and district accounts access Magic School through single sign-on; Diffit is teacher-only and not available to students.
Board members and attendees asked about student access at home, safeguards to prevent misuse, strategies for bringing newly hired teachers up to speed, and measures for ensuring students use AI as an enhancement rather than a substitute. Staff said guidance for acceptable/integrated uses will be added to student handbooks, syllabi and the code of conduct, and that the district will ask teachers to be explicit about per-assignment permissions for AI.
No formal board action was taken; the presentation and discussion set direction for continued professional learning, an AI strategic plan and parent engagement.
