Onslow County Schools outlines controlled roll‑out of generative AI for high schools

Onslow County Schools technology staff presented a plan to expand the district’s use of generative artificial intelligence to high school classrooms while emphasizing teacher control and student training. The presentation took place at the Onslow County Board of Education meeting and summarized pilots using Magic School AI and Microsoft Copilot.

District technology staff framed generative AI as a tool to “augment and accelerate” teachers’ work and emphasized data privacy and human oversight. Jeff Pittman, a technology services staff member, told the board the district’s guiding principle is that "the human is the most important factor in that equation," and said tools would be configured so district data “stays within our tenant.”

Board members were shown survey results from teachers who used Magic School AI during the prior year; Pittman said feedback was “overwhelmingly positive” for uses such as lesson planning and differentiation. Pittman noted some wording confusion in survey questions but maintained the primary benefit was time returned to teachers for individualized instruction.

Two school leaders who ran local pilots described classroom outcomes. Felicia Shannon, a school leader who led a yearlong professional development cycle at her campus, credited combined staff training and campus leadership for improved state test outcomes and said, “When we would meet together ... every sixth grader made a passing converted score. Seventh grade, 92 percent. Eighth grade, 93 percent.” Shannon also said multiple supports — not just the AI tool — contributed to gains.

Mr. Stroke, a teacher who led a Microsoft Copilot pilot at the Onslow Early College, described course‑level uses (for example, generating study guides, checking math answers, creating practice materials for Science Olympiad) and said students learned to evaluate AI output rather than rely on it. He told the board some classroom checks found Copilot correct “about 50 percent” of the time and praised the opportunity to build student digital literacy.

District staff presented specific guardrails they plan to apply in 2025–26: Magic School for students will be made available only to high schools; teachers will retain granular control over whether and when students access the tool (per‑assignment, per‑group or individual); students will complete required training modules before access; the district discourages reliance on commercial AI detectors because research shows high false‑positive rates for students with disabilities and English‑learners; and staff will monitor use.

Pittman called the AI guidance a "living document" and said it is posted on the district website. He described the presentation as informational and not a formal action item from the board.

Board members asked clarifying questions and expressed cautious support for the careful, phased rollout and the emphasis on teacher control.