Board authorizes superintendent to write AI administrative guidelines; keeps policy broad

The Richmond Community Schools Board of Trustees on Tuesday agreed to keep a brief policy statement on artificial intelligence and to authorize the superintendent to develop administrative guidelines that would govern classroom and staff use.

Board members and staff described AI as a rapidly changing technology best handled through flexible administrative guidance rather than a detailed, prescriptive board policy. "By the time you approve any kind of policy, it's gonna be late," one board member said, summarizing a recurring concern that formal policy could become obsolete as tools evolve.

Multiple presenters from the district's technology and blended-learning teams described pilot projects and district-licensed tools, noting a preference for managed education platforms. A staff presenter said the district uses a subscription-based, education-focused tool (referred to in the discussion as "Magischool") and recommended limiting student access to district-approved AI tools in order to protect student data and ensure consistent training for teachers.

Public commenter Jason Blanc, who identified himself as a community member and parent, urged the board to include a formal definition of AI (for example, a Department of Education definition) and to remove student-discipline language from the board policy rather than trying to write consequences into a high-level policy.

Trustees directed staff to retain a short, high-level policy statement, add a sentence authorizing the superintendent to create and publish administrative guidelines, and delete the policy text that would have attempted to set specific disciplinary penalties. District staff said the administrative guidelines will be formatted to match other internal guidance and are expected to be available to the public via BoardDocs within roughly a month; the guidelines will be reviewed by the administration's cabinet before posting.