MSAD 51 presents administrative guidelines for generative AI; committee recommends staff and student boundaries, pilot platforms and professional development

MSAD 51 board members heard a presentation May 22 on draft administrative procedures for generative artificial intelligence and the district's plan to roll out training, classroom guidance and pilot platforms.

The procedures, developed this year using a draft from the legal firm Drummond & Woodson as a starting point, are administrative guidelines rather than formal board policy, Mari told the board. They outline expectations for staff and student use: AI should enhance, not replace, lesson planning or learning; users must respect copyright and data-privacy agreements; staff must protect confidential information and model ethical use; students must obtain teacher permission for generative AI on assignments, cite AI sources and be taught to critically evaluate AI outputs.

Why it matters: The district said it wants flexible rules that can change quickly as tools evolve while creating consistent classroom practices. Board members and students urged caution about punitive uses of AI-detection software and asked for clear, school-by-school professional development so teachers and students know how to use — and when not to use — generative…