District leaders report on national technology conference; AI training and E-rate savings highlighted

Lenoir City Schools leaders said district representatives attended the COSN (Consortium for School Networking) conference in Seattle and returned with resources on artificial intelligence, digital strategy and instructional technology.

Board members noted that the district has an AI policy in place and that staff training on the policy will be completed in April for the relevant staff. District representatives said only about 31% of U.S. districts had developed and passed an AI policy as of February 2025, and that Lenoir City’s work places it ahead of many districts.

Technology and instructional staff described multiple practical uses of AI in schools, including classroom tutoring tools, development of proprietary GPT-style bots for instructional support, and real-time translation tools. Beth Lockhart, identified in the meeting as East Tennessee Educational Technology Association regional president, said the AI trend is pervasive: "This AI stuff is not going away," and the district should prepare students for evolving classroom tools.

District staff also reminded the board about the district’s E-rate funding: a federal program that subsidizes internet costs. The board was told E-rate covers around 80% of the district’s internet costs, saving the district roughly $400,000 annually. Officials said the technology department will present budget recommendations tied to technology priorities during upcoming budget discussions.

Staff said they will bring back ethical guidance materials and suggested a future briefing for board leadership on AI-related ethical dilemmas and implementation options. The technology department also referenced recent partnerships and conversations with large districts and national organizations that informed their recommendations.