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Polk school board advances draft AI and academic-honesty policies, staff to develop procedures
Summary
The Polk County School Board reviewed three new policies — on students receiving scholarships and two aimed at governing artificial intelligence use — and directed staff to draft procedures and a code-of-conduct update before public hearings in April.
The Polk County School Board on Feb. 25 reviewed three proposed policies, including two intended to set district rules for artificial intelligence tools and one addressing students who receive state scholarships.
The board heard a presentation from Teresa Griffin, assistant director for policy and public records, and Chad Davis, general counsel to the superintendent, on the draft policies. "These are just the policies that give us the authority to offer AI, the use of AI," Griffin said, describing the board-level language that will be followed by administrative procedures.
Superintendent Fred Hyde told board members the policies set expectations while staff will develop the operational details. Hyde said the student conduct side will be handled through the student code of conduct: "This would become a code of conduct infraction so we would cover it there rather than trying to embed it here within the board's policy," he said. Hyde added that procedures will specify what students and staff can do with AI and what disciplinary steps, if any, would follow misuse.
Board members generally supported giving the superintendent flexibility to create procedures, but several urged clearer, less punitive language in parts of the draft. Board member Doctor Allen said the academic-honesty policy appears "too punitive" in its opening language, arguing that the district should both set clear expectations and preserve classroom flexibility. Other board members, including Mr. Sharpless and Miss White, said they favored a structure that empowers teachers and uses the policy to provide clear boundaries for misuse.
The board discussed next steps and timing. Hyde said the district will not launch AI tools this academic year and that staff will produce procedures and a related update to the student code of conduct over the summer. He also said staff will coordinate with technology and safety partners — including the sheriff's AI/cybersecurity task force — as procedures are drafted.
Hyde said he expects the district to advertise the policies for a public hearing in April, because the legally required notice period prevents the board from completing the advertisement in time for the March meeting.
Why it matters: school systems across Florida and nationally are drafting rules to balance classroom uses of AI with academic integrity and student safety. The Polk drafts attempt to establish a board-level standard while leaving technical enforcement to administrative procedures and the student code of conduct.
The district will return with revised language and procedural details at a future workshop; board members asked staff to compare the draft against widely used templates and to provide examples of educator-facing language.
