Board hears update on Turnitin and plans for district AI policy

Duval County School Board members pressed staff on Thursday about the district’s policy and tools for detecting AI-generated student work, asking whether Turnitin remains the best product and how the district will develop policy around artificial intelligence.

A board member asked, "Is Turnitin still the best product that we could be using, and are we always looking for the next best thing that would do more for AI?" A district staff member replied that the district is "always looking for the next best thing," and said a draft AI policy is being prepared in coordination with legal counsel, the chief information officer and curriculum staff.

Staff described classroom conversations in which teachers continue to be the primary detectors of non‑authentic work, but said AI-detection tools and some grading programs that score against rubrics are available to assist teachers. The presenter said the district will present an AI policy to the board and continue vendor evaluations: "We have to take a hard look at what is going to be the best tool for our teachers, to catch AI," the staff member said.

A board member recounted an AI symposium and recent vendor presentation, noting the vendor would not allow the presentation to be recorded but provided slides. Members discussed both risks and benefits: staff relayed concerns about students forming excessive reliance on chatbots and also noted potential instructional uses.

Board members asked staff to bring a policy forward next year; staff said they are drafting guidance and will return with recommendations and potential product options to support teachers’ work and academic integrity.