Board considers legal workshop on AI, discusses workshop formats and sets tentative early‑2025 work sessions

Board member Meg Worman reported that she had won an informational workshop with the law firm Fagan, Friedman & Fulfrost on artificial intelligence in schools and asked the board how it would like to use the opportunity. The board discussed three procedural options: hold a formal workshop with a quorum and public notice, host an open presentation (inviting staff, board and the public), or invite a targeted group (three or fewer board members with staff) for a smaller, informal briefing.

Why it matters

AI use and policy in K‑12 raises questions about student privacy, intellectual property, acceptable classroom use, and staff training. The board's decision about format and scope will determine how broadly the information is shared and whether the board engages in policy‑level deliberation in public session.

Key points from the discussion

- Scope of the offer: The law firm offered a range of possible workshops covering governance, legal risks, intellectual property, student privacy, staff training and policy drafting. Worman described the offer as usable for board members, administrators, teachers and other staff.

- Procedural options: Board counsel and administration noted that if the board intends to deliberate or take action as a body, the session should be scheduled as a workshop with public notice and a quorum. Alternatively, the district could invite the firm to give an informational presentation to a broader audience or bring together a small number of board members and staff for a targeted session that would not require workshop formalities.

- Relationship to IASB policy and timing: Board members observed that the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) also develops model policies, but that districts can influence IASB policy development. Several board members said they would prefer initial learning before any policy drafting and suggested the firm's session could serve as background for future IASB or district policy work.

- Logistics and access: The board discussed livestreaming an open presentation to increase access for parents and community members. Several members suggested the district could host a livestream and distribute follow‑up notes rather than run a large in‑person session.

Next steps

The board asked administration to circulate proposed work‑session dates and topics by the end of the week; the AI workshop decision may be scheduled into one of the tentative work sessions or handled as a separate presentation depending on priorities.

Ending

No formal policy or action was adopted at the meeting. The board received the offer and directed administration to propose scheduling options for work sessions and potential formats for the AI presentation.