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Tempe Union lays out AI guidance for classrooms, emphasizing ethics, privacy and staff training
Summary
District staff presented draft AI guidance that would classify allowed uses, require teacher training and propose pilot tools; board members welcomed innovation but pressed for clear privacy safeguards and ways to measure student outcomes.
Tempe Union High School District presented proposed guidance and practices for classroom use of artificial intelligence during the board's regular meeting, outlining potential benefits, risks and a multi'year rollout plan.
Dr. Lehi, who led the presentation, opened with an AI'generated video example and said a student focus group and most administrators could identify signs of synthetic content. The presentation noted both promise and pitfalls: AI could enable personalized learning, automated grading and virtual tutoring, while also posing risks including algorithmic bias, student data privacy concerns and potential overreliance that might erode critical thinking skills.
The district team described three draft documents: teacher guidance, a student'friendly policy, and a catalog of AI tools. They proposed an "assessment scale" that categorizes assignments where AI use is allowed freely, allowed in limited ways (for example brainstorming but not core conclusions), or prohibited. Staff identified seven candidate tools for an initial rollout to teachers, with student access to follow after training and pilot evaluation.
On privacy and oversight, the draft emphasizes transparency about data collection and human oversight of AI outputs. The presentation cited external frameworks the district consulted, including UNESCO'level guidance, OECD principles, U.S. Department of Education materials and regional advisories (AIEE/NAU). Staff recommended teacher professional development in the fall, student education (short videos for advisory periods) and ongoing stakeholder collaboration through a technology subcommittee to guide a phased implementation over the next several years.
Board members welcomed the work while seeking specifics. President Montero and others asked staff to map current district data'privacy policies to the draft guidance and make recommendations where changes are needed. Member Steele asked how the district plans to measure AI'related effects on student outcomes; staff said evaluation plans would be developed during pilot phases. Member Barraza and others expressed support for teacher and student training. Member Bridal praised innovation but flagged visual artifacts in one AI'generated slide image as a reminder that the technology is still evolving.
The district framed the proposal as an effort to harness AI'driven instructional tools while building guardrails on equity, ethics and student well'being. The next steps identified by staff include refining student'facing language, finalizing the tool inventory, scheduling PD and returning to the board with recommended policy edits and pilot evaluations.
