Weston outlines cautious, phased approach to AI in classrooms; ChatGPT flagged as noncompliant
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Summary
The district's AI advisory committee reviewed guiding principles, teacher professional development and four education AI products under review; staff said the board adopted an AI policy in June 2024, the Connecticut Student Privacy Act governs vendor contracts, and that ChatGPT is not compliant while Google Gemini and vetted products are allowed under state agreements.
Tina and Dan DeVito, director of IT, updated the curriculum subcommittee on nearly 18 months of AI advisory committee work and the district's approach to artificial intelligence in instruction.
The district adopted an AI policy in June 2024 and created an advisory committee with teachers, librarians, administrators, IT staff and student representatives. The committee drafted guiding principles for grades 6—2, prioritized AI literacy and planned professional development, including an April/Mar. 27 district PD day with AI-focused sessions for teachers.
Dan said the committee has been vetting education-focused AI products and emphasized legal and privacy constraints. He named four products under active review and told the committee that the Connecticut Student Privacy Act (Public Act 16-187) requires specific agreements with vendors that prohibit use of student data for training or marketing. He said ChatGPT is not compliant with the state law, while Google Gemini and certain vendor products comply under state or district agreements.
Dan described technical safeguards: district-managed, teacher-controlled environments that provision limited AI tools for students during instructional time rather than unrestricted public access. Committee members said evaluation continues, that pilots are underway in school-led test rooms, and that a final recommendation would be brought to the board when a fiscally justified option emerges.
Board members pressed for clear communication about FERPA and state privacy rules; the presenters said staff emails and committee briefings have advised buildings to limit free-product usage and to use only compliant tools.
