Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Artificial Intelligence topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Manheim Township presents AI plan emphasizing safety, classroom guidance and traffic‑light model
Summary
District presenters outlined an 18‑month AI committee plan that emphasizes safety, teacher professional development, a three‑color traffic‑light permission model for student use, vendor vetting to protect student data, and measurement plans using multiple data points.
Manheim Township School District representatives presented an 18‑month plan for integrating artificial intelligence into instruction and district operations on Monday night, stressing safety, teacher training and ongoing review.
Dr. Schaefer, leading the presentation, said the committee’s work has prioritized “safety for all stakeholders” and that the plan grew from surveys of students and teachers and consultation with regional partners such as IU 13. Ashley Keith described district professional development, an AI handbook for staff and families, and scaffolded K–12 lesson plans intended to guide age‑appropriate instruction.
The committee adopted a three‑color traffic‑light model to guide assignment‑level permissions: red to prohibit AI use for an assignment, yellow to allow limited, transparent uses with teacher permission, and green to encourage use with explicit instruction on ethical use and citation. “We want to make sure that our students are empowered to use it in ethically and appropriate ways,” Ashley Keith said.
Technology staff outlined a vetting process for apps and websites that checks alignment with the board‑approved curriculum and privacy protections; approved tools must not collect student data or train public large‑language models unless permitted. Mr. Scales said the committee meets weekly with technology and IU 13 staff to review emerging tools and to notify teachers via professional development and other communications.
Board members asked how the district will measure whether AI improves learning. Dr. Schaefer said the team plans to use multiple data points — student achievement data, teacher feedback, perceptual surveys and classroom observations — with measurement approaches tailored by grade and assignment type. “We would certainly be discussing as a team as we roll that out in terms of implementation,” Dr. Schaefer said.
Several board members urged integration with career‑readiness programming and attention to student mental‑health risks tied to chatbots. Presenters said those concerns are part of the committee’s ongoing work and that the committee expects to expand stakeholder participation, including families and students, as the plan develops.
Next steps: the committee will continue weekly vetting, finalize disclosure/citation guidance for student work and return to the board as elements move from planning to implementation.
