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Greenville County Schools outlines controlled rollout of AI tools in middle and high schools
Summary
Officials described pilots using a teacher‑controlled, closed generative-AI platform called Magic School AI for grades 6–12, emphasized training and parental outreach, and said the system does not repurpose student inputs to retrain models.
Greenville County Schools trustees heard a detailed presentation on the district’s planned use of artificial intelligence in secondary classrooms and in district operations. Dr. Royster introduced the item as an update on current pilots and next steps; Dr. Stevens explained the district’s chosen approach and safety measures.
Dr. Stevens said the district distinguishes between “generative” and “predictive” AI and stressed the difference between the district’s platform and public chatbots. “AI is a resource; it is not a replacement,” Dr. Stevens said, adding that the district’s vendor was selected because teachers create and strictly limit the content students can access.
The district has completed pilot programs at Rudolph Gordon (grades 6–8) and Fountain Inn High School and is offering AI‑aligned courses at Riverside and Woodmont high schools this year. Dr. Stevens described Magic School AI as a closed system that requires a teacher to roster a class and assign specific tools via Google Classroom, a district-controlled URL or a QR code. She said teachers review student prompts and generated responses and that student inputs are not harvested to retrain the platform.
District leaders emphasized training and family communication as key safeguards. Miss Capp, who oversees professional learning, described teacher modules and summer‑academy sessions that brought classroom leaders up to a baseline level of familiarity; Dr. Stevens said most teachers are operational in the platform in one to two hours of module work, with deeper summer sessions available. The district also highlighted a partnership with Smart Social that provides monthly virtual sessions for families; an AI‑focused parent webinar was scheduled for the evening of the meeting.
Board members pressed staff on scope and oversight during a question-and-answer period. Trustees asked whether the tool would be available in all middle and high schools (the district said the resource is available where teachers complete training and determine it fits course objectives) and whether teachers or the district could run trend reports on student prompts (Dr. Stevens said teachers can review class prompts and outputs and the district can research additional reporting options). The district noted that it overlays the vendor platform with its Gaggle monitoring protocols.
The presentation closed with a request from several trustees for more in‑class demonstrations so board members could see the platform in real time before broader policy decisions. Dr. Stevens and district staff said they would follow up with materials, a parent access plan and opportunities for trustees to view classroom uses.
Next steps: district staff will continue stakeholder feedback, expand pilot evaluation, and provide trustees with access and demonstrations as requested.
