MSBA says AI symposium aimed to help districts use artificial intelligence responsibly

MSBA presenters told the Ste. Genevieve R-II board that the association’s third AI symposium in October was designed to help school boards and district staff explore practical and governance questions about artificial intelligence.

"We had our third one in October, and it really was about getting people together, getting minds together of folks from all around Missouri," said Mark Henderson, MSBA’s director of digital initiatives. Henderson described the event as a broad convening for board members, superintendents and district staff to discuss both uses and concerns about AI. "We do AI training, webinars, things like that," he added, and said MSBA publishes an AI policy and a free toolkit for districts.

A student panel at the symposium underscored how widespread AI use already is among learners. "It's inevitable," said Kelli Erb of Holden High School. "If we ban it in schools, if we're not allowed to use it, we are going to fall behind."

Why it matters: MSBA framed the event as practical support for districts at different stages of AI adoption. The association promoted a governance-level checklist intended to help board members ask oversight questions without taking on technical responsibilities; the checklist is available on MSBA’s website at mosba.org/ai.

The board report emphasized district support services MSBA offers — policy drafts, toolkits, and training — and encouraged local leaders to rely on those resources when shaping local AI guidelines. The presenters also said MSBA updates its materials based on district feedback and plans more training and webinars in the coming year.

The board did not take formal action on AI policy; the presentation was informational and aimed at familiarizing local trustees with resources and talking points for community conversations about AI.