Board moves to replace ClassDojo over records and privacy concerns, plans AI guidance for teachers
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Summary
Board described plans to phase out unvetted third‑party apps such as ClassDojo because of public‑records and data‑security concerns and directed staff to implement a district‑approved replacement and teacher training before the next school year; the board also asked for AI acceptable‑use guidance and professional learning.
Marion County School Board members on March 31 discussed policy updates to digital content and staff technology use that would restrict staff communication to district‑approved and monitored platforms.
Staff warned that messages on third‑party apps can be subject to public records requests and that parents control and can delete their side of messages, which complicates discovery and retention. "Every communication that is on there is a public record," a staff attorney said; administrators and legal staff described past public‑records requests where messages on ClassDojo were not centrally retained and created one‑sided records.
Superintendent Brewer and technology staff told the board they are negotiating an agreement to replace ClassDojo with an approved district platform and will roll out professional learning during the summer so staff and principals have time to transition. Staff said the district would likely be noncompliant with the new policy until July because the replacement and training are not yet in place; board members requested advance communications to principals and teachers and asked staff to emphasize data‑security reasons for the change to families.
On artificial intelligence tools, board members asked that the policy be accompanied by clear classroom guidance (for example, a "traffic‑light" model of allowed/limited/prohibited uses) and timely professional learning. Instructional‑technology staff confirmed training is planned so teachers can use AI to enhance lessons while avoiding misuse (for example, wholesale student work generation).
