Board hears need for AI policy as members debate classroom use and protections

Board members pressed the superintendent on how artificial intelligence is being used and what safeguards a forthcoming district policy should include.

The superintendent told the board that every district is required to adopt an AI policy by July and described a basic distinction between "open" and "closed" AI systems: open systems draw on wide public datasets while closed systems run inside a secured network. "We have to have something in place by July 1," the superintendent said.

Board members asked whether AI is being used for grading and for lesson planning; the superintendent said he did not have a comprehensive answer but that, where AI is used, it is typically a teacher-level tool for lesson planning, differentiation and editing student work. "If AI is used, it's used at the teacher level for lesson planning," he said.

Members expressed concerns about academic integrity and whether younger students would be shortchanged if AI replaces baseline learning moments. "What's the point if they don't have to do it later on?" one board member asked, adding that teachers should ensure students understand fundamentals before relying on tools. Suggestions included using AI to detect plagiarism, setting in-class assessments without assistance, and drafting monitoring tools and restrictions for teacher use.

The superintendent said he would return with clarifications and recommendations, including whether the district will limit certain AI systems and how it will secure uploaded content. The board did not vote at the meeting; members asked for a draft policy and additional detail ahead of the July adoption deadline.

Next steps: superintendent to consult curriculum staff and return with a recommended AI policy and clarifications on current classroom use.