Othello School District unveils AI 'stoplight' framework, disclosure and training plan

Othello School District officials presented a proposed artificial intelligence guidance framework to the board during Monday’s meeting, outlining assignment‑level rules, student disclosure and a phased training plan for teachers.

The proposal, developed by a district committee led by Will von Brock with classroom teachers and technology staff, recommends a “stoplight” system to signal when students may not use AI (red), may use it only for feedback after completing work (yellow), or may use it as a creative or brainstorming tool (green). "We want to create human‑centered procedures and classroom guidance for AI use in the Othello School District that enhances rather than replaces engagement, critical thinking, collaboration and empathy," the committee stated during the presentation.

Why it matters: teachers and students across grades have reported inconsistent classroom practice under the district’s current, teacher‑level approach. The stoplight and a required disclosure field on assignments are intended to make expectations uniform, reduce student confusion about what constitutes inappropriate use, and enable timely teacher conversations when disclosure suggests misuse.

Presenters described the committee’s process: meetings beginning in February, targeted feedback sessions with students, staff and local businesses, and iterative work to balance risk and instructional potential. Scott Richie, a technology teacher on the committee, described classroom examples and tools the district has experimented with. He said younger children can benefit from tightly controlled AI tools (for example, apps that assess oral reading), while older students can safely use generative tools when assignments are explicitly designated green.

The plan calls for three concrete artifacts: district‑wide stoplight images teachers can attach to assignment slides; an assignment disclosure field so students record the level of AI used; and a professional development sequence for building administrator and teacher teams to set consistent expectations across courses. Presenters said teams — not individual teachers — should decide the stoplight level for shared course assignments so students do not receive conflicting signals between classes.

On limitations and next steps, the presenters said the district will monitor platforms, consult legal/privacy guidance as needed, and continue collecting feedback. They recommended a light rollout this spring (informational materials for teachers) with fuller training before the next school year. Board members requested a formal follow‑up after implementation: one member asked that the committee return in six to 12 months to report what worked and what needed changing.

The presenters emphasized that the framework is intended to preserve teacher judgment, support student learning, and reduce accidental academic dishonesty through transparent disclosure rather than punitive first responses. The committee also recommended age‑appropriate approaches (examples ranged from teacher‑curated chatbots for younger grades to explicit rules for high‑school assignments) and flagged tools that limit outputs to teacher‑uploaded resources.

What’s next: staff will distribute prototype stoplight graphics and disclosure templates to principals and begin initial teacher briefings; the committee will return with implementation timelines and PD plans. The board did not take a vote on the framework during the meeting.