Wahoo board hears AI presentation; district to push staff and student AI literacy and policy updates

Dr. Schneider, presenting on behalf of the district AI committee, told the Wahoo Public Schools Board that the district’s existing, broadly written AI policy should be tightened to emphasize human oversight, verification of model outputs and academic integrity.

“Human oversight is required,” Dr. Schneider said, arguing that AI should support instruction without replacing critical thinking. She warned that models can ‘‘hallucinate’’ — producing plausible-seeming but false citations or bibliographies — and encouraged teaching students to evaluate sources and avoid submitting personal data into models.

The presentation identified classroom uses where AI could help, including brainstorming and differentiated supports for multilingual learners, drafting exemplars and rubrics, and assisting with editing and feedback. Committee members recommended a controlled “sandbox” environment for instructional use, with teacher-set parameters and curated resources to limit student attempts to access outside sources during assignments.

Administrators recommended districtwide AI literacy training for staff and students and clearer district expectations aligned with board policy. They proposed limiting advanced AI tools for younger students and focusing middle- and high-school work on supervised, assessment‑aligned uses.

Board members did not vote on a policy change at the meeting. Administrators said they would return with proposed policy language and training plans following the legislative session and committee work.