Parent urges stricter AI rules as District 25 outlines measured approach to classroom AI

Erica Pace, a District 25 parent, asked the Board of Education directly for a more robust artificial intelligence policy after citing multiple reports that she said show risks to children from current AI features on school devices. “I emailed the board…asking for a more robust policy on AI use in our schools,” Pace said, adding research references including a Brookings Institution review and Common Sense Media surveys that, she said, found widespread student use of AI and concerns about AI-enabled search on Chromebooks that “cannot be disabled.”

Superintendent Dr. Kaye framed the district’s current stance as “deliberate, measured and human‑centered.” She outlined limits already in place: students do not have access to open standalone chatbots (for example ChatGPT) on district devices or networks; any AI students encounter is embedded, vendor‑vetted functionality inside approved core programs; and a district AI steering committee has drafted a two‑year implementation roadmap for staff training. Dr. Kaye said the district has received guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) dated July 1, 2026, and that the steering committee will use that guidance to develop recommended policies and professional learning.

Board members pressed for next steps. Several members suggested a broader stakeholder group to assess device‑home policy, classroom practice, and parent education; Dr. Kaye said the district plans to collect baseline information (walkthroughs and surveys of staff, parents, and students) before proposing operational changes. “We need to know what we have and how it’s being used before we say change something,” Dr. Kaye said. The board did not take formal action at the meeting but directed staff to continue work on the steering committee’s recommendations and outreach plans.