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Board hears first read of AI policy; staff stresses privacy, training and tailored rollout
Summary
Staff presented a CSBA template AI policy for first reading and detailed training and privacy protections (including guarded Gemini access); board members discussed privacy, bias, environmental impacts and the need to tailor the policy to rural students and staff.
The board received a first reading of a proposed AI policy Sept. 8 and heard staff outline training and privacy safeguards for both staff and students.
Staff said the CSBA template was brought forward for the county office and that the county has already begun staff training and limited, guarded use of a generative AI tool (Gemini) within the district platform. On privacy, staff emphasized that when AI is used with student or staff information it should be limited to the secured tool and that identifiable names should be removed. Staff stated the primary concern is privacy: "The biggest concern that I have with AI is the ... protecting the privacy of our students and staff." The board discussed plans to evaluate use, to work with directors and tech, and to pilot training sessions.
Board members and staff also raised environmental questions about the energy and water footprint of large AI systems; one member asked for more attention to that impact. Staff described grant-supported training (the Wave Institute) and a plan to assemble district teams to build context-specific practices rather than imposing a single statewide template.
Why it matters: As AI tools become common in education, districts must balance instructional benefits with student privacy, equity and reliability of AI outputs. The county office framed the policy as an evolving, locally tailored approach and scheduled further work to refine the policy before a formal adoption.
What’s next: Staff will gather district input, refine the policy to local needs, continue training for teachers and directors, and return with a proposed final policy for board approval.
