Policy 8060: Use of Artificial Intelligence in School Work

Students are required to rely on their own knowledge, skills, and resources when completing schoolwork. To ensure the integrity of the educational process and to promote fair and equal opportunities for all students, the District must establish parameters regarding the proper use of  Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools (collectively, “AI/NLP tools”). Except as permitted below, the use of AI and/or NLP tools is strictly prohibited for the completion of schoolwork. The use of AI/NLP tools, without the express permission/consent of a teacher, undermines the learning and problem-solving skills that are essential to academic success and that the staff is tasked to develop in each student. Students are encouraged to develop their own knowledge, skills, and understanding of course material rather than relying solely on AI/NLP tools and they should ask their teachers when they have questions and/or need assistance. Unauthorized use of AI/NLP tools is considered a form of plagiarism and any student found using these tools without permission or in a prohibited manner will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. 

Prior to use of AI/NLP tools in scholar activities, the District shall establish an AI/NLP Committee whose purpose is to vet and become familiar with available AI/NLP tools to ensure they are compatible with the goals and objectives of the District and that they are compliant with confidentiality required in school settings. This committee should be diverse and include teachers, administrators, technology staff, and special education representatives for a well-rounded team. 

Permitted Use of AI/NLP Tools

Notwithstanding the preceding, students can use AI/NLP tools in the school setting if they receive prior permission/consent from their teacher, so long as they use the AI/NLP tools in an ethical and responsible manner. Teachers have the discretion to authorize students to use AI/NLP tools for the following uses: 

1. Research assistance: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students quickly and efficiently search for and find relevant information for their school projects and assignments. 
2. Data Analysis: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students to analyze, understand, and interpret large amounts of data, such as text documents or social media posts. This can be particularly useful for research projects or data analysis assignments – e.g., scientific experiments and marketing research. 
3. Language translation: AI/NLP tools can be used to translate texts or documents into different languages, which can be helpful for students who are learning a new language or for students who are studying texts written in a different language.
4. Writing assistance: AI/NLP tools can provide grammar and spelling corrections, as well as suggest alternative word choices and sentence structure, to help students improve their writing skills. 
5. Accessibility: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students with disabilities access and understand written materials. For example, text-to-speech software can help students with specific learning disabilities or visual impairments to read texts and AI-powered translation tools can help students with hearing impairments understand spoken language. 

Steps Prior to Permitting Use of AI/NLP Tools

Prior to a teacher permitting a scholar to use AI/NLP tools, they must ensure that the AI/NLP tool has been vetted and approved by the District or otherwise meets the District’s safety standards as it relates to online activity. Teachers must also ensure that scholars using AI/NLP for permitted purposes do not release confidential information, including but not limited to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

If a scholar under the age of 13 requests permission to use AI/NLP, teachers must ensure that they receive parental consent pursuant to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.  

Conclusion

As outlined above, under appropriate circumstances, AI/NLP tools can be effectively used as a supplement to and not a replacement for traditional learning methods. Consequently, with prior teacher permission/consent, students can use such resources to help them better understand and analyze information and/or access course materials. If a student has any questions about whether they are permitted to use AI/NLP tools for a specific class assignment, they should ask their teacher.