3 Tips on AI Tools for School Districts

It’s been more than a year since ChatGPT’s ability to produce astonishingly humanlike writing sparked fundamental questions about the role of artificial intelligence in K-12 education. Most school districts are still stuck in neutral, trying to figure out the way forward on issues such as plagiarism, data privacy, and ethical use of AI tools by students and educators. Glenn Kleiman, a member of the advisory committees for the TeachAI initiative and the Consortium for School Networking’s innovation project, said “schools are very hungry for guidance” on how to create policies around AI use. But according to Kleiman’s conversations with superintendents, “They generally all feel like they’re at step 0.1 in figuring it out.”

District leaders don’t necessarily need to reinvent the wheel. Current policies that guide the adoption of ed tech will also apply to AI-powered tools, said Min Sun, an associate professor at the University of Washington’s college of education who was part of the state’s AI advisory group. But “there are also some uniquenesses with regard to this wave of education technology development … that may need some additional sort of guidelines specifically about AI technology,” she said. While each district will have to think about its unique context when determining how to implement AI, there are some common strategies all districts should consider.

1. Develop students’ AI literacy. According to TeachAI, AI literacy refers to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with how AI works, including its principles, concepts, and applications, as well as how to use the technology in practice. That should also include a solid understanding of its limitations and the ethical considerations when using it. Infusing AI literacy throughout the curriculum will ensure that most students are equipped to engage productively and responsibly with AI technologies. This level of AI literacy is especially important because students are often trying and playing around with these new tech tools well before their teachers do.

2. Protect students’ and educators’ data privacy. AI tools are trained on extensive data. In K-12 education, this data could include sensitive information about students, and that is why districts need to ensure that the data are collected and used carefully and responsibly. Districts should think about obtaining parental consent for students to use AI tools in school. But even with consent, experts advise against using identifiable data in public AI models. Experts also recommend that schools catalog the AI tools they use, their purposes, and the information they require; craft policies that are clear about who can use AI tools and for what purposes; and maintain updated information about the technical details and security implications of the tools in use.

3. Align AI use with the district’s mission, vision, and goals. Before deciding to implement AI, district leaders should think about their district’s mission and vision and figure out where the technology can help achieve those goals. It can help student learning by personalizing content, aiding students’ creativity, and preparing them for future careers. AI can provide teacher support through content development, differentiation, assessment analysis, and professional development. And it can make school management and operations more efficient. But for every benefit, there’s also a risk. For instance, using AI could lead to plagiarism, misinformation, bullying, unequal access, diminished teacher and student agency, and compromised data privacy. These risks shouldn’t prevent districts from using AI, experts say. But knowing the risks makes it easier to mitigate them.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services