Smart districts need smarter governance: The power of written AI policies
This school year, AI isn’t just a buzzword — it’s part of the toolkit educators and students are using daily. AI is already reshaping the rhythm of school life.
According to a report released by Gallup and Walton Family Foundation, about 60% of teachers are already using AI for tasks like grading and progress assessments. Students are also using generative tools to brainstorm and develop essays and create study aids, while administrators are exploring automation to save time and reduce costs on tasks like budgeting, managing transportation routes, streamlining parent communications, and optimizing staffing schedules.
While AI offers tremendous potential, it also brings new ethical, legal and operational risks that few districts are fully prepared to handle.
Just over half of U.S. states have created policies that define or regulate AI use, leaving the rest to navigate AI policy and governance without clear and defined direction. In the absence of federal guidance, many districts face uncertainty on how to encourage innovation while protecting students and promoting ethical use of these quickly emerging tools.
Written AI policies, developed and maintained by school boards, are no longer optional. They are mission critical for safeguarding our school communities, promoting responsible technology use and ensuring schools can safely harness AI’s full educational benefits.
Why school boards can’t wait
AI governance falls directly within a school board’s purview: board members are responsible for setting strategic priorities, ensuring compliance with laws, and upholding transparency and accountability, all of which apply directly to AI use within the district. Yet many boards and educators feel underprepared to address these issues. A recent study found that only 18% of principals reported their school or district provided guidance on AI use, displaying a clear need for board preparedness. The technology’s complexity, speed of change and lack of precedent can make AI policy seem daunting.
However, the risks of inaction are even greater. Without written guidelines, districts leave themselves open to legal challenges, reputational damage and loss of stakeholder trust. From biased algorithms and privacy violations to academic dishonesty or accidental release of student data to free AI tools, schools without clear AI policies risk failing to protect their students, even as those students are using the tools.
Developing written AI policies ensures that districts can embrace the benefits of this technology responsibly and transparently. Clear policies also demonstrate to parents and the larger community that schools are proactively managing risks rather than reacting to them. In other words, AI in education is not just a risk to manage; it’s an opportunity to seize. When used thoughtfully, AI can make teachers’ workloads more manageable, help personalize learning, and streamline district and board operations.
Building on existing frameworks
The good news is that school boards don’t have to navigate AI policy development alone. Many state and national school board associations have already begun compiling guidance, templates, and best practices to help districts address the challenges and opportunities of AI. These resources are designed to align with existing governance structures and can serve as a practical starting point for boards looking to formalize their approach.
By tapping into what their association has already made available — whether it’s sample policies, legal briefings, or training modules — boards can accelerate their efforts and ensure consistency with broader educational standards and build upon their existing acceptable use and data privacy policies.
School boards can also build on these foundations by defining how AI aligns with or challenges any existing legislation and mandates at the state and local level. For example, a Pennsylvania lawmaker proposed that AI instructors be prohibited from classrooms in charter schools, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has legislation on preventing the use of AI to make determinations regarding teacher employment, recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion, transfers and student evaluation.
Another useful starting point is the Office of Educational Technology’s framework for AI policy, which outlines four foundational principles for responsible adoption. First, schools should put people at the center, using AI to enhance outcomes for students, educators and parents, not to replace human oversight. Second, they should advance equity by evaluating AI tools for fairness and bias to ensure that all students benefit equally. Third, it’s essential to ensure safety, ethics, and effectiveness by prioritizing data privacy, security, and accuracy in every AI application. Finally, schools must promote transparency, requiring clarity around how AI models function and understanding their limitations to better anticipate risks and maintain trust within the community.
By grounding AI policies in these principles, school boards can create frameworks that are both adaptable and ethically relevant.
Create an AI governance framework
In this guide to safe and transparent AI governance in public education, learn how to streamline your AI policies and more.
I'd like that guide pleaseThe importance of agility and transparency
AI’s evolution and adoption are accelerating at breakneck speed. A written policy today may need revision six months from now, or maybe even sooner. School boards and districts must be ready to iterate quickly as new tools emerge, and regulations evolve. That means maintaining an agile governance process that enables frequent review and revision.
For instance, modern governance software tools, which are commonly used in districts across the country to manage meetings and agendas, can also enable boards to collaboratively draft, revise, adopt and distribute policies efficiently.
Transparency is also key. Parents, teachers, and students should understand not only what AI tools are being used but why and how. Providing clear communication about the district’s AI policies via your district website builds trust and demonstrates responsible AI governance.
Preparing for the future
Boards that take a proactive approach with AI policy today will be better positioned to protect our students, empower teachers, and lead their communities through the next wave of educational innovation. This means developing and continuously investing in written AI policies that evolve alongside the technology and are supported by training and strong ethical frameworks. Otherwise, school boards open their communities up to the risks of improper AI usage.
As we look at the future of education, one thing is certain: schools that combine innovation with accountability will thrive. Written AI policies are the foundation for that balance, helping districts navigate new technology with confidence and integrity.
This blog post was previously published on EdTech Digest.
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