ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

po7540.08Adopted October 15, 2024

7540.08 - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

The School Board recognizes the positive impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology may have in the District’s educational program and operations. The Superintendent is authorized to support the use of artificial intelligence technology when its use is consistent with the District’s mission, goals, and operational integrity.

Any use of artificial intelligence technology in the District’s educational program or operations must be in accordance with State and Federal law as well as Board policies including, but not limited to the following: Policy 5505 – Academic Honesty; Policy 5500 – Student Conduct; Policy 5517 – Anti-Harassment; Policy 5517.01 – Bullying and Harassment; Policy 2266 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs and Activities (The Board's Policy and Grievand Procedures for Responding to Sexual Harassment Alleged to Have Occurred Prior to 8/1/2024); Policy 8330 – Student Records; Policy 2240 – Controversial Issues; Policy 7540.03 – Student Internet Safety and Acceptable Use; and Policy 7540.04 – Staff Technology Acceptable Use and Safety.

Student use of Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing Tools (AI/NLP tools)

Utilization of AI/NLP tools is strictly prohibited for the completion of school work. 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.

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.

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.

Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary consequences. Students may be disciplined for violations, up to and including suspension or expulsion.

Staff may be disciplined for violations, up to and including suspension or termination of employment.

The administration will refer any illegal acts to law enforcement.

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