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Implementing AI for Districts and Charter Schools

Guidance that support districts and charters in understanding and implementing instructional AI tools

School districts and charter schools are positioned to leverage Generative AI as a transformative tool within an established framework that prioritizes student safety, educational integrity, and evidence-based instructional methodologies.

The integration of Generative AI may not necessitate the creation of new policies but rather the extension of existing policies to address emerging concerns. The journey towards effective Generative AI integration in education begins with a comprehensive understanding of its potential to revolutionize access and utilization ofinformation and enhance learning and work environments. Policies, systems, and instructional practices must be anchored in safety, ethics, equity, and educational standards, ensuring that applications benefit all learners within our communities.

Best Practices for Implementation Strategies

Districts and charter schools may form a multidisciplinary task force to oversee AI integration. This team should monitor AI systems, update them with new data and ethical standards, and include diverse stakeholders to ensure broad perspectives and needs are considered. A clear communication strategy for the task force is essential, and decisions should be widely distributed to ensure transparency for all stakeholders.

District and Charter Schools should consider the following best practices when integratingGenerative AI into instruction:

  1. Protecting Student Data
    • Establish strict data privacy and security measures to protect PII, especially student information
    • Personally Identifiable Information (PII) should not be manually entered into Generative AI systems
    • Adhere to federal and state laws
    • Ensure the Generative AI vendor complies with signing Delaware Department of Technology & Information (DTI) Terms and Conditions Governing Cloud Services and Data Usage
    • Ensure AI systems are safe, minimizing risks to humans
  2. Ensuring Ethical AI Use
    • Accountability for the use of AI systems deployed
    • Evaluate information generated by AI for social bias
  3. Promoting Equity
    • Review and revise existing policies to ensure all students have access to AI for enhanced learning opportunities when applicable and appropriate
    • Create equitable outcomes for all users Promote inclusivity
  4. Enhancing Learning
    • Select content and resources that integrate pedagogically sound AI and align with educational standards
    • Align educational resources addressing digital citizenship and media literacy, including information on how Generative AI may be used for cyberbullying
    • Stay informed and updated with state terms and conditions for data use, privacy, policies, and legislation.

Graphic showing implementation keys

Managing Generative AI Platforms

New platforms are launching daily. It is important to note that many of these platforms are interfaces between the user and another Generative AI system, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini. Districts and charter schools should review each system’s terms and conditions and integrations with additional systems before utilizing or adopting them. Steps should be taken to review specific age restrictions, privacy, and student data collection practices within all third-party vendors. As the landscape of education evolves with the integration of Generative AI, it is essential to recognize that educational platforms and tools will undergo rapid changes. Educators, students, and parents are encouraged to stay informed about their rights, responsibilities, and privacy implications of these technologies.

Evaluation of AI Platforms and AI Within Existing Platforms

Evaluating AI platforms and their integration into existing systems is crucial. It aligns AI deployment with educational goals to improve learning outcomes and ensure equitable access. The Emerging Technology Adoption Framework promotes transparency and accountability. This approach mitigates risks like data privacy and biases and fosters Generative AI’s responsible and ethical use in educational environments. The Emerging Technology Adoption Framework was developed with education community members to ensure educational leaders, tech experts, teachers, students, and their families actively evaluate and adopt new technologies in PK-12 education settings. This initiative was spearheaded by engaging an Emerging Technology Advisory Board via Educator CIRCLS, an entity under The Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences (CIRCLS) (Ruiz and Fusco, 2024).