School AI Usage Policy Template

1. Purpose & Scope

This policy governs the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by all students, faculty, staff, and contractors within [School District Name]. It applies to all school-issued devices, school networks, and personally owned devices used during school-sponsored activities, whether on-campus or remote.

The purpose of this policy is to promote responsible, ethical, and educationally sound use of AI technologies while protecting academic integrity, student privacy, and the learning environment.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

• AI Tool: Any software application that uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, or large language models to generate, analyze, or process text, images, audio, code, or data. Examples include but are not limited to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and similar platforms.
• Approved AI Tool: An AI tool that has been reviewed and authorized by [District IT / Technology Department] for use within the district.
• AI-Assisted Work: Any academic work in which an AI tool was used during the creation, research, drafting, editing, or production process.
• Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Information that can be used to identify a student, as defined under FERPA and state privacy law.

3. Student Use Guidelines

Students may use AI tools to support their learning when such use is explicitly permitted by the assigning teacher and complies with the following guidelines:

1. Teacher authorization required. AI use is permitted only when the teacher has expressly allowed it for a given assignment or activity. When in doubt, students must ask before using AI.
2. AI as a tool, not a replacement. Students must use AI to enhance their own thinking and learning, not to bypass it. AI may be used for brainstorming, concept explanation, feedback on drafts, and study support — not for generating final submissions without substantive human authorship.
3. Transparency and disclosure. Any use of an AI tool in the preparation of submitted work must be disclosed to the teacher, including the tool used and the nature of its contribution.
4. Accuracy responsibility. Students are fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all submitted work, regardless of whether AI was involved. AI-generated content that contains factual errors remains the student's responsibility.
5. Age-appropriate access. Students in grades [K–5] may only use AI tools under direct teacher supervision. Students in grades [6–12] may use approved AI tools independently when authorized.

4. Teacher Use Guidelines

Faculty and staff are encouraged to use AI tools to enhance teaching, streamline administrative tasks, and support professional development, subject to these guidelines:

1. Pedagogical oversight. Teachers remain responsible for all instructional content. AI-generated materials must be reviewed for accuracy, bias, and appropriateness before use with students.
2. Privacy protection. Under no circumstances shall teachers enter student PII — including names, grades, identification numbers, or behavioral records — into public, unapproved AI tools.
3. Grading integrity. AI may be used to assist with rubric-based feedback drafting, but final grades and substantive evaluations must be determined by the teacher's professional judgment.
4. Model ethical use. Teachers should demonstrate responsible AI use to students, including citation practices, critical evaluation of AI output, and transparency about when and how AI is used.
5. Professional development. The district will provide ongoing training on AI tools, their limitations, and best practices for classroom integration.

5. Acceptable Use

The following uses of AI tools are considered acceptable within [School District Name]:

• Using AI to brainstorm topics, generate questions, or explore concepts before independent work begins.
• Using AI grammar, spelling, or style checkers on a student's own original writing.
• Using AI to explain difficult concepts, summarize study material, or create flashcards for personal study.
• Using AI translation tools for English language learners to aid comprehension.
• Using AI coding assistants to explain errors or suggest debugging strategies, provided the student understands and can explain the resulting code.
• Teachers using AI to draft lesson plans, generate activity ideas, or create rubric templates for review.

6. Prohibited Use

The following uses of AI tools are strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action:

• Submitting AI-generated text, images, code, or media as entirely original work without disclosure.
• Using AI during closed-book exams, quizzes, or proctored assessments unless explicitly authorized.
• Using AI to generate content for an assignment when the teacher has prohibited AI use for that assignment.
• Entering student or staff PII into any non-approved, public AI platform.
• Using AI to create deepfakes, deceptive media, or content that impersonates real individuals.
• Using AI to generate harassing, discriminatory, or harmful content targeting any member of the school community.
• Bypassing school content filters or security measures using AI tools.
• Using AI to complete assignments for other students.

7. Citation & Attribution Requirements

When AI tools are used in the preparation of any submitted academic work, students and staff must provide proper attribution. The following format is required unless a teacher specifies an alternative:

Standard AI Citation Format:

AI Tool Name (Version, Date). "Description of prompt or task." [Tool Provider]. URL. Accessed [Date].

Example:

ChatGPT (GPT-4, June 2026). "Explain the causes of the Industrial Revolution." OpenAI. https://chat.openai.com. Accessed June 27, 2026.

In addition to the formal citation, students must include a brief AI Use Statement at the end of the assignment describing how AI was used (e.g., "I used ChatGPT to brainstorm topic ideas and check grammar on my final draft. All substantive writing is my own.").

For group projects, each student must disclose their individual AI use. Failure to cite AI assistance when required will be treated as an academic integrity violation under Section 9.

8. Privacy & FERPA Considerations

[School District Name] is committed to protecting student privacy in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and applicable state privacy laws.

1. No PII in public AI tools. Student names, ID numbers, grades, disciplinary records, health information, photos, and any other PII must never be entered into non-approved, publicly accessible AI platforms.
2. Approved tools only for student data. Any AI tool that processes student data must be on the district's approved list, have a signed data privacy agreement on file, and comply with FERPA and COPPA requirements.
3. Parental notification. Parents and guardians will be informed annually about the AI tools used in the district, their data practices, and the rights of families under FERPA and COPPA. Parents may opt their child out of AI-tool-based instruction by submitting a written request to [Principal / Designee Name and Contact].
4. Data retention. The district will not adopt AI tools that retain or train on student data without explicit, informed parental consent and a lawful basis for doing so.
5. Vendor compliance. All AI vendors must comply with the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) or equivalent state data privacy agreement standards.
6. Breach response. Any suspected disclosure of student data through an AI tool must be reported immediately to [District IT Security Officer] and handled under the district's data breach response protocol.

9. Disciplinary Framework

Violations of this policy will be addressed through a tiered framework designed to be educational, proportionate, and consistent. The district recognizes that AI technology is new and that unintentional misuse may occur, particularly early in implementation.

Tier 1 — Educational Warning (First, unintentional violation):

• Verbal warning and restorative conversation with the student.
• Re-submission of the assignment without AI assistance (where appropriate).
• Documented in the teacher's classroom log; no permanent disciplinary record.

Tier 2 — Academic Consequence (Repeated or knowing violation):

• Zero or reduced grade on the affected assignment per the teacher's syllabus policy.
• Parent or guardian notification.
• Entry in the student's disciplinary record.
• Mandatory completion of an AI ethics tutorial.

Tier 3 — Formal Disciplinary Action (Deliberate, serious, or harmful violation):

• Referral to [Administrator / Dean of Students].
• Potential suspension, removal from honors or AP courses, or other consequences per the [District Code of Conduct].
• Formal disciplinary hearing if warranted.
• Law enforcement referral if the violation involves harassment, deepfakes of real persons, or other potentially unlawful conduct.

All disciplinary actions will follow the due process protections established in the [District Code of Conduct] and applicable law. Students and parents retain the right to appeal as outlined in that document.

10. Policy Review & Revision

This policy will be reviewed at least annually by [Policy Review Committee / Technology Advisory Committee]. Updates may be made more frequently as AI technology, law, and educational best practices evolve. All revisions will be communicated to students, staff, and families.

11. Acknowledgment

All students, parents, and staff must sign an acknowledgment of this policy at the beginning of each academic year. The acknowledgment form is available at [District Website URL or Office Location].

Adopted by the [School District Name] Board of Education on [Date].

Signed: [Board President Name], Board President  |  [Superintendent Name], Superintendent