The policy allows students to use AI only when teachers give permission and requires disclosure when they do. Only district-approved AI tools are permitted.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a new policy governing the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms. The move comes as all school districts in Ohio are required to adopt an AI policy by July 1.
District leaders say the policy is the result of months of collaboration with about 50 stakeholders.
“This is a culmination of months of work,” said Christopher Lockhart, the district’s chief information officer. “We formed a work group of about 50 persons, which included staff from schools, classroom teachers, administrators and from our business unit.”
Lockhart said the policy focuses on three key areas: data privacy, student safety and academic integrity.
“Number one is data privacy, to make sure that the data that we share with any AI model is not used and exposed for anything besides Columbus City Schools’ business. And number two is student safety,” he said. “Number three, academic integrity, making sure that students are still focused on learning instead of just finding the answer.”
The policy allows students to use AI only when teachers give permission and requires disclosure when they do. Only district-approved AI tools are permitted.
Unauthorized use of AI, including submitting AI-generated work as original, bullying or creating harmful content, could result in disciplinary action under the district’s student code of conduct.
“Our AI policy is human-focused. We allow AI to assist, but final decisions, learning and other decision-making has to be decisions made by humans,” Lockhart said.
He added that the policy is meant to prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
“We have to prepare students to be successful in a world that does not yet exist. We’re now in what I’m going to call this disruptive technology of AI, and we have to make sure that our students are prepared for a workforce where they’re going to be expected to master AI as well as make decisions for themselves, not relying on AI to make those decisions for them,” he said.
“Ohio State is already mandated in all of their classrooms, so we’re going to tell our students that they need to be college prepared,” he added. “If we’re not giving them that exposure to AI, then they’re going into that next level of learning behind the other students that they’re competing with.”
Parents said they see the potential benefits but want more time to weigh in.
“We have some time to kind of think about it before that, July 1,” said Jennifer Crayton, a CCS parent.
She said AI should enhance learning without replacing critical thinking.
“I’m worried about cheating and taking an easy way out. I want our scholars and our kids to really use this more as a learning tool,” she told 10TV.
Crayton said accountability and oversight, of both students and staff use of AI, will be key.
“I’m going to be on top of it 100% because as much as I love my kid, he likes to take the easy route sometimes, and so making sure that that doesn’t happen,” she said. “But also making sure that the district and the schools and the teachers, they’re all using it responsibly with prudence.”
District leaders said the goal of the policy is to balance innovation with safety and ethics, and that community conversations will continue as AI is rolled out in classrooms.