We are excited to announce the adoption of the Greater Amsterdam School District’s new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy. This policy is a crucial step in preparing our students and staff for a world where AI is rapidly transforming education, careers, and daily life.
Why This Policy Is Important and Needed
The development of AI presents our schools with both immense opportunities and significant risks. This policy is necessary to establish clear guidelines and ethical guardrails for responsible AI use.
Protecting Academic Integrity: With the rise of tools like Generative AI (GenAI) that can create human-like content, we must define what constitutes honest work and ensure that AI is used to augment learning, not as a shortcut to bypass critical thinking and effort.
Safeguarding Privacy: Schools are obligated to protect student data. This policy ensures all AI applications comply with strict data protection laws to maintain student and staff confidentiality.
Fostering Essential Skills: Our goal is to teach students to use AI critically and ethically. This literacy is now essential for success in future careers where creative problem-solving and human judgment will be paramount.
Key Facts and Policy Summary
Audience | What Does the Policy Require? |
|---|---|
Students | AI use must have explicit and transparent consent from the staff member overseeing the assignment. |
Students | Unauthorized AI use is a violation of the academic honesty policy and may result in disciplinary action. |
Students | All students must cite any content borrowed or generated with AI to avoid plagiarism. |
Staff | AI can be used to support curriculum development, student assessment, and administrative efficiency , but it cannot replace teacher expertise. |
All Users | All AI use must comply with data protection laws, including FERPA and Education Law Section 2-d , to ensure privacy and security. |
All Users | Staff are responsible for teaching students to be digitally literate and aware of AI's ethical implications, ensuring AI use is fair and unbiased. |
This policy is a "living document" that will be reviewed annually to keep pace with evolving technology and educational needs. We look forward to partnering with our community to ensure AI is leveraged effectively, responsibly, and ethically across the Greater Amsterdam School District.