Dozens of superintendents and students will gather for a three-day workshop this summer focused on crafting an AI use policy school districts across the country can adopt, as the technology infiltrates classrooms at a blistering pace and schools struggle to keep up with policies that account for the rapidly evolving technology.
The July event in Boston, hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, nonprofit Day of AI, and MIT RAISE, aims to tackle one major roadblock 糖心动漫vlog cite in adopting AI: the lack of clear policies and professional development about how and when to use the technology.
At the summit, students will lead the charge in creating a policy detailing how they think artificial intelligence should be used in the classroom and the guardrails districts should put in place to protect kids鈥� privacy and ensure they鈥檙e getting the best education possible, said Jeff Riley, the executive director of Day of AI.
At least five states have started requiring school districts to develop AI use policies, according to an Education Week analysis. But most districts still don鈥檛 have formal policies in place that spell out acceptable uses of the technology, how teachers can incorporate it into instruction, and privacy guardrails.
Riley said he anticipates a range of student perspectives鈥攆rom those who are 鈥渃ompletely pro-AI鈥� to those who are strongly opposed to the technology鈥攁nd it will take some work, debate, and compromise to find middle ground everyone can accept. When it鈥檚 done, AASA plans to share the new policy with its thousands of member districts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a real barometer for the country on how kids are feeling about this,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to hear from them first as we begin to put guardrails on this technology.鈥�
A legislative simulation will help students arrive at a consensus
One superintendent from each state along with two student representatives each of their choosing will participate in AI training and workshops in Boston. While superintendents attend trainings on topics ranging from ethical use of AI and the future of AI in the classroom, the students will participate in a legislative simulation in the Edward M. Kennedy Institute鈥檚 U.S. Senate chamber replica to debate and develop the AI policy.
It鈥檚 not clear exactly what the new policy will cover or if it will lean more permissive or restrictive on AI use. Event organizers wanted to avoid being prescriptive so students can craft a policy that feels authentic to them and valuable, Riley said.
Having students lead the process is key, he said.
Typically, kids are the fastest to adopt and adapt to new technology, meaning they experience the benefits and downfalls firsthand, he said.
鈥淚n a time when historically new movements in education have only been done by 糖心动漫vlog, we think it鈥檚 important to listen to kids,鈥� said Riley, a former principal, superintendent, and Massachusetts state education commissioner. 鈥淜ids have a more natural facility for this, and if that鈥檚 the case, shouldn鈥檛 we include them in the discussion?鈥�
Gina Zietlow, the superintendent of the ABC Unified district in southern California is one district leader attending the July workshop along with two students from her 17,000-student district.
Interested students had to apply by submitting a video detailing why they were interested and their experience working with AI.
The two students who scored the highest and were selected to participate鈥攐ut of 10 who applied鈥攈ave extensive experience working with AI, Zietlow said. One is enrolled in the district鈥檚 AI career and technical education pathway that it established in 2017, and the other has used the technology to help develop a nonprofit.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e both got experience about how to debate, defend ideas, collaborate, and public speaking, which will all be really important in this process,鈥� Zietlow said.
Most districts don鈥檛 yet have an AI policy
A general lack of clear policies on AI use and shortage of professional development on the topic are problems that are top of mind for 糖心动漫vlog.
Just 13% of teachers said in an October 2025 EdWeek Research Center survey that their district had an AI policy that had been made clear to both students and teachers. Forty-four percent of teachers, principals, and district leaders said they hadn鈥檛 received any professional development on how to use AI in their work.
Twenty-nine percent said they had one-time PD, 19% said they had training more than once, and 8% said they had received ongoing training.
The five states that have enacted a comprehensive policy on the use of artificial intelligence in schools are Idaho, Ohio, Utah, Tennessee, and Virginia, according to an Education Week tally.
The ABC Unified district has had an AI policy in place for several years, and it鈥檚 updated frequently as the technology evolves. For example, the district has a 鈥渂adging system,鈥� in which students are required to indicate how much help they鈥檝e had from AI on tasks like homework or making presentations.
Zietlow hopes her and her students鈥� experience working with AI and having an existing policy will provide a helpful perspective for other districts at the workshop in Boston. She also expects to walk away with even more ideas and considerations for her own schools.
Ultimately, though, she鈥檚 excited that students will be part of the experience and will help craft meaningful policy.
鈥淥ften, when adults make decisions about kids, it鈥檚 hard to know if they鈥檙e making the decision because they engaged with kids, or if they鈥檙e making the decision because when they were a kid, it was a certain way,鈥� Zietlow said. 鈥淚ntentionally including kids is so important鈥攖hey have a perspective that is very different from the generations before them.鈥�
