Ķvlog

Artificial Intelligence

The 93 Questions Schools Should Ask About AI

By Alyson Klein — October 17, 2023 2 min read
A close up of a laptop and hands overlaid with AI and techie icons.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Does your district have a dedicated point person on the role of artificial intelligence in K-12 education? Are you requiring vendors that use AI algorithms in their products to ensure they are free from bias? Do you have employees with the right skills to evaluate, procure, and operate generative AI?

Those are just three of the 93 questions Ķvlog should be asking themselves as they seek to craft policies around generative AI, the technology that powers tools like ChatGPT. The list of questions is featured in a report from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), which represents district tech leaders, and the Council of the Great City Schools, which represents urban district leaders.

(There's been) a lot of high-level vision statements, either it's 'the promised land' or it's 'the sky is falling,' but there's little practical guidance to help school system leaders think about what are the most important things they need to do.

The checklist was designed to help districts think about AI in a hands-on, actionable way, said Keith Krueger, the executive director of CoSN.

Since a sophisticated version of ChatGPT was released last year, schools have been hungry for specifics on AI policy. But the reality is that most states and districts have held off on providing that guidance.

Instead, there’s been a “lot of high-level vision statements, either it’s ‘the promised land’ or it’s ‘the sky is falling,’ but there’s little practical guidance to help school system leaders think about what are the most important things they need to do,” Krueger said. “Educators are clamoring for guidance around policy. So, the cavalry is coming.”

The list of questions is divided into half a dozen areas for different teams within a school district to consider. They include questions for superintendents or executive leaders and operations teams, and officials working with data, as well as questions around technical readiness, security, and risk management. The work was done in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National School Public Relations Association, and the State Educational Technology Directors Association.

Another resource called Teach AI, an initiative launched by a cadre of nonprofits to help schools think through AI guidance and policy, offered another piece of practical advice:

The toolkit recommends schools consider:

  • Purpose: How can AI help achieve educational goals?
  • Compliance: How does AI fit with existing policies?
  • Knowledge: How can schools advance AI Literacy?
  • Balance: What are the benefits and risks of AI?
  • Integrity: How does AI fit into policies on things like cheating?
  • Agency: How can humans stay in the loop on AI?
  • Evaluation: How can schools regularly assess the impact of AI?

The toolkit was developed by nonprofits , , , and , with help from school leaders, teachers, and tech organizations.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Hidden Costs of Special Ed Vacancies: Solutions for Your District
When provider vacancies hit, students feel it first. Hear what district leaders are doing to keep IEP-related services on track.
Content provided by 
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Middle and High School Math: How to Get Struggling Learners on Track
Join this free virtual event to uncover the nature of students’ weaknesses in secondary-level math and find a path forward.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Privacy & Security Webinar
How Technology Is Reshaping Childhood
How do we protect kids online while embracing innovation? Learn about navigating safety, privacy, and opportunity in the Digital Age.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Artificial Intelligence New $11M Effort Aims to Train Teachers in AI. How Does It Work?
The Computer Science Teachers Association launches the "AI PD Weeks" initiative.
5 min read
A classroom at Murrell Dobbins Career & Technical Education High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 2, 2025.
A classroom at a high school in Philadelphia, Penn., on Sept. 2, 2025. K-12 Ķvlog over the summer will have hands-on learning, collaboration, and practical strategies for teaching AI in K-12 classrooms.
Rachel Wisniewski for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence From Our Research Center More Schools Are Providing AI Training for Teachers. Is It Any Good?
As more schools offer teacher training on AI, they need to move beyond basics, experts advise.
4 min read
2 State of PD on AI DEF
Edmon de Haro for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Opinion ‘What in the ChatGPT Is This?’: How EL Teachers Are Navigating AI Use
When used responsibly, AI can be a great ally for English learners.
14 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence A District Expects to Save $200K From AI-Powered 'Vibe Coding.' Here's How
This school district is using AI coding to develop cheaper, more customized ed-tech tools.
7 min read
A computer screen in English teacher Casey Cuny's classroom shows ChatGPT during class at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025
A computer screen in English teacher Casey Cuny's classroom shows ChatGPT during class at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025. A school district in Washington state on the forefront of using AI in education is harnessing artificial intelligence to create customized digital teaching and learning tools.
Jae C. Hong/AP