Laying the Groundwork for AI in Schools

Are you looking to implement AI tools in your school, but you aren’t sure where to start? Based on findings from CoSN’s recent “AI and Accessibility in Education” report by author Fernanda Pérez Perez, the 2024 Charles Blaschke scholarship fellow, you’ll learn how to create a roadmap for accessible AI implementation that benefits all students, including those with disabilities. Through these steps, you’ll be able to harness the power of AI while prioritizing equity, accessibility, and educational outcomes.

Step 1: Lay the Groundwork

Before diving into AI implementation, it’s crucial to educate yourself and your team about what generative AI is and how it can be used responsibly in education. Organize professional development sessions for education leaders and key staff members, focusing on the basics of GenAI, its capabilities, and potential pitfalls.

Discuss the importance of diverse training data and potential biases, especially regarding students with disabilities. Remember, GenAI is powerful but not perfect. Understanding its limitations is key to successful implementation.

Once your team has a solid foundation, define clear objectives for AI implementation. Keep in mind these three considerations as you do this:

1. Don’t just jump into AI because it’s trendy. Identify specific goals that align with your school’s needs, such as reducing teacher burnout or personalizing learning experiences.
2. Consider how AI might support special education initiatives, like streamlining IEP creation.
3. Set measurable objectives and start small with focused pilot projects before scaling up.

Step 2: Prioritize Privacy and Security

This likely goes without saying but protecting student data should be your top priority when implementing AI tools. Here are some tips to do that:

• Stay current on relevant regulations like FERPA and SOPPA regarding data privacy in education;
• Establish strict guidelines for what types of data can be input into AI systems and avoid uploading sensitive student information to commercial AI models; and
• Work closely with your IT team to ensure robust security measures are in place.

Remember, many AI models retain user data indefinitely, so be cautious about what information you provide.

Step 3: Evaluate and Implement Thoughtfully

As with any new, big initiatives in a school, inviting stakeholders into the process will increase buy-in and compliance. This goes for AI implementation, too, as you develop a rigorous evaluation process for AI tools before adoption. Consider this:

• Create a checklist of must-have features and deal-breakers,
• Assess tools for potential biases (especially regarding students with disabilities),
• Request transparency from vendors about their efforts to address algorithmic bias,
• Look for tools that offer “sandbox” environments for staff testing, and
• Involve teachers and staff from diverse backgrounds in the evaluation process to catch potential issues early.

Once you’ve selected appropriate tools, start with staff implementation before exposing students. Provide hands-on training sessions for teachers and administrators, encouraging them to experiment with AI tools in their daily work. Gather feedback on usability, effectiveness, and potential concerns. Use these staff experiences to refine your implementation strategy.

Step 4: Prioritize Accessibility and Develop Guidelines

Ensure that AI implementation benefits all students, especially those with disabilities. Consult with special education teachers and accessibility experts to identify how AI tools can be integrated into IEPs. Look for AI solutions that support Universal Design for Learning principles and consider providing advanced AI access to special education students if it offers significant benefits.

Then, create clear usage guidelines for AI tools. Define appropriate and inappropriate uses in the classroom, outline when students should use AI to enhance skills versus when it might hinder learning, and develop protocols for addressing potential AI-generated misinformation or biases.

Step 5: Ongoing Development and Evaluation

With AI capabilities evolving at a rapid pace, it can feel daunting to keep up with the latest—especially when you’re juggling a lot of other priorities as a school leader. It’s important to establish a system for regularly reviewing and updating policies you’ve put in place, as flexibility is key in this rapidly changing field.

As AI tools evolve, so should your staff’s knowledge and skills. Develop a long-term professional learning plan focused on AI in education, including all staff involved in the learning process. Offer both introductory and advanced training sessions and encourage peer-to-peer learning.

Regularly assess how AI tools are affecting your educational environment. Establish key performance indicators tied to your initial objectives, gather feedback from teachers, students, and parents, and analyze data on student performance, engagement, and accessibility.

This next step is key: Be prepared to adjust or discontinue tools that aren’t meeting expectations. Remember, the goal is to enhance learning outcomes, not just implement technology for its own sake.

Step 6: Foster a Culture of Responsible AI Use

As AI becomes more prevalent, instill values of ethical and responsible use throughout your district. Integrate discussions about AI ethics into relevant curriculum areas, encourage critical thinking about the role of AI in society, and promote transparency about when and how AI is being used in the classroom. Empower students to be informed consumers and potential future developers of AI technology.

Remember that AI implementation in education doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of broader efforts to address bias and foster inclusion in our communities.

As you refine your AI roadmap, consider how it aligns with other equity initiatives in your district. By taking a holistic approach, you can harness the power of AI to create more personalized, efficient, and accessible learning experiences for all students.

Krysia Gabenski is editorial director at NAESP.