The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education is weighing a new policy that would outline responsible student and staff use of artificial intelligence.
The policy, formally introduced at Thursday night’s board meeting, says AI should be used to enhance learning — not to replace human thinking.
“While AI may enhance future educational outcomes, streamline administrative processes and provide valuable tools for our students and staff, AI cannot be used to replace human interaction, creativity or decision making,” said board member Dee Rankin, who chairs the policy committee.
The policy says that a new AI Review Committee must approve use of all AI-powered technologies or software, and the district must provide training for all approved systems.
The district would require students and staff to properly cite and acknowledge when they’ve used AI, and the policy instructs students to use the technology to enhance critical thinking and “not as a substitute for effort or problem-solving skills.”
Among other things, the policy says the district will monitor various AI programs for instances of bias, forbids staff from entering confidential information into an AI program and notes that all AI-produced materials — including any prompts used to generate content — are subject to public records laws.
The board must hold a public hearing on the policy before voting on it. CMS has been exploring how to incorporate AI in the classroom since last school year.
Ahead of this school year, the district outlined a new AI strategy that named dozens of “AI Champion” schools that would pilot various AI initiatives.
