Michigan Dept. of Education AI Starter Guide for Districts

The guide offers a practical starting point for K-12 districts to integrate AI through updated policies, human oversight, and literacy training. It focuses on maintaining academic integrity and data privacy while leveraging AI to support educational goals.

# Artificial Intelligence (AI) Starter Guide for Districts

## Contents

Introduction Essential Practices to Consider Suggested Starter Checklist Policies to Consider Updating Professional Learning Considerations Resources

### Introduction

- This starter guide is designed for districts with limited capacity to implement AI guidance. It focuses on essential practices to ensure safe, equitable, and effective AI use without overwhelming staff. For more detailed guidance, consider referring to the MDE Artificial Intelligence (AI) Comprehensive Guide for Districts linked in the resources list below.

### Essential Practices to Consider

- Keep AI Purposeful and Safe – Districts may consider using AI to support learning and operations, as well as aligning with district goals. - Protect Privacy and Integrity – Districts must be aware of and follow privacy laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, and accessibility laws. Districts may encourage staff and students to document when and how AI tools are used (e.g., in assignments) to support academic integrity and transparency.

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• Build AI Literacy for All – Districts may consider offering computer science concepts, such as algorithms, data, and computational thinking, that form the foundational knowledge needed to fully develop AI literacy.

• Maintain Human Oversight – AI can assist, but not replace, educators or decisionmakers. Districts may choose to review tools for bias, accuracy, and appropriateness prior to adoption.

Suggested Starter Checklist

Districts may consider:

¨ Drafting a short AI vision statement (example – Ann Arbor AI Bill of Rights).

¨ Updating the acceptable use policy (AUP) with AI language for staff and students.

¨ Creating disclosure norms and a prohibited uses list.

¨ Adding vendor clauses to procurement templates.

¨ Scheduling one professional learning (PL) session on AI basics. ¨ Adding AI readiness indicators and goals to the Michigan Integrated Continuous

¨ Adding AI readiness indicators and goals to the Michigan Integrated Continuous Improvement Process (MICIP) needs assessment/plan.

¨ Reviewing usage of AI data every semester.

Policies to Consider Updating

Districts may consider updating the following district documents:

| Policy Area | Content area | Potential Owner | | --- | --- | --- | | AUP | Add AI norms | Tech Director | | Privacy&Data | Include AI safeguards | Data Privacy Officer | | Academic Integrity | Add disclosure/citation rules | Curriculum Lead | | Procurement | Vendor AI clauses | Business Office |

Professional Learning Considerations

• Offering a PL session on AI basics, ethical use, and creating effective prompts.

Districts may consider:

• Discussing use of simple classroom prompts (e.g., 'Check for bias,' 'Verify sources,' 'Disclose AI use').

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# Resources

- Michigan Virtual AI Professional Learning - EduPaths PL Catalog - REMC Professional Learning o AI Prompt Guidance for Educators o Sample AI Prompts for Educators - MDE Artificial Intelligence (AI) Comprehensive Guide for Districts Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Disclosure: Microsoft CoPilot was used to check the grammar and flow of this document. It was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a human editor(s) prior to publication.