DISTRICT · PUBLIC · TECH · 2025

BP 0441 Artificial Intelligence

Palo Alto Unified School District · Palo Alto Unified School District, CA

AI summary

TL;DR

This policy establishes principles for the ethical and effective use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the school district, aiming to enhance learning, support staff, and ensure equitable access while addressing potential risks.

PURPOSE

The policy recognizes AI's potential to improve education and administrative tasks but also acknowledges its risks. Its purpose is to guide the responsible adoption and application of AI, ensuring it aligns with educational goals, ethical standards, and legal requirements for students and staff.

KEY PROVISIONS

AI use must be student-centered, enhancing learning and supporting digital literacy.
AI should augment staff capabilities, not replace them, in their duties.
Ethical and transparent AI use is mandated, with consideration for bias and compliance with intellectual property laws.
Users of AI are accountable and responsible for its deployment and impact.
Equitable access and opportunity to AI must be ensured for all students and schools.
Security and privacy are paramount when integrating AI practices.
Ongoing professional development on ethical and responsible AI use is required for staff.
Community engagement is necessary to educate and define permitted/prohibited AI uses.

WHO IT APPLIES TO

Students, staff, and the broader community of the school district

Full text

PROPOSED POLICY (NEW FOR PAUSD)

Policy 0441: Artificial Intelligence Original CSBA Adopted Date: 06/01/2025

The Board of Education recognizes the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to increase student access to information, support teacher effectiveness, and facilitate the administration of student assessments, as well as the potential for AI to undermine student achievement, health, and well-being. Therefore, the Board is committed to supporting the use of AI by students and staff in accordance with the following principles:

1. Student-Centered: AI should be used to personalize and enhance the learning experience Commented [AB1]: Staff recommend striking for each student and to support digital citizenship and literacy “personalize and.”

2. Staff-Centered: AI should be used as a tool to augment and support, rather than replace, staff in the performance of their duties and responsibilities

3. Ethical Use and Transparency: AI should be used ethically and transparently by all staff and students, with careful consideration of potential biases, and in compliance with all applicable intellectual property and copyright laws

4. Accountability and Responsibility: AI should be used in a manner that ensures accountability by those who use it and that those who use it are responsible for such use, including when and how it is used

5. Equity and Access: AI should be implemented in a manner that ensures equitable access and opportunity for all students, regardless of background or ability, and for all schools across the district

6. Secure and Private: The district should prioritize security and privacy when changing existing practices or adopting new practices regarding AI

7. Professional Development: The district should provide ongoing professional development for staff in all aspects of AI, with a particular focus on the ethical and responsible use of AI

8. Community Engagement: The district should engage with the community to share these principles, to educate the community on AI, and to discuss the permitted and prohibited uses of AI in the district

9. Continuous Improvement: The district should regularly evaluate the use of AI by students and staff, and adapt its policies, procedures, and professional development to align with best practices and evolving technologies

The Superintendent shall ensure that the use of AI in the district is consistent with this policy, Board Policy 0440 - District Technology Plan, Board Policy/Exhibit (1) 4040 - Employee Use of Commented [AB2]: Staff recommend striking. PAUSD Technology, Board Policy 5131.9 - Academic Honesty, Board Policy 6154 - Homework/Makeup does not have a BP 0440.

Work, Board Policy 6162.5 - Student Assessment, and Board Policy/Exhibit (1) 6163.4 - Student Use of Technology. Artificial intelligence means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in its level of autonomy and that can, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments. (Education Code 33328.5)

Policy Reference Disclaimer: These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority for the Governing Board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.

State Description Bus. and Prof. Code 22584-22585 Student Online Personal Information Protection Act

Ed. Code 10550-10555 Telecommunications standards

Ed. Code 11800 K-12 High Speed Network grant program

Ed. Code 33328.5 Statewide AI Task Force

Ed. Code 49060-49085 Student records

Ed. Code 51006 Computer education and resources

Ed. Code 51007 Programs to strengthen technological skills

Ed. Code 51865 California distance learning policy

Ed. Code 60010 Instructional materials; definition

Pen. Code 502 Computer crimes; remedies

Federal Description 16 CFR Part 312 Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule

20 USC 1232g Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974

20 USC 1232h Privacy rights

20 USC 7101-7122 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants

34 CFR Part 99 Family Educational Rights and Privacy

47 CFR 54.500-54.523 Universal service support for schools

47 USC 254 Universal service discounts (E-rate)

Management Resources Description Website CSBA AI Task Force

Website U.S. Congress Bipartisan House Task Force Report on Artificial Intelligence Website Federal Communications Commission Cybersecurity Resource Recommendations

Website Computer-Using Educators (CUE)

Website California IT in Education (CITE)

Website California Department of Education, Learning With IA, Learning About AI

Website CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services

Website Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership

Website California Department of Education, Education Technology Office

Website CSBA

Cross References

Code Description 0000 Vision

0200 Goals For The School District

0400 Comprehensive Plans

0415 Equity

0440 District Technology Plan

0460 Local Control And Accountability Plan

0500 Accountability

1113 District And School Websites

1113-E(1) District And School Websites

1114 District-Sponsored Social Media

1340 Access To District Records

3100 Budget

3260 Fees And Charges 3260 Fees And Charges

3311.4 Procurement Of Technological Equipment

3312 Contracts

3512 Equipment

3512-E(1) Equipment

3580 District Records

4040 Employee Use Of Technology

4040-E(1) Employee Use Of Technology

4112.6 Personnel Files

4131 Staff Development

4212.6 Personnel Files

4222 Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals

4231 Staff Development

4312.6 Personnel Files

4331 Staff Development

5125 Student Records

5131 Conduct

5131.2 Bullying

6141 Curriculum Development And Evaluation

6142.6 Visual And Performing Arts Education

6142.92 Mathematics Instruction

6142.93 Science Instruction

6161.1 Selection And Evaluation Of Instructional Materials

6161.1-E(1) Selection And Evaluation Of Instructional Materials

6162.51 State Academic Achievement Tests 6162.51 State Academic Achievement Tests

6162.54 Test Integrity/Test Preparation

6162.6 Use Of Copyrighted Materials

6163.1 Library Media Centers

6163.4 Student Use Of Technology

6163.4-E(1) Student Use Of Technology

6178 Career Technical Education

6200 Adult Education

Citation

Palo Alto Unified School District. (2025). BP 0441 Artificial Intelligence. Retrieved from https://k12policies.com/policy/p3 (original: https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/pausd/Board.nsf/files/DP3TY77999F4/$file/20251216BP0441ArtificialIntelligencePROPOSED.pdf).