Boardman Local School District approves new policy to guide AI use in schools

As artificial intelligence tools continue to evolve and appear in classrooms, Boardman Local School District is taking proactive steps to manage their use. On Monday, the Board of Education approved a new AI policy designed to help the district navigate the fast-changing technology while protecting educational standards.

“We know AI is coming. It impacts our students. It impacts the world around us,” said Superintendent Chris Neifer. “So we wanted to make sure we were in the right position to work with it as it grows.”

The newly approved policy outlines expectations for both students and staff regarding how AI can be used in educational settings. It includes guidelines to ensure AI tools are used appropriately and don’t replace the development of essential skills like critical thinking and collaboration.

“It gives us the ability to make sure that we're using it appropriately,” Neifer explained, “and to make sure we still continue to harness those important things for our kids—creative thinking skills and those types—so there's not too much of a reliance on the AI software.”

Neifer said he and several other district leaders recently completed nine professional development sessions on AI through the state of Ohio. Those trainings covered everything from the basics of how AI works to its potential impacts on education and the future job market.

“So really, we went from the beginnings of really, what is AI, to the impacts that it's going to have in the educational world and the job market,” Neifer said. “It really helped us streamline and understand what our policies need to look like, so we can support the students and the staff to use this resource effectively.”

The district is also evaluating AI detection tools and other software, though Neifer said those decisions are still in progress.

“It's been fairly unregulated at this point,” he added. “We want to make sure the resource is being used for good and not evil, and that we're supporting our teachers so they're not trying to figure this out on their own.”

Although the policy has been approved, implementation is still underway. District leaders say they want to be intentional about how AI is integrated into classrooms, ensuring students are not only prepared to use it—but also to think critically alongside it.