Columbus City Schools will consider creating or adopting a new policy that could instruct how students, staff, and faculty could appropriately use AI technology.
The district doesn't have a policy on the books now, but wants to get ahead of it as institutions like Ohio State University begin to integrate AI into coursework. The Columbus Board of Education's Policy and Governance Committee got an update on the policy at a meeting in early June.
Columbus City Schools' Chief Information Officer Christopher Lockhart told the committee that what he calls the "AI genie" can't be put back in the bottle as using AI becomes a competitive skill moving forward. Lockhart's message spoke to the situation many schools have found themselves in since the creation of generative AI chatbots like ChaptGPT, which launched in 2022.
Since then, the technology has presented challenges for all levels of education across the country. Many teachers are concerned the technology allows students to cheat on exams, essays and other homework assignments.
That was before Ohio State University earlier this month announced it would begin embedding AI into its curriculum with the goal of making all students "fluent" in the technology's usage, starting with the incoming Class of 2029. The university will also relax potential discipline for students who use AI in their coursework.
CCS school board member Sarah Ingles, who chaired the committee, framed the advent of the technology as the "wild, wild west." Ingles said teachers have raised concerns about the authenticity and concerns of cheating that arise when students use AI.
"We do have policies in place around those issues, but they do not specifically speak to the types of tools that may be used in the classroom or the types of technology that may be used," Ingles said.
Lockhart told the committee for Ohio's largest school district last week that he knows what any policy needs to include.
"That's why I believe that the policy should say: 'thou shalt not cheat, thou shall not copy,'" Lockhart said. "And if you reference something that comes from AI, 'thou shall cite.'"
Lockhart and the committee members discussed how other school districts like Worthington City Schools are adopting policies on AI created by the North East Ohio Learning Associates, or NEOLA.
Lockhart said it is his personal belief that the NEOLA-style AI policy creates the expectations and some protections, while not creating any pitfalls that may come back as the AI emergence toddler goes through growing pains.
"(AI) may look completely different in another two and a half years from now," Lockhart said.
A final decision wasn't made, but the group signaled they'd be open to creating their own policy that is more flexible and could adapt as the young technology continues to evolve.
"I don't want to create a situation where we're handcuffing ourselves and losing that competitive edge with other school districts, because our school board policy says that we cannot do certain things using AI," Lockhart said.
Lockhart said students and staff are already using AI and the district should focus on making sure the technology is used properly.
The Columbus school board could consider a new AI policy soon. Lockhart was instructed by the committee to come up with a policy and later present it to the board for consideration and adoption.
