AI | conversation | education | leadership | policy

Now that regulatory frameworks are already defining approaches to AI in education, school leaders and district administrators are taking on the task of making compliance a part of schools’ day-to-day culture. If this is something you’re working through at the moment, read on for example conversation prompts and policy language that you can use to make this happen in your school or organization.

AI governance should be a visible, routine part of professional practice rather than an external demand. That means translating compliance into shared language and daily behaviors, supported by an AI implementation plan.

Teachers, students, and parents all need to be clear that AI literacy is not just about technical competence, but ethical fluency and digital citizenship: the ability to recognize how AI systems work, where accountability lies, and when human judgment must step in. This should be a focal point of AI policy for schools and districts.

Ultimately, it’s the role of school leaders to set the tone across their organizations. With the right approach, senior teams can open up dialogue, align policy, and embed ethical AI use in schools as a shared professional norm that strengthens learning, trust, and institutional integrity.

Conversation starters for staff meetings about AI

Below are 5 discussion prompts that you could try out at your next staff meeting, to steer productive conversations and come up with impactful next steps around the responsible implementation of AI.
 

Policy language that builds trust, oversight, and literacy

To support this cultural shift, any school policy that relates to technology should now reflect AI-specific duties. The statements below are examples that could inform the policy language that you’re developing for your school. They combine legal obligations, ethical principles, and pedagogical clarity to ensure staff and students know what responsible AI use looks like in daily practice.

Student Use of AI

• Students may use school-approved AI tools for learning activities such as planning, brainstorming, organizing information, and checking understanding, provided those uses comply with the school’s AI Policy and teacher instructions.
• AI outputs may inform ideas but may not be submitted as original student work.
• All AI-assisted work must include a log of prompts, excerpts, and revisions, to maintain transparency and academic integrity.
• Students must receive explicit, age-appropriate instruction before using any AI system.

Teacher Use of AI

• Teachers act as human overseers in every AI-supported task, ensuring all educational decisions remain human-led and explainable.
• Teachers must label any AI-generated text, image, voice, or video used in class materials or presentations to uphold transparency and trust.
• AI-generated materials may supplement teaching but must never replace professional judgment or misrepresent authorship.
• Teachers are expected to model ethical practice and support students in developing AI literacy (such as understanding how systems work, where data goes, and how bias or error may occur).

Institutional Commitments

• The leadership team will conduct a regular AI Register review to evaluate approved tools, assess risks, and document controls.
• The leadership team will ensure that all staff receive annual training in AI ethics, oversight, and responsible use.
• The school will publish a short AI Governance Statement on its website, summarizing its approach to transparency, accountability, and student protection.
• Families will be informed whenever a new AI tool or feature is introduced that affects how student data or learning content is processed.

These principles should be embedded into the school’s existing policy frameworks that cover various areas, including:

• Academic Integrity Policy: for originality, authorship, and integrity of assessed work.
• Digital Safety Policy: for data protection, consent, and age-appropriate use.
• Teaching and Learning Policy: for professional ethics, transparency, and oversight.Safeguarding and Wellbeing Policy: for protecting minors in digital environments.

With consistent AI policy in place and steady, supportive communication from leadership, educators will be in a strong position to teach confidently, creatively, and safely in the age of intelligent systems.

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