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Experts and Students Weigh in on Key Strategies for Equipping an A.I.-Ready School Community

The Innovative School’s A.I. Policy

The Gist: Did you know that according to NCES, 31% of public schools report having a written A.I. policy, or that 28 states have already issued guidance on the use of A.I. in schools? Yet, 42% of students reported to The Social Institute that while their school might have rules around A.I., those rules are not clear. This confusion in policies often leads to frustration for the entire school community – students, families, and educators alike. That’s why we sat down with Dan Humphrey, Director of Information Technology at St. Edward High School, to explore how schools can craft effective, flexible A.I. policies that prepare students for a future where artificial intelligence is woven into daily life. The biggest takeaway? By involving educators, students, and families, schools can create policies that earn buy-in, remain relevant as technology changes, and empower students to use A.I. as a tool for learning and creativity.

What to Know: Many schools may feel behind on A.I. policy, but the reality is that everyone is navigating this new territory of A.I. in education together. Some schools are experiencing common pitfalls, like over-policing or viewing A.I. only as a cheating shortcut. As a leader in A.I. and education, Humphrey revealed that the best policies balance guardrails with opportunity and involve the entire school community in their creation. School leaders can create strong A.I. policies by engaging student leaders, hosting parent sessions with A.I. experts, and offering clear, visual guidelines on acceptable use. Schools can even slowly introduce younger students to A.I. use in age-appropriate ways, using playful, interactive activities that build critical thinking skills. The end goal: prepare students to navigate A.I. for problem-solving, creativity, and ethical decision-making, rather than avoiding the technology altogether.

TSI’s Take: Remember: Clear is kind. Educators have an opportunity to be role models and lead students through this technological shift positively. Instead of fearing A.I.’s impact, we can guide students to see it as a partner in learning, not a replacement for effort. This means writing broad, adaptable policies that evolve alongside the tools, integrating A.I. into lessons in intentional ways, and creating a culture of transparency and shared expectations. Make sure your A.I. policies remain relevant by:

• Regularly reviewing and adapting policies as A.I. evolves
• Soliciting ongoing feedback from students and teachers
• Monitoring A.I. trends to stay ahead of potential challenges

The result will be an ever-evolving policy for a changing landscape that everyone is on board with. Watch the full webinar here for in-depth strategies on creating or enhancing your school’s A.I. policy.

Equipping Educators to Teach A.I. Literacy & Weave it into your School Day

The Gist: In only one year, Google has seen an exponential growth in searches for the term “A.I. Literacy.” Yet many educators still feel unprepared to teach it. EdWeek Research Center finds that more than 50% of teachers surveyed have not been trained on how to spot A.I.-generated deepfakes, or that their training was “poor.” To help students thrive, teachers need support too—when educators feel confident using A.I. themselves, they can model critical thinking, guide ethical use, and integrate it meaningfully into learning. We huddled with Lynn Girolamo of Greece Central School District and Matthew Jordan of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School to explore how schools can embrace A.I. as a learning partner, and equip students with the skills to adapt, innovate, and succeed in a future shaped by A.I.

What to know: Today’s students need more than “don’t cheat” warnings. They need guidance on how to navigate A.I. in smart, creative, and responsible ways. In the classroom, A.I. can be a game-changer in helping students brainstorm ideas, polish their writing, or double-check a math problem, while still keeping them accountable for building the real skills that matter.

And here’s the good news: teachers don’t have to be tech experts to get started. School leaders can set the tone by showing how they use A.I. in staff meetings, trying out simple, low-stakes examples, and giving teachers PD that makes experimenting feel safe. Families should be part of the conversation, too. While some parents are unsure about A.I., comparing it to tools they already know, like a tutor or Google Translate, helps make it less intimidating.

TSI’s Take This moment is a turning point. Just as schools once embraced calculators and computers, they now have the opportunity to integrate A.I. in ways that build critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and creativity. By modeling responsible use, equipping educators with tools and PD, and keeping families in the loop, schools can move from fear-based restrictions to empowerment. The key strategies for implementing effective A.I. Literacy across your school day?

• Emphasize the importance of adult-use first: Students can’t be what they can’t see. Encourage transparency in how educators use the technology to enhance their teaching, not replace it.
• Understand the connection between A.I. Literacy and student success: The ability to use artificial intelligence is becoming a life skill, not just a tech skill, that students will need as they enter college or careers. 
• Have open communication between students and families: By keeping families in the loop on what their students are learning, schools can move from fear-based restrictions to empowerment.

At the end of the day, future-ready schools are the ones bringing students, educators, and families together around a shared vision for navigating A.I. responsibly. They’re rethinking assessments, weaving A.I. Literacy into every grade level, and helping every student grow the skills they’ll need to thrive in an A.I.-powered world. Dive deeper into these strategies and tips by watching this webinar now. 

A.I. According to Students: How educators can help students navigate artificial intelligence

The Gist: If one thing is clearer than ever, it is that A.I. isn’t going away, and schools have a huge opportunity to help students navigate it thoughtfully and in ways that will positively shape their futures. To truly understand how to support students best, we went straight to the source and huddled with a few student leaders on their experiences with A.I. so far and how schools can integrate A.I. education across K–12. The conversation underscored one thing: A.I. works best when it’s a partner, not a replacement, and students thrive when they have both guidance and a voice in the process.

What to know: Rather than presenting A.I. as a shortcut or a threat, the students encouraged educators to model responsible use and guide students in developing critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and media literacy. They also suggested that schools begin introducing A.I. early on to set a foundation of truth, attribution, and ethical tech use in the younger grades. Then, layering in more complex skills as students progress, making A.I. a familiar part of learning, rather than a sudden challenge in high school. 

As A.I. continues to reshape education, Heidi Segars, a student leader from UNC-Chapel Hill, suggested focusing more on the learning process over just the outcomes. This reframes assessments to value thinking and reasoning, reducing pressure to misuse A.I. while emphasizing skill development. 

When woven thoughtfully into every grade and classroom, these strategies help students, educators, and families build a shared understanding, trust, and confidence in navigating A.I. responsibly, setting the stage for a future-ready school community.

TSI’s Take: The future of A.I. Literacy depends on student-centered collaboration. By engaging students, equipping educators, and keeping families informed, schools can transform A.I. from a source of anxiety into a learning partner. Here are a few key strategies for bringing this to life at your school:

• Lead with transparency: When educators use A.I. to draft lessons, create materials, or analyze data, being open about it models responsible use and builds trust.
• Highlight positive applications: Focus on how A.I. can generate ideas, improve resource distribution, and address real-world challenges, shifting the narrative from fear to opportunity.
• Integrate A.I. across K–12: Start with foundational skills, then layer in more advanced applications as students grow.
• Shift assessment focus: Emphasize reasoning, problem-solving, and the process of learning over the end product.

If you’re ready to equip future-ready students who can think critically, collaborate, and use technology responsibly, request a demo of The Social Institute’s positive, proactive, and student-centered approach to A.I. Literacy.

The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in equipping students, families, and educators with modern life skills to impact learning, well-being, and students’ futures. Through #WinAtSocial, our interactive, peer-to-peer learning platform, we integrate teacher PD, family resources, student voice insights, and more to empower entire school communities to make positive choices online and offline. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach essential skills while capturing student voice and actionable insights for educators. These insights help educators maintain a healthy school culture, foster high-impact teaching, and build meaningful relationships with families. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips students authentically, enabling our solution to increase classroom participation and improve student-teacher relationships. Through our one-of-a-kind lesson development process, we create lessons for a variety of core and elective classes, incorporating timely topics such as social media, A.I., screen time, misinformation, and current events to help schools stay proactive in supporting student health, happiness, and academic success.