The Harvard Public Schools are likely to be pioneers in the state next week if the School Committee votes to adopt a district wide Artificial Intelligence policy that has been in development for the past three years. Currently, not even the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has set an acceptable AI-use standard for public schools, though one is in development according to the Office of Educational Technology.
In an interview with the Press, Superintendent of Schools Linda Dwight said the policy was written by a group of educators from the Hildreth Elementary School and the Bromfield School who have been working since 2022 to develop a framework for using AI in the classroom.
In November of last year, the advisory group attended a yearly professional development seminar that included Harvard’s neighboring towns. The entire focus of the seminar was on AI, both how it works and how educators can use it effectively. “Adding what they learned from the seminar, my teacher advisory group started building an AI policy,” said Dwight. “It later went to our tech advisory group, which includes tech professionals from the community, and then to the School Committee’s Policy Subcommittee. We circulated drafts between those three groups for about a year.”
The policy was presented to the School Committee at its June 9 meeting, and members provided feedback to the subcommittee, which met Friday, June 27, to adopt changes and finalize the draft that will be up for vote. The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for July 7, and members will likely approve the policy for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
“Writing a policy from scratch is really hard,” said Abby Besse, chair of the School Committee. “We’re doing it without a model from MASC [Massachusetts Association of School Committees], even though they keep saying one is coming. We’ve gone through several rounds already. It’s been discussed in at least three School Committee meetings. Like any new policy, especially something this new, we expect to revise it again and again.”
AI is a powerful tool. Asked what it is and what it can do, ChatGPT, a popular AI platform responded with: “AI is a branch of computer science that focuses on building machines or software that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.” For instance, AI can be used to review a document for grammatical, spelling, and other errors and suggest improvements. It can also be used to generate original work, such as a book report, an essay, or even a speech.
“I wrote this speech the same way I wrote all my papers this year,” joked Bromfield School graduate Zach Lizotte in his commencement speech on June 5. “The night before, and using ChatGPT.”
While Lizotte’s comment was delivered tongue-in-cheek, it highlighted the need for a district-wide policy regarding acceptable use of AI in schools.
A cautionary tale
In the fall of 2024, the parents of a student at Hingham High School sued teachers and administrators in the district over disciplinary action taken against their son for his use of AI in a school assignment. According to multiple news outlets, the lawsuit claimed the student suffered damages that included being denied entry into the National Honor Society and a low grade, which parents said adversely affected his ability to be accepted to elite higher education institutions.
“For me, as a School Committee member, that was a wake-up call,” said Besse. “We need something in place, or we could be in that position. It’s not just about being proactive; it’s about being protected.”
A part of modern life
“The impetus for our policy wasn’t any lawsuit or outside incident. In fact, I wasn’t even aware of the Hingham case until now,” said Dwight. “We were careful to frame AI as a tool that can enhance, not replace, original student thought. AI can’t be banned outright. It’s part of modern life. But we can teach students how to use it responsibly and help them develop a sense of academic integrity.”
The draft policy, up for review by the School Committee next week, defines acceptable use of AI as a “tool [that] should be used for educational purposes, including but not limited to enhancing instruction, supporting student learning, and facilitating research and exploration.” It also defines unacceptable use as plagiarism, cheating, accessing or generating inappropriate content, sharing personal or sensitive information, or violating ethical standards, district core values, and academic integrity policies.
“This was very much a proactive policy built on educator insight and research,” said Dwight. “This is about growth. We’d rather students learn ethical AI use with us at [the age of] 15, rather than flunk out of college over plagiarism or lose a job later in life.”
The School Committee meeting is open to members of the public. Information can be obtained on the town’s website, under Boards and Committees>>School Committee.
