Guiding Principles of AI Use in LPS

Purpose

This document provides guidance for Lincoln Public Schools students, staff, and school communities on the appropriate and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI tools, in classroom instruction, school leadership, and districtwide operations. Generative AI has potential benefits for education and risks that must be thoughtfully managed.

AI refers to computer systems that are taught to automate tasks normally requiring human intelligence. “Generative AI” tools can produce new content, such as text, images, or music, based on patterns they’ve learned from their training data. While generative AI tools show great promise and often make useful suggestions, they are designed to guess what a human might say or do in a situation, so their output can be inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete.

Scope

This guidance applies to all Lincoln Public Schools students, teachers, staff, administrators, and third parties who develop, implement, or interact with technologies used in our education system. It covers all systems used for education, administration, and operations, including, but not limited to, generative AI models, intelligent tutoring systems, conversational agents (chat bots), automation software, and analytics tools. This guidance aligns with and supports existing LPS Policies on technology use, data protection, academic integrity, and student support.

Guiding Principles for AI Use

  1. LPS uses AI to help all students achieve their educational goals. LPS staff may use approved AI tools to help improve student learning, teacher effectiveness, and school operations. LPS is committed to evaluating AI tools for accessibility, biases, and ethical concerns.

  2. LPS regularly reviews policies, procedures, and practices. AI is one of many technologies used in our schools, and its use must align with existing regulations to protect student data privacy, ensure accessibility, and protect against harmful content. LPS staff and students must not share personally identifiable information (PII) with any unauthorized system. LPS continuously evaluates existing and future technologies to address any gaps in compliance. Information Technology Rule #9 specifically outlines AI use in LPS.

  3. LPS educates our staff and students about AI. Promoting AI literacy among LPS students and staff is central to addressing the risks of AI use and teaches critical skills. Students and staff are given support to develop AI literacy, which includes how to use AI, when to use it, and how it works.

  4. LPS explores the opportunities of AI and addresses the risks. As technology evolves, LPS works to realize the benefits of AI in education, address associated risks, and evaluate safe and appropriate use of AI tools, with special attention to misinformation and bias.

  5. LPS emphasizes integrity. Honesty, fairness, respect, and responsibility are expectations for staff and students. All users must be truthful in giving credit to sources, and honest in presenting work that is genuinely their own.

  6. LPS staff and students take responsibility when using AI. Staff and students are accountable for AI informed pedagogical or decision-making processes. AI tools can provide recommendations or enhance decision-making, but staff and students serve as critical consumers of AI and ultimately must accept responsibility when using any AI generated content. LPS employees are expected to use professional judgment, critical thinking, and subject knowledge to evaluate content generated by AI tools.