Hall County School District
Generative AI Guidelines

The Hall County School District recognizes Artificial Intelligence (AI), when integrated thoughtfully and responsibly, has the potential to transform the educational landscape by making learning more efficient, effective, and engaging for all students. These resources are supplemental and support effective teaching practices.

Overview of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence, commonly referred to as AI, encompasses a broad range of computer science techniques and technologies that enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning from data, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and understanding natural language. AI systems can operate through algorithms, machine learning models, and neural networks, which allow them to adapt and improve over time based on the data to which they are exposed. Generative AI refers to a subset of AI that creates new content, such as text, images, music, or code. It does this by learning patterns from a massive amount of data and then generating new content that is similar to the training data.

Ethical & Responsible Use of AI

The ethical use of AI in education is paramount. AI applications should be designed and deployed in ways that respect all students, parents, and educators. Educators, administrators, and students should:

• Ensure AI applications are used in a supportive, not high-stakes manner.
• Use AI to enhance, not replace, human judgment and interaction.
• Promote transparency about when and how AI is being used.
• Respect privacy and ensure data protection in all AI endeavors.

Like any tool and technology, AI can be leveraged appropriately or inappropriately. Generally, when AI is used for high-stakes purposes (i.e. directly impacting and influencing the performance and evaluation of students and educators) its use should be reassessed. Streamlining administrative processes at the detriment of the human element can lead to mistrust and challenges associated with AI’s ethical use in the classroom setting. For example, a teacher may find using AI to write IEP goals as a benefit to save time, but the parent/guardian of a student with a disability might view the use of AI as disconnected from the individual needs of his or her child. See the table below for examples of appropriate support uses of AI. In the educational setting, educators and leaders should refrain from using AI in a high stakes manner.

Safeguarding Privacy: Protecting Personally Identifiable Information in AI Systems

To protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII), the following practices must be adhered to:

• Never input PII, such as social security numbers, home addresses, health information, academic information, employee performance, or other sensitive data into AI systems.
• Educate all users about the risks and responsibilities of handling PII and integrate this into annual professional learning requirements.

Protecting student and staff privacy is a top priority. AI systems can process vast amounts of data, and it is essential to ensure that this data does not include sensitive personal information. Schools should implement strict data handling policies and provide training to all staff on data privacy best practices.

Key Federal Statutes and Regulations 

• Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA):

• 47 USC §231
• 16 CFR Part 312

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):

• 20 USC §1232g
• 34 CFR Part 99

• Privacy Act of 1974:

• 5 USC §552a
• 22 CFR Part 1101

• Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA):

• 20 USC §1232h
• 34 CFR Part 98

• Section 504: Rehabilitation Act applies to both physical and digital environments. Schools must ensure that their digital content and technologies are accessible to students with disabilities.

• IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act): AI must not be implemented in a way that denies disabled students equal access to education opportunities.

Guidance for Staff

• Approval and Evaluation of AI Tools:  All digital resources, including AI tools, must be approved using the HCSD Digital Resource Request process. School administration should evaluate the purpose and instructional value of AI tools before making a request. Be aware of any age restrictions that might exist for tools.
• AI Output Review: Always review and critically assess outputs from AI tools before using or disseminating information. The use of AI should support effective, research-based teaching practices. Never rely solely on AI-generated content without review.
• Bias and Misinformation: Be aware that AI-generated content may possess biases or inaccuracies. Always verify AI-produced results using trusted sources and understand the limitations of AI.
• Safety and Respect: Users must not use AI tools to create or propagate harmful, misleading, or inappropriate content. Never input Personally Identifiable Information (PII) into AI systems.
• AI for Instruction: It is the responsibility of teachers and school leaders to clearly define and communicate the appropriate and prohibited uses of AI tools in the classroom. Depending on the assignment and learning targets, educators may permit the limited use of generative AI on full assignments, parts of assignments, or no use at all. These guidelines should be clearly outlined and may be adjusted as needed to align with instructional goals.

Using AI in the Classroom

For responsible and effective use of AI in the classroom, it’s important to set clear expectations and procedures for using AI tools.

To support learning while maintaining academic integrity:

• Define specific assignments where AI tools can be used (e.g., research projects).

• Clearly state when students must rely on their own knowledge (e.g., during exams or assessments).

AI tools can be powerful aids in the learning process, but it is important to set clear boundaries for their use. For example, students might use AI to assist with research, but they should not rely on AI for tasks that are meant to assess their individual understanding, such as exams.  

Clear guidelines help maintain academic integrity and ensure that students develop their own critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

General Best Practices for Classroom Use  

To maximize benefits and mitigate risks:

• Integrate AI tools in a way that complements traditional teaching methods.

• Encourage critical thinking about AI limitations.

Effective use of AI in the classroom involves integrating these tools in ways that support and enhance traditional teaching methods.

The following are additional examples of how the responsible use of AI can support student learning:

• Aiding Creativity: Students can harness generative AI to spark creativity across diverse subjects, including writing, visual arts, and music composition.
• Collaboration: Students can partner with Generative AI tools in group projects by contributing concepts, supplying research support, and identifying relationships between varied information.
• Communication: AI can offer students real-time translation, personalized language exercises, and interactive dialogue simulations.
• Content Creation and Enhancement: AI can help generate personalized study materials, summaries, quizzes, and visual aids, help students organize thoughts and content, and help review content.
• Tutoring: AI technologies have the potential to transform one-to-one tutoring and support, making personalized learning more accessible to a broader range of students. AI-powered virtual teaching assistants may provide non-stop support, answer questions, help with homework, and supplement classroom instruction.

Educators should help students understand the strengths and limitations of AI, encouraging them to think critically about the information and recommendations provided by AI systems. It is essential that ongoing training is provided to help teachers equip students to use AI tools effectively and responsibly.

Attributing Work to AI

Proper attribution of work generated by AI is crucial. With the increasing capabilities of AI to generate content, it is important to distinguish between human and AI-generated work clearly.  

Guidelines include:

• Clearly identify AI-generated content in student submissions.
• Encourage honesty and integrity in acknowledging AI assistance.
• Educators should model appropriate attribution practices in their own work.

Students should be taught to recognize the contributions of AI in their work. This not only fosters academic integrity but also helps students understand the role of AI in their learning process.

Educators should clearly outline the expectations for attribution in their assignments and provide examples of how to properly cite AI-generated content.

Guidance for Students

Students should develop an understanding of how AI tools are designed and why they generate certain outputs. It is essential for them to think critically about AI, assessing when and how it should be used in different contexts. Students should follow the HCSD Acceptable Use Policy for Students and should follow their teachers’ guidance on the use of AI tools. By following these guidelines, students will use generative AI responsibly, ensuring that it supports learning while maintaining academic integrity and digital citizenship.

1. Use of Generative AI Tools for School Assignments

Students are expected to adhere to the following rules regarding the use of generative AI tools:

• Teacher-Specific Guidelines:

• Students must follow the specific level of AI use permitted by their teacher for each assignment.
• If no AI use is explicitly allowed, students should assume AI tools are not permitted for that assignment.
• Students should ask for clarity before using if they are unsure.

• Disclosure of AI Use:

• Students are required to disclose if and how they used generative AI tools in completing their work, including identifying specific sections or ideas generated by AI.
• Proper citations must be included for any content, ideas, or suggestions derived from AI tools, in accordance with classroom guidelines.

• Prohibited Uses:

• Academic Integrity: Using AI to complete entire assignments without significant personal contributions or to bypass learning objectives is prohibited.
• Submitting AI-generated work as one’s own without acknowledgment is prohibited and will be addressed according to the HCSD Code of Conduct.
• Students should always follow teacher guidance on the use of AI and cite their use of AI, when use is allowed. Students should also refrain from using AI to misuse intellectual property or misrepresent the likeness of others.
• Bullying/harassment: Using AI tools to impersonate others for bullying, harassment, or any form of intimidation is strictly prohibited. All users are expected to employ these tools solely for educational purposes, upholding values of respect, inclusivity, and academic integrity at all times.
• Overreliance: It is important not to become too dependent on AI tools. These tools lack human insight or understanding of specific situations. Students should continue to practice critical thinking by reviewing and evaluating outputs generated by AI before use. Use of AI should be meaningful and responsible.

2. Approved Use of Generative AI on School Technology

To ensure student safety and appropriate use of technology, the following rules apply when students use school devices or networks to access generative AI tools:

• Approved Tools Only:

• Students may only use generative AI tools that have been reviewed and approved by the HCSD for educational purposes.
• The use of unapproved AI tools on school devices or networks is strictly prohibited.

• Supervised Use:

• Students should access generative AI tools for academic purposes under teacher guidance or as part of an approved assignment.

• Data Privacy:

• Students must not input personal, sensitive, or confidential information into AI tools.

3. Responsibilities and Consequences

Student Responsibilities:

• Adhere to all policies regarding acceptable technology use and academic integrity.
• Seek clarification from teachers or school staff if uncertain about the proper use of generative AI for a specific task.
• Use AI tools thoughtfully, ensuring that their work demonstrates originality and personal understanding.

Consequences for Misuse:

Violations of these guidelines, including inappropriate use of generative AI tools, will be addressed according to the HCSD Code of Conduct.

Portions of this guidance were inspired or adapted from the following sources:

• Leveraging AI in the K-12 Setting from the Georgia Department of Education 
• US Department of Educational Technology: Artificial Intelligence
• AI Framework from the Utah DOE
• TeachAI Toolkit
• Salem City School District