Ohio's School AI Policy Will Evolve With the Tech
Ohio's Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) has released a model AI policy that's intentionally light on specifics. Districts and charter schools must adopt their own formal AI policies by July 1, using the model as a starting point.
Expect updates. "We fully anticipate the need to continue to come back and revise this policy," said Chris Woolard, DEW's chief integration officer. AI is moving fast, and the state's guidance is meant to be iterative.
What the Model Policy Covers Right Now
- Ethical use expectations for students and staff.
- Student use of AI only when a teacher explicitly allows it.
- Follow tool Terms of Service and age limits.
- AI can support brainstorming or limited research, but it cannot replace student effort.
- District procedures to investigate suspected misuse (no prescribed method).
- "No assignment shall require the use of a tool that cannot be provided" by the district.
- Family communication about AI in classrooms and the skills students need for future workplaces.
- Parent warnings about the risks of unsupervised AI use.
- Compliance with federal privacy laws, including FERPA.
- Ban on using AI for bullying, harassment, intimidation, or harmful imagery of students or staff.
- References to state laws on non-consensual intimate imagery and Braden's Law (HB 531) on sexual extortion.
What This Means for District Leaders
Treat the state model as a base layer. You'll need local rules that reflect your student population, instructional goals, and tech environment. There are no AI learning standards yet, so build policy and professional learning that you can refine over time.
- Form a cross-functional AI working group (curriculum, IT, legal, building leaders, teachers, students).
- Set clear classroom norms: when AI is allowed, when it isn't, and how students disclose AI use.
- Update your Acceptable Use Policy, handbooks, and codes of conduct to align with the model.
- Create a documented process for suspected misuse (evidence collection, student conferences, restorative supports).
- Guarantee equity: don't require paid tools or accounts students can't access through the district.
- Inventory AI tools; verify age gates, data practices, and TOS compliance before classroom use.
- Design professional learning so teachers can use AI for planning, feedback, and differentiation-without replacing student work.
- Plan a parent communication cadence (beginning of year, mid-year updates, incident protocols).
- Establish data governance for AI features inside your SIS, LMS, and productivity suites.
- Pilot first. Gather evidence, then scale what works.
Communication Checklist for Schools and Families
- How AI will be used in class (examples and non-examples).
- What counts as original student work and what requires disclosure.
- How student data is protected and who can access it.
- Age-appropriate tools and any required permissions.
- How to report bullying, harmful images, or suspected misuse.
- Guidance for safe at-home use and conversations families can have with students.
Classroom Guidance for Teachers
- Position AI as a thinking partner-brainstorming, outlining, questioning, and early research.
- Require students to cite where and how AI was used (prompt, tool, version, and what changed after revision).
- Design assignments that show process: notes, drafts, reflections, and oral explanations.
- Use AI-optional pathways; never require a tool the district can't provide.
- Keep a simple protocol for suspected misuse: document artifacts, talk with the student, escalate per policy.
Standards and Next Updates
DEW has not set AI learning standards yet. The current model builds on the statewide AI Toolkit and was spotlighted at a White House Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force meeting. Watch for future updates and plan for annual policy reviews.
Staff Training: Where to Start
Policy is the floor. Practice is the ceiling. Give educators practical training on prompts, lesson design, assessment integrity, and age-appropriate classroom use. If you need curated options by role, explore Complete AI Training: Courses by Job.
Key Dates and Next Steps
- Now: Convene your working group and audit current tools/policies.
- Next 30-60 days: Draft policy, run legal/privacy review, outline PD and family comms.
- By July 1: Adopt your formal AI policy and publish it. Train staff. Inform families.
- Ongoing: Collect feedback, monitor incidents, and revise yearly as tools and guidance change.
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