Portland Schools Release AI Guidebook as Teachers Raise Concerns About Classroom Implementation
Portland Public Schools released a guidebook this week directing staff, students and parents on how to use artificial intelligence tools in classrooms. The district says it wants to use AI as an "ethical and human-centered tool" to prepare students for an AI-powered workforce and improve academic outcomes.
The guidebook has prompted pushback from educators and parents who say the district is moving too quickly without adequately addressing the risks.
What the Guidebook Recommends
Teachers can use AI to develop lesson plans, design tests and tailor instruction to individual students' academic levels, according to the guidelines. Students may use AI tools for research, personalized tutoring and brainstorming with teacher permission.
The guidebook warns users about AI's limitations, including built-in bias and inaccuracies. It notes that humans must review how AI is being used and emphasizes that AI should not replace educators.
Kristen Moon, director of teacher professional learning at Portland Public Schools, said AI tools are already in regular use across many classrooms. "We needed, in the absence of nothing, to put something out as guidance," Moon said.
The district plans teacher training sessions on student data and privacy for the 2026-2027 school year. Moon said the district will hold more community conversations about opt-out policies and at what age students should start using AI tools.
Teachers Push Back on Early Adoption
Miles Rooklyn, an English teacher at McDaniel High School, served on the district's AI advisory committee. He said he initially embraced ChatGPT when it launched in late 2022 but has since reversed course.
"I was excited about putting chatbots into student hands to help them with research, but all it did was lead to confusion," Rooklyn said. "I didn't have time to teach them how the tools worked, and they didn't really understand it."
Rooklyn said students often let AI do the thinking for them rather than learning the material. At McDaniel, teachers now have students type essays in class on school laptops so instructors can monitor whether students are using AI to write for them.
He said the guidebook's "sunny, optimistic, pro-AI tone" glosses over risks and does not adequately address the need to teach students how to be AI literate before giving them access to these tools.
Parents Cite Data Privacy and Environmental Concerns
Nora Gruber, whose son attends Chapman Elementary, said she sees the district as treating AI adoption as inevitable rather than exploring a slower, more controlled approach. She noted the guidebook itself was created using a Google AI tool but lacked specifics about educator training and how the district would monitor student AI use.
Amira Schultz, parent of two students at Chief Joseph Elementary, wrote an open letter to school board members in January requesting clear guidelines around ChatGPT access. More than 150 parents signed on.
Schultz said she is concerned about data privacy, particularly for vulnerable students, and pointed to the environmental impact of operating AI data centers. She expressed frustration that the guidebook suggested data centers would operate regardless of whether students use them.
"You are telling us that teachers have to protect student data, but the AI companies are not doing that, and you are giving AI access to students," Schultz said.
Schultz pointed to the Los Angeles Unified School District's recent decision to ban screens in kindergarten and first grade and restrict YouTube access on school-issued laptops as a model Portland could follow.
What Happens Next
At Chief Joseph Elementary, after Schultz raised concerns about unregulated AI access, the school held listening sessions with teachers and shifted some differentiated learning time back to reading books.
The broader district conversation about AI in schools remains ongoing, with questions about opt-out policies and appropriate age ranges still unresolved.
For educators seeking guidance on implementing AI responsibly, the AI Learning Path for Teachers offers structured training on classroom integration and best practices. The AI for Education resource hub also covers implementation strategies across school systems.
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