New York City public schools released long-awaited artificial intelligence guidance on Tuesday that encourages teachers to “explore” using the new technology in lesson and unit planning and drafting communications — but prohibits its use in grading, discipline, or other key decisions about students.
More than three years after the city temporarily banned AI chatbots on school networks and devices, the guide marked the first time the nation’s largest school district has offered real decision-making support around artificial intelligence use in the classroom.
“While there is no tool or resource in the world that can replace what our teachers bring to their classrooms every day, AI can be used as a powerful tool to make the work of our educators more efficient, giving them more time to focus on supporting our students as they develop essential critical thinking skills,” Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said in a statement.
“This guidance is designed to empower our educators to choose tools that support our students without compromising on safety or academic integrity, while teaching our children when and how to use AI appropriately.”
After 45 days of public comment, the city is expected to release a more comprehensive AI “playbook” in June. The materials are likely to elicit strong responses across the city, where multiple school and community boards have passed resolutions calling for an “AI moratorium,” with some calling for a pause of up to two years.
The guidance, as reported by the Daily News on Monday ahead of its release, features a “traffic light” framework, which outlines some prohibited, or “red,” and approved, or “green,” uses of AI in education — as well as “yellow” applications in between.
Students are permitted to use AI — a “yellow” application, in which principals and teachers are told to proceed with caution — for “research, exploration, and creative projects.”
Tuesday’s release did not include guidance for teachers on how to design instruction so that AI supports, rather than substitutes, student thinking. Education officials said such a guide is still in the works.
The school system is also still drafting grade-band guidance, recognizing the differences in its appropriate uses for elementary, middle and high schools students. Officials have also promised more information on academic integrity and a public list of all approved AI tools in classrooms.
“Red” uses include employing AI to make decisions about students related to discipline, graduation or promotion, or placement in advanced classes. Schools cannot use the new technology to develop individualized education plans for students with disabilities, nor can it be used to surveil or counsel students.
Student data cannot be used to train AI models, and there is a 10-step data privacy review process before any AI tool can be used in a public school, which follows federal, state and city laws. That review process, however, does not currently evaluate AI tools for algorithmic bias or effectiveness in the classroom, education officials conceded.
“NYCPS is committed to building that expanded evaluation capacity,” officials wrote in the guidance.
On the other hand, the guidance encourages teachers to use AI to “explore lesson ideas, approaches, and unit planning.” It also can be used for teacher trainings, scheduling, or to support resource planning.
The “green” applications also include drafting non-essential communications, though “critical” messages fall under the “yellow” category.
The guidance also suggests AI can be used as a tool for better educating students with disabilities or who do not speak English at home. At the same time, though, translations and disability accommodations “must be reviewed by qualified staff,” officials wrote.