AKRON, Ohio — By the end of June, all public schools in the Buckeye State must adopt an AI policy.

Districts can either implement the state’s model policy, or they can come up with their own by July 1. Akron Public Schools has had a policy in place for the last 3 years.

Jon Thompson is the principal of Akron Preparatory School, and he has more than 300 kindergarten through 8th grade students using I-Ready. It’s an AI program that tracks the students’ progress throughout the year.

“It helps us out when it comes down to personalized education and try to look at trends and figure out what the gaps are to be able to better support students,” Thompson said.

Thompson has been in education for more than a decade, and he said since he’s been in the industry there has always been some kind of AI in the classrooms.

“Our role as educators to be able to teach students how to use this, to use AI responsibly,” Thompson said. “AI is not supposed to replace the learning, it’s supposed to deepen the learning for students.”

Akron Public School District has had an AI policy in place since 2023. Akron school board member Rev. Gregory Harrison said the new policy follows the requirements of the state.

“The school’s policy, you can’t upload any student information, any private information, up into an AI source and nothing that we use, no AI program that we use, is an open source,” he said.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce gives school districts a model policy that includes how teachers and students use AI, but also said they can create their own. However, they need to follow the requirements.

“We’re taking a look at the advancement of AI, and we’re taking a look at any of the problems that we are currently having or could have as a result of the use of AI,” said Harrison.

APS can’t use Chat GPT or Claude AI. The new policy also includes an AI review committee. The committee will look over the policy four times a year.

“Trying to educate on what’s an acceptable use, trying to educate that and any use you have to have guardrails in place,” said Harrison. “But I do respect those concerns, the use of AI, and we’re trying to mitigate any negative effects from the use of any AI and enhance all of the positive features that we can take from the use of AI.”

Harrison said the new policy will also include guidelines on the schools using approved AI tools.

“Students are not allowed to use AI for homework or to complete quizzes in class,” said Thompson. “Students are only able to use AI to support their learning, not to do the learning for them.”

While Principal Thompson said the new policy will not make much of a difference in his school, he said he still supports the state in requiring an AI policy. Since AI isn’t going anywhere, and he sees it as the future of learning if used right.  

The new policy for the Akron school district will be in place by the first day of school on August 27.