From calculators to computers to smart phones, the education field often lies on the front lines of technological innovations, charged with teaching students how to use these new tools responsibly. The age of artificial intelligence — think Chat GPT, Claude and Microsoft CoPilot, for instance — has posed a new set of questions for teachers, school boards and administrators to consider.

Enter: a new set of guidelines, developed by the state’s Office of Public Instruction, the Montana Digital Academy and “education stakeholders statewide” that aims to “support Montana’s schools and districts as they explore and implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) in K-12 education.”

OPI shared the guidelines yesterday in a press release, and the document stated the Montana School Boards Association shared model policies with school districts across the state in concert with the guidelines’ release.

“This guidance is about empowering Montana educators and districts to approach AI with confidence and care,” said Superintendent Susie Hedalen. “We’re proud to lead the way in crafting practical, Montana-made resources that balance safety, ethics and innovation. By partnering with the Montana Digital Academy, we are shaping tools that serve every corner of our state. Our goal with this guidance is that students and educators will be able to approach AI with critical thinking skills and an understanding of the power of this technology as well as the ethical responsibilities that come with it.”

The guidelines include considerations about implementing AI into curriculums, providing professional development for educators and ensuring students’ data is private and secure, even as schools move to implement AI.

Factors unique to Montana that could complicate the drafting and implementation of AI policies for some districts were also considered in the document. For example, the guidance had sections on tribal sovereignty and how AI usage might look different in rural districts, where broadband infrastructure or a lack of dedicated technology staff might impact implementation.

“For AI use, tribal sovereignty means that tribes maintain jurisdiction over their data and digital materials, have the inherent right and authority to regulate the deployment of technology that affects their communities, and the right to determine whether and how AI systems interact with their cultural knowledge,” the guidelines state.

Some districts in Flathead County have added considerations to their district policies regarding AI already.

Kila School revised its policy on school-provided access to electronic information, services, equipment, and networks just last week to reflect that accessing “artificial intelligence or other online resources without prior authorization of the classroom teacher for the purpose of engaging in academic dishonesty” is an unacceptable use of district equipment and electronic networks.

Fair-Mont-Egan, Kalispell Public Schools, Smith Valley School, Swan River School, West Glacier Elementary School and West Valley School also have policies on the books that mention or address AI. Those districts either have a similar policy to Kila School’s revised one, or have a separate student discipline policy stating that using AI is a form of academic dishonesty without a teacher’s permission.

“The integration of AI into education is an accelerating phenomenon with profound implications for human thinking, interaction, and decision-making,” states one section of the state’s new AI guidance. “This guidance advocates for a human-centered approach to AI, emphasizing that AI should serve to strengthen human capabilities and contribute to accessible, just, and sustainable futures, rather than undermining human intelligence, agency, or the fundamental human-to-human relationships that are vital in education. This approach ensures that AI enhances, rather than diminishes, the educational experience.”

The AI guidance from Montana’s OPI is a “living document,” and in its introduction, the text states it will be reviewed and updated biannually.

It also welcomes feedback, encouraging districts, educators, parents and students to share feedback with the Frontier Learning Lab via a Google form. The Frontier Learning Lab also has an AI help desk for K-12 educators, available on its website.

I’m Mariah Thomas, and I’ve got the rest of your Daily Roundup below.

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