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Rockwood School District

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

A young man faces a wall with code streaming down its surface

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved from a futuristic concept into a present-day reality, fundamentally reshaping industries, professions and daily life. In the K-12 educational landscape, this transformation is not a distant possibility but an ongoing event.

AI tools, particularly generative AI platforms, have become more accessible and are already being used by our students and staff. Banning these tools would deny students the opportunity to develop critical skills necessary for navigating a future in which AI is deeply integrated into the workforce and society. We recognize the potential of AI to serve as a powerful catalyst for educational innovation but with potential negative consequences that must be addressed. When guided by thoughtful processes, AI can enhance learning, teaching and administrative tasks in profound ways. It offers the potential to create highly personalized learning pathways for students, automate routine administrative tasks for educators to free up more time for direct instruction and open new avenues for creativity, critical thinking and complex problem-solving. 

The district's approach to AI is a commitment to a human-centered philosophy. This principle stresses that technology must always serve to augment and empower human capabilities, not replace them, while focusing on these three themes:

  1. Human Inquiry: Learning and work must begin with a human-driven question, idea or problem. The process is initiated by human curiosity and intellect.
  2. AI as a Tool: AI is then used as a tool to assist in the teaching and learning process when appropriate.
  3. Human Reflection and Ownership: The process must conclude with human reflection, critical evaluation, editing and insight. The final product, decision and understanding are ultimately the responsibility of the human user.

Under this philosophy, AI is a partner in learning, but it is never the final authority. It cannot replace the nuanced professional judgment of an educator, the vital social-emotional connections of a classroom or the development of a student's own critical thinking and unique voice. This approach directly addresses the prevalent concern that AI will diminish human skills by instead positioning it as a technology that, when used correctly, can amplify them.