AI policies stress proper use over prohibition

Sheffield City Schools’ policy regarding student use of artificial intelligence (AI) at the start of the 2025-26 school year limited the use of the software on school devices.

Two months into the school year, area schools are working to alter and refine their AI policies by removing limitations and allowing students full access to AI tools with guidelines.

“AI has become so prevalent across all industries … if we don’t give our kids access to artificial intelligence, we’re not doing them any benefit to prepare … or develop skills they need … in the very near future,” Sheffield City Schools Technology Director Steve Green said last week. “We want to teach them to use it well and responsibly.”

Russellville City Schools’ policy regarding student use of AI states that while the “tools will help shape the future of work, research and technology,” it “can stand in conflict with academic integrity” when used incorrectly.

Franklin County School District officials did not respond to requests for information about an AI policy. No policy could be found via a search of the student handbook.

Most school systems have gone from allowing only limited access to AI to policies granting greater or full access.

However, they must adhere to specific privacy and data guidelines centered around age restrictions and usage, and they “must acknowledge the use of AI in any capacity related to their schoolwork,” including use in research, generating ideas or multimedia creation.

Green said the change was partially influenced by the knowledge that students would use their personal devices to access AI outside of school.

Allowing the use of AI in a controlled setting with teacher and district guardrails can help students learn the best practices for interacting with AI, school officials have indicated.

Florence City Schools, Muscle Shoals City Schools and Colbert County Schools have AI policies in place.

The Muscle Shoals policy, like Sheffield’s, notes the “increasingly integrated” presence of AI into daily life as the reason its use is not prohibited.

However, some uses of AI are prohibited, including “misusing AI tools and applications, such as hacking or altering data.”

Florence City Schools” policy states that “all users are allowed to use AI systems unless specifically excluded by teacher assignment directors and/or grading rubrics.”

The policies of all districts mentioned above, as well as the Colbert County School District, stress students must acknowledge the use of AI in any capacity to avoid breaking academic dishonesty policies with plagiarism.

Each school district’s policy outlines the importance of students “vetting” information found using AI due to its frequent inaccuracy and suggests its use as a research tool rather than a source.

All the policies also include a disclaimer stating that students use AI at their own risk as the various platforms are known to collect personal data.

Currently, Tuscumbia City Schools and Lauderdale County Schools do not have policies in place regarding student AI use.

Tuscumbia Superintendent Russ Tate said that district officials are “working to implement an AI policy in the next few weeks.”

Likewise, Lauderdale’s director of Public Relations, Human Resources and Grants, Whitney Coates, said a policy is on the horizon for the district.

“We are looking at it in connection with the new updates made for the FOCUS Act right before the start of the school year,” she said.