Teach AI literacy without starting from scratch

[School name]: Student Use of Artificial Intelligence
Adopted: [date]   Review date: [date]   Owner: [role, for example Principal or Technology Lead]

1. Purpose
We want students to learn how AI works and to use it well. This policy explains when AI tools may be used for schoolwork and how we protect students.

2. Principles
- Learning comes first. AI may support learning but must not replace the thinking a task is meant to build.
- Honesty. Students say when and how they used AI. Submitting AI-written work as your own is academic dishonesty.
- Verification. AI can be wrong. Students check important facts against reliable sources.
- Privacy. Students and staff never enter private information (full names with addresses, health, grades, passwords) into AI tools.
- Fairness. Teachers will not use AI alone to make grading, discipline or placement decisions.

3. What is allowed
Each assignment will be marked in one of three ways:
- AI not allowed: the work must be done without AI.
- AI allowed for support: for example brainstorming, explaining a concept, checking grammar. Students describe how they used it.
- AI expected: the task is about using AI, with instructions from the teacher.
If an assignment is not marked, ask your teacher.

4. Approved tools and accounts
Only tools approved by [role] may be used with school accounts. Students under [age] use AI only with a teacher present. [Add your local rules on student accounts and consent.]

5. Teachers and staff
Staff may use AI to plan lessons and draft materials, and must review the result before using it. Staff do not enter identifiable student information into AI tools that have not been approved.

6. Concerns and breaches
Students who are unsure should ask first. Suspected misuse is handled through [existing academic integrity process].

7. Teaching AI literacy
All students will learn what AI is, how it can be wrong or biased, and how to use it responsibly. [Describe where this is taught.]

8. Review
This policy is reviewed every [12] months and when a major change in AI tools or the law occurs.

Note: this is a template, not legal advice. Check it against your local laws, district policies and your school's lawyers or data protection officer before adopting it.

Dear families,

This term our class is learning about artificial intelligence (AI): what it is, how it works, and how to use it safely and honestly. AI tools such as chatbots and image generators are already part of the world our children are growing up in, and we want them to understand them, not just use them.

What we will do
- Take part in a one-hour introduction to AI literacy and short quizzes about how AI learns and why it can be wrong.
- Practice checking AI answers against trusted sources.
- Agree class rules for using AI responsibly.

The materials come from AI Understanding (aiunderstanding.org), a free AI education nonprofit. Their quizzes and guides are free to use.

What we ask of you
- Ask your child to explain one thing they learned.
- Talk together about when it is and is not appropriate to use AI for homework.
- Remind them never to share personal information with a chatbot.

[If students will create accounts: Some activities let students save their progress with a free account. We will [only do this with your permission / follow our school's rules for student accounts]. Please contact me if you have questions or would like your child to take part in a different way.]

Thank you for your support.

[Teacher name]
[School and contact details]

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://aiunderstanding.org/teachers">Free AI resources for teachers and librarians</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://aiunderstanding.org/hour-of-ai">A free one-hour AI literacy lesson (print-friendly)</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://aiunderstanding.org/hour-of-ai/ask-nova">Ask NOVA: a free AI-literacy lesson for the Hour of AI</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://aiunderstanding.org/learn">Plain-language AI guides</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://aiunderstanding.org/quizzes">Free AI quizzes</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://aiunderstanding.org/glossary">AI glossary</a></li>
</ul>