It's the 'Wild West' for AI in Oakland schools. Will a new policy help?

"There is ample evidence that AI use has exploded in schools across the country. According to a recent College Board study, 84% of high school students reported using generative AI tools for schoolwork last year, with ChatGPT the tool of choice for most kids. A report by the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology found that a similar percentage of teachers used AI tools in the 2024-2025 school year. Less than four years after the launch of ChatGPT, AI is changing how students learn in profound and sometimes troubling ways that research is only just starting to document."

"There's little data on how widespread AI use is in Oakland schools in particular. One survey conducted by district staff found that roughly a third of teachers have used AI platforms. However, the survey only received 76 responses out of the hundreds of teachers in the district."

"Educational institutions have been slow to adopt policies governing the technology. In 2024, the California School Boards Association published a model policy for schools to use, and Oakland's draft policy uses it as a foundation. That policy has not been finalized yet by the school board, leaving teachers and students with a bare bones set of guidelines that were last updated in January. And district staff have warned that the fast-changing nature of this technology will likely force Oakland to continually evolve its policy to keep up."

""It's kind of like the Wild West right now," Kelleth Chinn, OUSD's coordinator of instructional and assessment technology, said at a recent school board meeting."

Oakland Unified School District proposed a policy governing artificial intelligence use in classrooms. The proposal is significant because it effectively allows powerful AI tools in district schools. AI use has expanded nationally, with a College Board study reporting 84% of high school students using generative AI for schoolwork and ChatGPT being the most common tool. A nonprofit report found a similar share of teachers used AI tools in the 2024-2025 school year. Oakland-specific data is limited, with a district survey indicating about one-third of teachers used AI platforms, based on only 76 responses. Policy adoption has lagged, and Oakland’s draft policy is not finalized, leaving minimal guidelines last updated in January. District staff warn the policy will need continual updates due to fast-changing technology.

Read at The Oaklandside