The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is taking a measured approach to incorporating artificial intelligence into classrooms while addressing concerns about data privacy, ethical use, and potential bias.
During a recent board meeting, district technology leaders presented their strategy for implementing generative AI tools, emphasizing the need for responsible adoption and comprehensive training as they prepare students for an increasingly AI-driven future.
"We're discussing generative artificial intelligence technology that's rapidly impacting education," Bertha Ramon, a district administrator, told board members. "Our goal is to prepare students for the future and support teachers while ensuring ethical use of AI within our district."
The district established a Generative AI Task Force last fall to develop policies, explore educational applications, and address potential challenges. Officials reported that while AI tools like ChatGPT have gained traction among some staff, many remain unfamiliar with the technology. A survey showed 32% of district staff were "not familiar" with generative AI, while 41% described themselves as "somewhat familiar."
School board member John Kean voiced concerns about the fine line between AI assistance and academic dishonesty.
"I'd love our kids to learn the ethics of AI a little bit," he said during the meeting. "What is allowable, what is plagiarism, what is somebody else doing my work, and what is AI as an academic, creative tool to help me?"
District officials demonstrated the potential for bias in AI systems during the presentation, showing how image-generating tools produced primarily heterosexual white couples when asked to create images of couples, and struggled to generate same-gender couples with the same prompt.
Officials said students need to develop skills like “prompt literacy” to extract usable information from AI models while also understanding how to critically evaluate AI-generated content.
The district has created a dedicated website (smmusd.org/ai) as a hub for AI resources and training materials. Officials are focusing on tools that prioritize student data privacy, particularly "walled garden" or "closed bubble" options that prevent student information from being used to train AI systems.
"When you put something into ChatGPT, the information we input into it now belongs to the service provider," said Ramon. "If we put in student information, student names, student pictures, we have now given this information to the chatbot."
The district plans to launch a pilot program after spring break, running from April through May 2025, to test AI tools in classrooms. These include Brisk, a platform that helps create instructional materials and provide personalized feedback, and School AI, which is designed specifically for educational applications while protecting student privacy.
Teacher recruitment for the pilot will begin in late March, with debriefing sessions scheduled for June. Recommendations for broader implementation will be developed for the fall 2025 semester.
Parent Wade Major said he hoped any district policy would reflect more than just a means to an end for improving grades.
"The grade is not just the grade," said Wade Major, a parent who spoke during public comments. "The grade is emblematic of the change in you. I would just encourage us to take advantage of this AI conversation and migrate to that messaging."
Officials are also working to ensure equitable access to AI tools across the district, addressing potential disparities in technology access that could create new educational divides.
The district's approach includes developing guidelines for responsible AI use in the classroom, with principles addressing ethical considerations, academic integrity, and critical thinking. These include using only district-approved AI tools, transparently disclosing AI usage with proper citation, avoiding plagiarism, and maintaining originality while demonstrating personal understanding.
Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton noted that the district is working collaboratively with other school systems throughout Los Angeles County.
"We are not in a silo," Shelton said. "Information is generated by multiple school districts throughout the county."
