Arizona receives first-ever statewide guidance on AI use in K-12 schools

Arizona has received the first-ever statewide guidance on how to incorporate artificial intelligence into the classroom.

Former Phoenix Union High School Superintendent and founder of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, Chad Gestson, has published the guidance and shared it with K-12 school leaders across the state.

In a video chat room, fitting for a lesson on artificial intelligence and technology, Arizona Superintendents were able to hear the guidance directly from Gestson.

“AI has incredible consequences. Both good and potentially bad,” Gestson began. From a teacher’s standpoint, he said, “AI tools can help not just with lesson planning and with grading but also help drive learning. Whether that’s a chatbot or tutoring avatars are ways in which we can really help students hear themselves and practice public speaking.”

Superintendents had a chance to share any AI practices they’ve implemented into their workflow over the last year.

Kristin Turner, Superintendent of the Paloma Elementary School District, stated, “I use generative AI almost daily in writing different components – I’m thinking job descriptions, letters, welcome speeches, emails.”

A few district leaders even referred to artificial intelligence as “transformative technology.”

Agua Fria Union High School District is another Arizona district to start trying to take advantage of the benefits of AI.

Lauren Owens, Executive Director of Technology in the district, helped write some of the guidance.

“A big thing that we do as educators, is we have to differentiate. Students are at different reading levels or they might need different levels of practice. You can take a standard or a lesson and run it through chat GPT and say, ‘hey could I have a couple of different examples of how I could teach this?’ It’s a brainstorming partner, a tutor that never gets tired,” Owens shared.

Owens acknowledged the downfalls of technology and the concern for student privacy with AI use. She also said educators need to be cautious of any biases that might start to develop within the algorithms.

“When you go to use this technology, this bot, (we call them our bots) are you evaluating it? Are you making sure it’s accurate and relevant? Are you aware of the bias it might have? Using the technology with care… because at the end of the day we want our students to be AI literate when they graduate from us.”

If schools become AI literate early on, Gestson believes public school districts and charter schools will be able to make everything more efficient and prepare students more effectively for entering college or the workforce.

Gestson concluded, “We believe that AI will become a bridge if, in fact, we leverage this technology well.”