Central Florida schools looking to restrict artificial intelligence use by students

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The School Board in Seminole County is set to sign off on the Code of Conduct and Honor Code for the 2024-2025 school year, and it includes consequences for students who submit Artificial Intelligence-generated work without credit or consent.

Submitting assignments or completing exams or tests with the use of AI will be prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the teacher. Also, the use of AI with permission must be cited within the assignment.

If students submit AI-generated work without following those guidelines, it will be considered plagiarism.

News 6 met with Shawn Gard-Harrold, the assistant superintendent for ePathways at SCPS, to discuss how the district is approaching AI technology.

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“When we saw the evolution of ChatGPT coming about we immediately blocked it from the system. And so, students just turned on the hotspot on their phone and they started accessing ChatGPT from their hotspot,” said Gard-Harrold. “So, as soon as we started realizing trying to block this stuff is never going to be the answer, then we have to start having conversations with students about how do we lean into this?”

Gard-Harrold says the district recognizes how AI is being used in almost every industry, every single day.

“When I meet with healthcare professionals, when I meet with advanced manufacturing folks when I meet with folks from finance, AI is in all of those industries,” said Gard-Harrold. “And if our students don’t understand that it is going to impact whatever field they choose to enter, then they are going to be behind the times. So, it’s our job to make sure that they know how to use artificial intelligence when to use artificial intelligence, and then how to validate their source and also how to apply it in a way that is meaningful and also representative of their own values.”

Students in Seminole County are already studying Artificial Intelligence. There are two Career & Technical Education programs for artificial intelligence at Hagerty High School and Crooms Academy.

“We are not saying let’s hide from AI, let’s run from AI,” said Gard-Harrold. “We’re really working on helping our students and our teachers to understand we live in a world where AI is also going to live.”

As students, teachers, and districts work to find AI’s place in the classroom, there are questions about whether it will do more harm than good.

A survey conducted by Pew Research Center in fall 2023 found the majority of teachers are uncertain or concerned about the downsides of AI in K-12 education.

About a third (32%) said there is about an equal mix of benefit and harm. Only 6% said it does more good than harm, and 35% said they are not sure.

News 6 asked our school districts in Central Florida about how they are addressing the use of AI. You can read the responses we received below.

Brevard County

District leaders at the Brevard County School District say they are currently gathering information from stakeholders on the use of AI in schools, the concerns that using AI represents, and the benefits that may come with it. They will consider the responses they have received and the information they gather as they consider any policy or code of conduct changes that need to be made.

Orange County

Access to AI is blocked for all students on the school network. Staff regularly monitors district devices for unauthorized programs or usage and responds accordingly. The Code of Student Conduct addresses cheating and the consequences that are in place for any violation.

Volusia County

The School Board adopted a policy in May. It outlines the use of AI for students and staff, and the consequences. You can read it in full below.

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