Pennsylvania schools would set rules for using artificial intelligence

Each covered school would adopt an artificial intelligence policy and seek input from instructional staff while developing it. This covers Pennsylvania school districts, career and technical schools, intermediate units, charter schools, and qualifying nonprofit private schools. A covered private school must meet attendance and federal civil rights requirements. The policy must cover allowed and prohibited uses, privacy and legal compliance, academic honesty, and consequences for misuse. Schools may offer AI literacy training to instructional employees. Schools must post the policy on a public website if they have one and review it every two years. Schools with an AI policy already in place when the act takes effect would have to update it to comply. The act would take effect immediately. The Education Department would issue guidance within 90 days, and schools would need compliant policies by the beginning of the 2027–28 school year.

Each policy would prohibit generative AI from making final employment and student decisions. Employment decisions include hiring, promotion, evaluation, transfer, and dismissal. Student decisions include graduation, grading, discipline, placement, retention, and individual special education plans. For public school entities, an authorized employee must make any final employment decision or recommendation to the governing body, even if AI offers advice. The policy cannot override employee, union, or collective bargaining rights under federal or state law. These policy rules would be required by the beginning of the 2027–28 school year.

Each covered school would include privacy safeguards for AI use and vendors in its policy. The safeguards cover personally identifying information about students and employees and student data handled by AI vendors. Vendor contracts must protect student data, require breach notices and deletion when the contract ends, and hold vendors responsible for unauthorized use. The policy must name school employees who will evaluate, approve, and oversee AI tools. These safeguards would be part of the policy due by the beginning of the 2027–28 school year.