Since the 2022-23 school year, Palo Alto Unified School District has implemented multiple artificial intelligence policies to ensure academic integrity while simultaneously keeping the district up to date with the latest technological advancements. While initial Paly policies centered around AI were relatively barebone, over the last two years, classrooms have been developing more detailed guidelines. These revised guidelines aim towards accommodating the technological advancements AI provides while also ensuring it doesn’t compromise scholastic integrity. 

Each course’s AI policy should be tailored individually to suit the specific course’s components and grading standards, with written sections detailing explicitly what is and isn’t prohibited when using artificial intelligence for academic work depending on the class’s nature.

AI technology in the education field has become increasingly specialized since the introduction of the AI policy. However some have raised questions about the suitability of its existence in a classroom setting, with critics arguing that many of its benefits directly conflicted with school goals such as cultivating self-sufficiency and independent thinking.

Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, Paly teachers implemented a more standardized policy regarding the use of AI in classrooms. English teacher Hunter Reardon said the process included a team of teachers from each department of the school consulting with one another to develop a plan, which was taken up to a select group of teachers who developed an AI policy which was then finalized by the administrators. 

Even today, the district continues to refine its policy to adapt to artificial intelligence’s ever-advancing technological abilities. English teacher and Paly English department Head Richard Rodriguez confirmed that teachers were recently notified of potential changes in PAUSD’s AI guidelines for the coming school year. 

“With the growth and popularity of AI, the district, school sites and departments are working to create an equitable policy for all students,” Rodriguez said. “I’m not sure of specifics because the work is in its infancy, but I’m sure it will cover very important aspects.”

Teachers are provided freedom to devise their own individualized consequences for violators, according to the 2025-26 PAUSD AI Guidelines Course Syllabus. Lines blur, however, when evidence of wrongdoing is contentious.  

On May 5, Takashi Kato — father of a sophomore at Paly — sued Palo Alto Unified School District on the basis of Title XI discrimination. According to Kato, his son’s English teacher, Sarah Bartlett, had falsely accused him of using AI based on assessments from AI detector Turnitin.com. Given a chance to do an in-class rewrite to make up for the essay, he received a D for that specific assignment, bringing his final semester score down one letter grade according to the San Francisco Standard.

We don’t know the specifics of what happened in this classroom. Regardless, we should all recognize that while penalties for AI misconduct are crucial in regulating academic dishonesty and maintaining honest, autonomous educational work, AI detection software has its faults as well.

Turnitin’s own website states that their AI writing detection model “may not always be accurate … (and) should not be used as the sole basis for adverse actions against a student.” While AI detectors are helpful tools to have at hand, they’re still a long way from achieving completely accurate results. 

Student-teacher collaboration allows these conversations to take place before conflict ensues. Being able to discuss the sensibility of various policies from both instructional and studial perspectives ensures fairness for students is taken into account. 

“My policy is essentially to sit down and have a conversation right before making any moves,” said English teacher Hunter Reardon.

While Reardon said he recognizes the academic risks and drawbacks artificial intelligence poses, he maintains that AI has so far proved more beneficial than harmful, allowing students to process information with greater efficiency.

“All the English teachers are pretty consistent with the idea of helping [students]  understand the concept for tasks where you’re not really being evaluated in any way,” Reardon said. “But it’s really just about helping you to learn something. We don’t really mind if you use AI. In fact, we encourage it.” 

Unregulated artificial intelligence undoubtedly poses a danger in the classroom setting. But when kept in check, it can serve as a powerful tool as well. Finding that balance is important.