An Uncertain Future: An AI Resource Guide for Independent School Trustees

This resource was developed by the Association for Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS), in partnership with the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Independent School Chairpersons Association (ISCA).

Overview

An Uncertain Future: An AI Resource Guide for Independent School TrusteesIndependent school boards are responsible for governance, fiduciary duty, and strategic guidance. The purpose of this document is to inform board members about the evolving artificial intelligence (AI) landscape as it relates to K-12 independent education, prompting them to contemplate crucial aspects such as school policies, risk management, legal considerations, privacy concerns, and insurance policies. Ultimately, their duty lies in overseeing policies related to education and curriculum that align with the school’s core values and the responsible use of AI.

Additionally, they need to address human resources issues, including the potential impact of AI on job roles within the institution, whether they may be eliminated, undergo significant changes, or implement digital assistants to perform the work humans previously did due to technological advancements in education. They should adopt a forward-looking approach and allocate resources to ensure that the school possesses robust data governance and a well-defined strategy, positioning it favorably as technology continues to evolve.

How to Use This Resource

This document is constructed to be a simple-to-understand and easy-to-use tool. It includes some background information on AI to bring people together around what is happening in schools and on the industry horizon external to schools and taking into consideration other environmental factors. For boards, there are many ways to utilize this document. Please note that independent schools are by definition, independent. This resource is designed to be a tool to prompt useful strategic conversations. It is by no means a prescriptive roadmap that dictates what or how your school should do.

Boards could consider adding a discussion question or a short series of questions to discuss at meetings throughout the year. Alternatively, boards may choose to take a deep dive into unpacking this tool at a board retreat. The goal of this resource is to prompt fruitful discussions at a strategic level. Please be aware that while this resource offers a summary of key ideas, links to external resources are available for those interested in a more in-depth study.

This is the first version of this resource; it will be reviewed and updated for future iterations because of the rapidly changing nature of the artificial intelligence field.

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