AI Governance Policy: What to Include for Schools

Short answer

AI governance policy: what to include, section by section

A school AI governance policy should include eleven sections: purpose, scope, roles and responsibilities, tool approval, data and privacy, acceptable use for each group, academic integrity, visibility and review, reporting concerns, training, and a review cycle. Each section should be short, name an owner where it can, and say what happens in practice, not just what the school values.

Use this page as part of a connected review: understand the purpose, consider the people affected, check the relevant safeguards, and follow the related routes for practical next steps.

Writing a policy and deciding what goes in it are two different jobs. Our guide on how to write an AI policy covers the process: who to gather, how to draft, and how to listen. This guide covers the contents. It focuses on the governance clauses, the parts that say who decides and how, so the policy holds up when a real question arrives.

Purpose, scope and roles: the foundation of the policy.

The purpose section explains why the policy exists in two or three sentences. A useful version names what the school wants AI to help with and what it wants to protect. For example: "This policy explains how our school chooses, uses, and reviews AI tools so that they support learning and teaching while protecting students' privacy and wellbeing." Avoid long statements of values here, since those can live in a separate vision document. One clear purpose makes every later section easier to write.

Scope says who and what the policy covers. Be specific: all staff, students, volunteers, and contractors; all AI tools used for school work, whether the school pays for them or they are free; and use on school devices or for school purposes at home. A clear scope settles the common question of whether a free tool a teacher found online counts. If some groups, such as younger students, are covered by different rules, say so here.

The roles section is where governance becomes real. Name the position, not the person, for each responsibility: who approves tools, who reviews privacy and agreements, who handles concerns, who leads training, and who leads the review. If your school has an AI governance committee, describe what it decides, what it advises on, and how often it meets. Naming positions keeps the policy accurate when people change jobs.

Tool approval and data and privacy clauses.

The tool approval section describes the route from idea to decision. Write it as steps: a staff member submits a short request, the privacy lead checks how the tool handles information, the named approver decides, and the decision is recorded in the tool register. Say what happens to tools already in use, and roughly how long a decision takes, so staff are not left waiting without an answer. A clear route also tells teachers that new ideas are welcome.

The data and privacy section explains how student and staff information is protected. It should say that only approved tools may be used with student information, that a data privacy agreement or equivalent is needed before student information is entered, and that staff should share only what a task requires. Refer to the laws that apply in general terms, such as FERPA and COPPA, and point to district or state guidance for detail. Say who to ask when staff are unsure whether a task involves student information.

Keep the legal wording simple and accurate, and have your privacy reviewer or counsel confirm it before the policy is adopted. This section is, in effect, a promise to families about how their children's information will be handled. Write it in words a parent could read at the kitchen table and understand without needing to look anything up. If your district already provides standard privacy wording, use it and link to it.

Acceptable use, academic integrity and visibility.

The governance policy does not need to repeat every classroom rule. Its acceptable use section should set the principles for each group and link to the detailed acceptable use policy. For staff, that might mean using approved tools, reviewing AI output before sharing it, and never entering sensitive information into unapproved tools. For students, it might mean using AI to understand, practice, and get feedback in ways their teacher allows. For families, it can explain how to support appropriate use at home.

Academic integrity deserves its own short section, because it is where most day-to-day questions arise. State that teachers set expectations for each task, that students should be open about how they used AI, and that concerns are handled through a fair, learning-focused process. Link to your full academic integrity policy for the details, so the governance policy stays focused on who decides and how. Where teachers allow AI on a task, a brief note from the student about how they used it keeps things open.

The visibility and review section explains what adults can see about AI use, who can see it, and why. Be honest and specific. For example, teachers may see how students use an approved study tool, and leaders may see usage reports for school-managed tools. Say that visibility exists to support learning and safety, and describe who looks at usage and how often. Being open about visibility from the start prevents misunderstanding later and helps staff and students trust the tools.

Concerns, training and the review cycle.

The reporting concerns section tells anyone, including students and families, how to raise a worry about AI use. Give one clear route, such as a named role and an email address, and explain what happens next: the concern is acknowledged, looked at fairly, and answered. Add a line about urgent safety concerns, which should follow the school's existing student safety procedures rather than a separate AI process. Name a backup contact for times when the main contact is away.

The training section commits the school to helping people use AI well. Say who receives training, such as new staff when they join and all staff each year, and who leads it. Mention student AI literacy as well, so students learn how to use approved tools thoughtfully rather than only being told the rules. Training is where the rest of the policy becomes everyday practice. A common gap is a policy that mentions training once but never says how often it happens or who checks that it did.

Finally, the review cycle section says when the policy will be reviewed, who leads the review, and what prompts an earlier one, such as a new tool, new guidance, or a significant concern. Many schools pair a light check each term with a fuller yearly review. Ending the policy this way tells readers it will grow with the school's experience rather than sit unchanged in a folder.

Separate governance from classroom rules. Keep detailed classroom expectations in an acceptable use policy and link to it from the governance policy.

Name roles, not just values. Every section that needs a decision should say which role makes it.

Describe the process. Explain step by step how a tool gets approved and how a concern gets handled.

Build in review. End the policy with when it will be reviewed and who leads that review.

Sections to include:

Purpose, scope, and roles.

Tool approval, and data and privacy.

Acceptable use, integrity, and visibility.

Concerns, training, and the review cycle.

Signs a section is complete:

It names who is responsible.

It says what happens, not just what is valued.

It links to any related policy.

A new staff member could follow it.

Compare. Check your current policy against the eleven sections and note any gaps.

Draft. Write the missing sections in plain language, naming an owner for each.

Link. Connect the policy to your acceptable use, academic integrity, and privacy documents.

Adopt. Approve the policy through your usual process and set its first review date.

Use this guide to check that your school's AI governance policy covers every section it needs, and to draft wording for any that are missing.

Common questions

Quick answers to what schools and families ask most about this topic.