09/01/2026
Back-to-School Advice: Acceptable Use for AI in School
We regularly advise businesses that an Acceptable Use Policy for AI should be part of their workplace technology policy. School districts are increasingly creating similar guidelines for students.
For parents, this may bring back memories of looking something up in the Funk & Wagnalls encyclopedia. Younger parents may remember Googling it. Today’s students have something considerably more powerful sitting right in front of them.
AI can answer test questions, complete homework and even write a term paper. The problem is that having AI do the work isn’t likely to produce much of an education. Schools are also getting better at identifying work that doesn’t reflect a student’s own effort, and expectations around appropriate AI use are evolving quickly.
The real responsibility starts at home.
Talk to your kids about their school’s rules for when and how AI can be used for schoolwork. Better yet, talk about using AI responsibly for anything they do. Understanding the difference between using AI as a tool and using AI to do the work is going to be an important skill throughout their education and eventually in the workplace.
Checking in on assignments rather than simply asking, “Is your homework done?” is still one of the best ways to stay involved. Ask what they’re working on, how they approached it and where AI fits into the process.
Think of it as a modern version of the birds-and-the-bees conversation. This one should be a little easier.
Our kids are going to enter a workforce where AI will be everywhere. Giving them a strong education, good judgment and the ability to use AI responsibly may be one of the best things we can do to prepare them for the future.
That future is getting here fast.
