Establish AI Service Management Policies

As your district progresses in AI adoption, developing policies for managing AI services is crucial. For most K12 districts, this primarily involves overseeing commercial AI tools and services. These policies will guide decision-making around service evaluation, cost management, and resource allocation to support growing AI initiatives.

Purpose and Importance

AI Service Management Policies provide a structured approach to selecting, implementing, and maintaining AI tools and services. They ensure that your district can effectively support AI use while maintaining cost-effectiveness, performance, and alignment with educational goals. These policies are essential for sustainable growth in AI capabilities and responsible resource management.

Developing Your AI Service Management Policies

Form an AI Service Governance Committee

Establish a committee that includes:

• IT leadership
• Finance representatives
• Curriculum and instruction leaders
• School administrators

This committee will oversee the development and management of AI service policies and procedures.

Develop an AI Service Evaluation and Adoption Policy

Create a policy that outlines:

• Criteria for evaluating AI tools and services (e.g., educational value, scalability, cost-effectiveness)
• Processes for piloting and adopting new AI services
• Requirements for vendor assessments, including service level agreements
• Procedures for integrating new services with existing systems
• Guidelines for sunsetting outdated or underperforming services

Note that this policy will have substantial overlap with some of the instruments created under the AI Integrated Curriculum action item and may be combined with them.

Establish a Cost Management and Budgeting Policy

Develop a policy or guidance addressing:

• Procedures for forecasting AI-related costs
• Guidelines for allocating resources to AI initiatives
• Processes for monitoring and optimizing AI service usage and costs
• Requirements for cost-benefit analysis of AI investments
• Strategies for securing and managing AI-specific funding

Create an AI Vendor Governance Policy

Develop a policy that addresses AI-specific vendor management considerations:

• Criteria for evaluating AI vendors' ethical AI practices and alignment with district AI ethics guidelines
• Requirements for AI model transparency and explainability from vendors
• Procedures for assessing AI vendors' data handling practices, including data privacy, security, and retention policies specific to educational data
• Guidelines for ensuring AI vendor compliance with educational AI regulations and standards
• Processes for monitoring and addressing AI bias or fairness issues in vendor-provided services
• Requirements for vendor support in AI literacy and training for educators and staff

Establish an AI Service Continuity Policy

Develop a policy or guidance that outlines:

• Criteria for identifying and classifying AI tools and services critical to educational operations
• Requirements for Service Level Agreements (SLAs) specific to critical AI services, including uptime guarantees, response times, and data recovery provisions
• Procedures for developing and maintaining failover plans for critical AI services, including alternative tools or manual processes
• Guidelines for regular testing and updating of AI service continuity plans
• Requirements for vendor transparency regarding their own continuity and disaster recovery plans for AI services

Implementation and Communication

Approval Process

Once your AI Service Scalability Plan is developed, present the plan and associated policies to district leadership and the school board for approval. Ensure alignment with district-wide technology plans and budgeting processes.

Communication Plan

Develop a strategy to inform stakeholders about the new AI service policies:

• Create clear guidelines on how to request and use AI services
• Establish channels for ongoing feedback and support

Monitoring and Evaluation

Implement regular audits of AI service usage, costs, and effectiveness:

• Establish key performance indicators for AI service availability
• Create procedures for annual review and update of the plan and associated policies

Navigating Challenges

Be prepared for potential policy-related hurdles such as:

• Balancing centralized control with flexibility for school-level needs
• Managing expectations around AI service capabilities and limitations
• Ensuring equitable access to AI services across the district
• Keeping policies relevant amid rapid changes in AI technology and services
• Addressing concerns about reliance on external AI service providers

Address these challenges through clear policy language, stakeholder engagement, and regular policy reviews.

Measuring Progress

Track the effectiveness of your AI Service Scalability Plan through:

• Efficiency of AI service evaluation and adoption processes
• Cost-effectiveness of AI investments
• Alignment of AI services with educational goals
• Vendor performance and compliance with agreements
• Stakeholder satisfaction with AI service availability and support

Next Steps

With an AI Service Scalability Plan in place, your district will be better positioned to:

• Make informed decisions about AI service investments
• Manage costs and resources effectively as AI use grows
• Ensure reliable access to AI services through effective vendor management
• Adapt to evolving AI technologies and educational needs

Remember, effective governance of AI services is key to sustainable growth. Regularly review and update your policies and procedures to ensure they remain relevant and effective in supporting your district's AI initiatives.