As institutions grapple with bringing artificial intelligence into learning spaces, Napa Valley Unified will allow its use under policies that emphasize ethics, equity, and academic integrity.
The school board approved the policy on a 5-1 vote despite President Lisa Chu’s absence from the Thursday, March 26th meeting. Board member Cindy Watter voted against it.
“I’m worried that this will encourage students to cut corners,” said Watter, a former teacher. “We have to do something to help kids understand that whatever they come up with is going to be more interesting to read than a cut-up of someone else’s writing.”
Trustee John Henry Martin, a Vallejo school teacher, praised the district for being “ahead of the curve” with the policy in place.
“This is just the beginning of the framework for how to use this technology in the classroom,” he said. “It’s important not to be afraid of this technology, because if you do it with integrity, you can leverage it to significantly increase your productivity.”
The board-approved policy recognizes the “transformative potential” of artificial intelligence to “increase student access to information, support teacher efficiency, and facilitate the management of student assessments.” At the same time, it acknowledged that AI could “impair student achievement, health, and well-being.”
This policy therefore sets out 10 principles to guide the use of AI in schools. These include ethical and transparent use, fair access for all, and a focus on academic integrity. Additionally, the policy emphasizes that AI will be used as a tool to support employees in performing their jobs rather than replacing them, carefully considering potential bias, and prioritizing security and privacy.
Aside from placing greater emphasis on students’ academic integrity, the district’s new policy reflects those recommended by the California School Boards Association, a nonprofit representing school boards in the state.
10 principles for using AI in Napa schools
- Teaching and learning: AI should be used to personalize and enhance each student’s learning experience and support digital citizenship and literacy.
- Staff usage: AI should be used as a tool to augment and support staff, rather than replace them, in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.
- Ethical use and transparency: AI must be used ethically and transparently by all staff and students, with careful consideration of potential bias and compliance with all applicable intellectual property and copyright laws.
- Accountability and responsibility: AI should be used in a way that ensures accountability for those using it, and those using it should be held accountable for such use, including when and how it is used.
- Academic integrity: School districts should only allow the use of artificial intelligence tools in ways that support learning, such as research, skill development, and teacher-approved support, and should prohibit their use in ways that displace students’ natural thinking or lead to cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic misconduct.
- Capital and access: AI must be implemented in a way that ensures equal access and opportunity for all students and all schools in a district, regardless of background or ability.
- Secure and private: School districts must prioritize security and privacy when changing existing practices or adopting new practices regarding AI.
- Professional development: School districts must provide continuing professional development for their staff, with a special focus on the ethical and responsible use of AI.
- Community participation: School districts should work with their communities to share these principles, educate their communities about AI, and discuss the permitted and prohibited uses of AI within their districts.
- Continuous improvement: School districts should regularly evaluate the use of AI by students and faculty and adapt their policies, procedures, and professional development to align with best practices and evolving technology. The District reserves the right to remove access to previously approved AI Platforms.
(Source: Napa Valley Unified School District Board Policy Manual)
The district convened an AI council of 30 stakeholders, including parents, teachers, students, and staff, in May 2025 to develop a set of guidelines for the responsible use of technology. The Council met five times to review CSBA policies and make recommendations to the Board.
Additionally, the Council has developed guidelines on the use of AI for all stakeholders. These will be shared during the 2026-2027 school year. As technology develops rapidly, the district plans to update its technology regularly.
Contact staff writer Tarini Mehta at tarini.mehta@pressdemocrat.com.
