Redlands Unified looks to prepare students for AI as district develops new guidance

REDLANDS, Calif. — Artificial intelligence is already part of many students’ lives, but Redlands Unified School District is working to ensure students have the guidance to use it safely and responsibly.

Deputy Superintendent and Chief AI Officer Jason Hill delivered a presentation to the school board July 21 outlining a proposed approach to AI, which focuses on teaching students how to navigate the technology safely.

Why it matters: During the presentation, Hill said 86% of children are already using artificial intelligence, while only about 40% have had an adult or parent talk to them about how to use it safely.

At the same time, AI is becoming increasingly common in the workplace. Hill shared that 55% of businesses were using AI in 2023, compared with 91% in 2025.

“Our goal is not to specifically use AI, our goal is to teach students how to be prepared for a future with it,” Hill said.

Hill acknowledged that AI remains controversial, with concerns ranging from its environmental impact to its effects on communities and individuals. But he said the district is not trying to resolve those broader debates.

“What I want to get across is that AI is happening in the world. Students are using it now,” he said.

During public comment, however, one speaker questioned the district's decision to prioritize AI amid concerns about the technology's environmental impact and the district's financial challenges.

“We do have an obligation and a requirement to protect the environment,” the speaker said. “I cannot understand why AI, especially a paid program when we are already struggling with financial issues, is something that you are prioritizing.”

Details: The district's proposed approach would introduce AI concepts gradually as students move through grade levels. Here is the proposed breakdown:

• K-5: Students would learn about AI, including how to use it safely, without being given direct access to AI tools.
• 6-8: Students would learn with AI, allowing teachers to use AI tools as part of instruction without providing students with direct access.
• 9-12: Students would work alongside AI, representing a more advanced level of engagement with the technology.

The district is also developing five standardized levels of AI use with the goal to create a common language so students understand when and how AI can be used for an assignment. The levels range from no AI assistance all the way to AI as a co-creator. 

Some board members expressed concern for how AI integration would affect grading and fairness.

“How is a teacher going to be able to grade the same assignment when a student has used AI as a tool versus a student who has not?” Board member Melissa Ayala-Quintero asked. “There is going to be a difference in the work.”

The answer, he said, will require teacher training and potentially new approaches to assessment.

“AI is going to change the face of education eventually, so we are going to have to teach different assessment models,” Hill said.

Board member Candy Olson also discussed the importance of maintaining traditional forms of assessment, including pen-and-paper check-ins, to ensure that students' work continues to reflect their actual understanding and abilities.

The district is also developing a four-stage process for addressing suspected AI misuse. The first stage would involve evidence collection, followed by a preliminary student conference and an appeal process.

RUSD currently blocks large language model chatbots for student use. According to the district's website, that includes major programs such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, as well as many smaller third-party programs that incorporate chatbot features. The district says many of these tools do not comply with federal student privacy protections under FERPA and COPPA.

The district has access to two AI tools, Chat for Schools, which is owned by Skill Struck, and Google Gemini, for approved educational uses. RUSD is also adopting Linewize for the upcoming school year, which is a web content filter that will block inappropriate content.

Parents will have the ability to opt their children out of AI use and the district maintains the ability to turn AI on and off on school properties.

Moving forward: Hill emphasized that the AI framework is still in development and that the district will not be ready for a full rollout of AI instruction when the new school year begins in August.

The district first needs time to train teachers and develop lessons across grade levels. Much of the proposed strategy depends on early education about responsible AI use before students are given greater access to the technology.

A proposed AI policy was presented to the board but is not yet publicly available.