“MD school districts face fall deadline to set AI policies”

Mayah Nachman and Maryland Matters report that MD school districts face fall deadline to set AI policies – Maryland Daily Record (Jul. 6, 2026).  The article states:

The school districts’ assignment comes from the Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act, a bill that Gov. Wes Moore signed in May. It required the Maryland State Department of Education to issue its own recommendations and gave the school districts 120 days from the day that guidance was issued to get their assignments done.

It adds:

Those guidelines include eight elements for schools to consider when approaching how and what AI tools will be used in their classrooms, including data privacy, technology bias and ensuring classroom instruction is still “human-centered.” It also emphasizes that school districts should clearly determine what appropriate AI usage looks like in their classrooms. Kincaid said the education department will continue to adapt its recommendations as the technology develops.

Human-Centered, Student-Focused Use. AI may support differentiation, feedback, and access, but must not replace human relationships, professional judgment, or essential skill development.

Equity and Civil Rights Protections. AI systems must be monitored for bias and disparate impact. Access to AI supported learning must not widen opportunity gaps. All uses remain subject to federal and state civil rights law.

Data Privacy and Security. AI integration must comply with FERPA, COPPA, PPRA, IDEA, ADA, Section 504, COMAR, and applicable Maryland law. Districts must enforce data minimization, contractual safeguards, and cybersecurity protections.

Academic Integrity and Assessment. Schools must clearly define appropriate AI use, require transparency when AI is permitted, and redesign assessments to emphasize reasoning, process, and authentic demonstration of learning rather than reliance on detection tools.

Professional Learning and Capacity Building. AI implementation depends on educator preparation. Role specific professional learning must equip teachers, leaders, and staff to evaluate AI outputs critically and use tools responsibly.

AI Literacy and Curriculum Integration. Students must develop the knowledge and skills to understand how AI systems function, evaluate bias and limitations, protect privacy, and use AI ethically across disciplines and grade levels.
Operational and Administrative AI Oversight. High-stakes operational systems, including predictive analytics and automated decision-support tools, require documented human review, equity monitoring, and transparent communication.
Procurement and Vendor Governance. Districts must apply structured evaluation criteria, contractual
protections, and ongoing monitoring to ensure that AI tools meet standards for privacy, accessibility,
transparency, and instructional value.

• Use of A.I. in Maryland Universities (May 8, 2026);
• Information Governance Decisions Can Carry a Big Price Tag (Feb. 23, 2022).