Academic integrity policy starter for AI use

How to use this starter

Copy the policy outline below into your handbook, LMS, or board packet. Replace anything in [brackets] with your school or district name, grades, and local rules. Keep teacher visibility, guided help, and Test Mode language even if you rename the product.

This is a starter — not legal advice. Have your admin or counsel review before adoption.

Sample policy title

[School / District] Academic Integrity Policy for Classroom AI Use

1. Purpose

[School / District] allows approved classroom AI tools so students can learn with guidance, practice explaining their thinking, and build responsible AI habits. AI must support learning — it must not replace a student’s own work, hide the student’s process from teachers, or bypass assessment rules.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all students in grades [X–Y] when using school-managed AI tools (including HeyOtto for Schools) on school devices, school accounts, or during school-directed work at home.

3. Definitions

Guided help: AI asks questions, explains steps, and coaches the student toward understanding without handing over a finished product to copy.

Teacher visibility: Teachers can review student AI conversations, alerts, and archives for the school-managed account.

Test Mode (or equivalent lockdown): A restricted setting during quizzes, tests, or sealed work that turns off creative tools and outside links and limits AI to reference-only help when the teacher allows it.

4. Allowed use

Students may use school-managed AI to:

• Get step-by-step explanations for concepts already taught in class

• Brainstorm ideas, outlines, or practice questions, then produce their own final work

• Check understanding by explaining an answer back in their own words

• Practice citation and sourcing when the assignment requires it

• Use only the tools the teacher or school has enabled for that class or period

5. Not allowed

Students may not:

• Submit AI-generated text, code, or media as their own final work without required disclosure and teacher permission

• Ask AI for a finished answer to copy on graded work when the assignment requires original student work

• Attempt to hide, delete, or bypass teacher-visible chats or school filters

• Use personal / consumer AI accounts to circumvent school controls during school work

• Use AI during assessments unless the teacher explicitly allows it under Test Mode or written instructions

6. Teacher and school responsibilities

Teachers will:

• State when AI is allowed, limited, or off for each assignment

• Use class-level tool settings and Test Mode for assessments when integrity is the point of the period

• Review alerts and spot-check archives when patterns suggest misuse

• Teach students how to show their work and cite AI assistance when required

Schools / districts will maintain admin controls, communicate this policy to families, and align consequences with the student code of conduct.

7. Student responsibilities

Students will follow assignment instructions, keep school-managed accounts only for school work, expect teacher visibility, and ask the teacher before using AI in a new way.

8. Assessments and Test Mode

During quizzes, tests, and other sealed assessments, [School / District] may enable Test Mode (or equivalent). In Test Mode, creative features and external links may be disabled; AI may be limited to reference-only responses; and conversations that look like cheating attempts may be flagged for teachers.

9. Disclosure

When an assignment allows AI assistance, students must disclose how they used it in the form the teacher requires (for example: “Used AI to outline section 2; final paragraphs are my own”). Failure to disclose when required is an integrity violation.

10. Misuse and consequences

Misuse includes copying AI output as original work, using AI when prohibited, bypassing school controls, or helping others do so. Consequences follow the [School / District] academic integrity / code of conduct process and may include redos, grade penalties, loss of AI privileges, and parent notification.

11. Family communication

Families should know that school-managed AI chats are visible to teachers, that Homework Helper–style modes are designed to guide rather than finish work, and that assessment lockdowns may apply. Questions about classroom settings go first to the teacher; policy questions go to [principal / academic integrity lead].

12. Review

This policy will be reviewed at least [annually / each semester] by [role], updated when tools or state guidance change, and posted in [handbook / LMS / website].

Quick copy checklist for admins

1) Fill every [bracket]. 2) Align consequences with your existing code of conduct. 3) Tell teachers how to announce AI rules per assignment. 4) Confirm Test Mode (or equivalent) is available for assessment days. 5) Share a one-paragraph parent note pointing to your Parent FAQ.

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