What should a school do first if a critical item is Not yet?

Fix any critical item covering student safety, privacy, or legal obligations before acting on the overall score.

How is the readiness score calculated?

Add points for each item (In place = 2, In progress = 1, Not yet = 0). Maximum points are two per item, minus two for every N/A. Divide earned points by max points and multiply by 100.

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Checklist · All schools

School AI Readiness Checklist

A practical self-assessment for schools preparing students, teachers, and systems for AI. Rate 110 practices across strategy, policy, safety, privacy, training, literacy, and governance.

Updated Oct 14, 2026 · Natalie Gibson

Use a shared self-assessment across strategy, policy, student safety, privacy, teacher training, student AI literacy, academic integrity, tools, equity, family engagement, and governance. Score In place (2), In progress (1), or Not yet (0), and fix any critical safety or privacy gaps first.

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A practical self-assessment for schools preparing students, teachers, and systems for AI

Prepared by the HeyOtto for Schools team · Last updated October 2026 · Plan on 30–45 minutes with your team

School: ______________________________ Completed by: ______________________________ Date: ______________

How to use this checklist

Who it's for: School and district leaders, principals, technology directors, instructional coaches, curriculum leaders, and educators. It works best completed together, not by one person.

How to rate each item: Check one box per row. Print this page to fill it in by hand with your team.

Rating	Points	Meaning
In place	2	A defined practice exists and is being carried out.
In progress	1	Work has started, but it isn't complete.
Not yet	0	The practice is missing, or you don't know whether it exists.
N/A	—	The item doesn't apply to your school. Leave it out of your score.

If you're unsure whether a practice exists, rate it Not yet and treat it as something to investigate.

Critical items: Items marked (Critical) cover student safety, privacy, and legal obligations. Fix any critical item rated Not yet first, whatever your overall score.

1. AI Strategy and Leadership

Before introducing AI across a school, leadership needs a shared understanding of why it's being used and what success looks like.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
1.1	We have identified the educational goals we want AI to support.
1.2	We have designated an AI lead, committee, or leadership team.
1.3	School leaders understand the opportunities, limitations, and risks of generative AI.
1.4	We have assessed how students and staff already use AI.
1.5	We have set priorities for the next 6–12 months.
1.6	We have defined how we will evaluate AI's impact on teaching and learning.
1.7	Teachers, students, families, and relevant staff have ways to give input.
1.8	We have a process for updating our AI strategy as technology changes.

Questions for leadership

What problems are we trying to solve with AI?
Where could AI improve learning without replacing essential teaching or student thinking?
How will we know whether our approach is working?

2. AI Policy and Acceptable Use

A school AI policy should give educators and students practical guidance they can apply in real classroom situations. Our guide to writing a school AI policy and the free Model AI Policy template can help.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
2.1	We have a written AI policy or clear interim guidance. (Critical)
2.2	Our policy defines acceptable, restricted, and prohibited uses of AI.
2.3	We explain when students may use AI for brainstorming, tutoring, research, coding, and creative projects.
2.4	We set expectations for disclosing AI assistance in student work.
2.5	We explain how AI use relates to academic integrity and plagiarism.
2.6	We distinguish between learning support and AI completing work on a student's behalf.
2.7	We give teachers guidance on designing assignments when AI is widely available.
2.8	We set expectations for staff using AI to create materials, assess work, or communicate with families.
2.9	We handle policy violations consistently and fairly.
2.10	Our policy reflects applicable district and state requirements.

Questions for leadership

Can a student explain when AI is allowed on a particular assignment?
Would two teachers apply our policy the same way?
Does our policy teach responsible use, rather than relying only on restrictions?

3. Student Safety and Age-Appropriate AI

Students need AI environments designed for their developmental needs, with clear boundaries and appropriate oversight.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
3.1	We evaluate AI tools for age suitability before students use them. (Critical)
3.2	We verify applicable age restrictions and parental consent requirements. (Critical)
3.3	We test how tools respond to harmful, explicit, or age-inappropriate requests. (Critical)
3.4	We understand whether tools can generate unsafe content or encourage inappropriate interactions.
3.5	We evaluate protections against harmful advice, manipulation, and inappropriate personalization.
3.6	We understand what monitoring, reporting, and escalation features each tool offers.
3.7	We have procedures for responding to AI-related student safety concerns. (Critical)
3.8	We set supervision expectations for classroom and independent use.
3.9	We check whether safety controls are built into the product or depend mainly on student behavior.
3.10	We communicate AI safety expectations to students and families.

Questions for leadership

What happens when a student asks an AI tool for something harmful?
Who is notified when a serious safety concern comes up?
Can we explain the protections and limits of every AI tool students use?

4. Student Data Privacy and Security

Schools must understand what happens to student information when AI tools are introduced.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
4.1	We keep an inventory of AI tools that process student or staff information. (Critical)
4.2	We review privacy policies and terms before approving AI tools.
4.3	We understand what information each tool collects, stores, and generates.
4.4	We know whether student inputs or outputs may be used to train AI models. (Critical)
4.5	We evaluate data retention, deletion, access, and account-termination practices.
4.6	We assess vendor security practices and contractual protections.
4.7	We review our student privacy obligations, including FERPA and COPPA where they apply. (Critical)
4.8	We confirm each tool is appropriate for the specific data it will handle.
4.9	We prohibit entering sensitive student information into unapproved AI tools. (Critical)
4.10	We review integrations, third-party subprocessors, and data-sharing arrangements.
4.11	We have a process for reporting and responding to privacy or security incidents. (Critical)

Questions for leadership

Do we know where student prompts and conversations are stored?
Can we name every vendor that receives student data?
Do our contracts and privacy reviews match how each tool will actually be used?

5. Teacher Training and Professional Development

Teachers need more than a list of approved tools. They need confidence using AI to support learning and judgment about when not to use it.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
5.1	We assess teachers' current AI knowledge and confidence.
5.2	We provide foundational AI literacy training for all relevant staff.
5.3	Teachers understand that AI can produce inaccurate, biased, or made-up information.
5.4	Teachers learn how to verify AI-generated content and sources.
5.5	We share practical examples of AI-assisted lesson planning and differentiation.
5.6	Teachers learn to create instructional materials with appropriate human review.
5.7	Teachers know our approved tools and the privacy requirements that apply to them.
5.8	Teachers practice with AI in realistic classroom scenarios.
5.9	We provide ongoing professional development as tools and policies change.
5.10	Educators have a way to share effective practices and lessons learned.

Questions for leadership

Can teachers tell when AI output shouldn't be trusted?
Can teachers use AI to reduce administrative work while keeping their professional judgment?
Do educators have time and support to experiment responsibly?

6. Student AI Literacy

AI literacy helps students understand how AI works, evaluate its output, use it well, and recognize its limits. See "AI Literacy by Grade Band" below for a starting point.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
6.1	We have defined the AI literacy skills students should develop in each grade band.
6.2	Students learn what AI is and how generative AI produces responses.
6.3	Students understand that AI can be wrong even when it sounds confident.
6.4	Students practice checking claims against reliable sources.
6.5	Students learn to recognize bias and limitations in AI-generated content.
6.6	Students learn to write clear prompts and improve results through iteration.
6.7	Students understand privacy, personal information, and responsible sharing.
6.8	Students learn when AI help is appropriate and when independent work matters.
6.9	Students learn how to acknowledge AI assistance when required.
6.10	Students get to create, build, code, research, and solve problems with AI.
6.11	Students understand that people remain responsible for decisions and actions involving AI.
6.12	We assess AI literacy through practical tasks, not just definitions.

Questions for leadership

Can students explain why an AI response might be wrong?
Can they verify information instead of accepting it at face value?
Do they use AI to strengthen their own thinking rather than just get an answer?

7. Academic Integrity and Assessment

AI changes how schools think about assignments, evidence of learning, and student ownership of work.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
7.1	We define acceptable AI assistance for different assignment types.
7.2	Teachers communicate AI expectations before students begin assignments.
7.3	We distinguish between using AI to learn and using AI to skip learning.
7.4	Teachers can evaluate student understanding beyond a final submitted product.
7.5	Students have chances to explain their reasoning and show their process.
7.6	We use drafts, oral explanations, in-class work, and project demonstrations where appropriate.
7.7	We never treat AI detector results alone as proof of academic misconduct.
7.8	We have fair procedures for investigating suspected misuse.
7.9	We review whether assessments still measure the skills they are meant to measure.
7.10	We have guidelines for AI use in feedback, grading, and high-stakes decisions.
7.11	Students understand they remain responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their work.

Questions for leadership

Do our assessments measure student understanding or just the finished product?
Can students explain, defend, or reproduce the work they submit?
Are our integrity rules realistic when AI is widely available?

8. Approved AI Tools and Technology Infrastructure

Schools need a deliberate approach to choosing and managing tools, rather than disconnected adoption across classrooms. Vet each tool with the AI Tool Evaluation.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
8.1	We keep a central inventory of approved AI applications.
8.2	We have a consistent process for reviewing and approving new tools.
8.3	We evaluate educational value, age suitability, safety, privacy, and accessibility before adoption.
8.4	We check compatibility with existing devices, learning platforms, and school systems.
8.5	We have procedures for account creation, sign-in, and access control.
8.6	We understand what administrators can see and manage in each product.
8.7	We know whether teachers can configure age-appropriate or classroom-specific experiences.
8.8	We understand how student activity and AI interactions are logged, retained, and reviewed.
8.9	We remove access when students or staff leave.
8.10	We periodically review tools for duplication, cost, use, and ongoing suitability.
8.11	We check whether multiple tools create gaps in oversight or inconsistent protections.

Questions for leadership

Do we know which AI tools students use, including ones we never approved?
Can our IT team manage access and respond to concerns?
Are we building one coherent AI environment or adding disconnected apps?

9. Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion

AI implementation should expand meaningful learning opportunities without creating new barriers.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
9.1	We check whether students have equitable access to approved AI tools and devices.
9.2	We consider connectivity, device availability, and access outside school.
9.3	We evaluate accessibility for students with disabilities.
9.4	We check whether tools support relevant accommodations and assistive technology.
9.5	We review performance and usability across languages and student populations.
9.6	We consider the needs of multilingual learners and students with different learning needs.
9.7	We evaluate whether AI use supports student independence and agency.
9.8	We monitor whether implementation benefits some student groups while disadvantaging others.

Questions for leadership

Can every student take part meaningfully in our AI learning activities?
Are accessibility and inclusion part of tool selection from the start?
Are we looking at outcomes across different student needs?

10. Parent and Community Engagement

Families should understand how AI is used at school, what safeguards exist, and what their children are expected to learn.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
10.1	We explain our school's approach to AI in plain language.
10.2	We explain the educational purpose behind student AI use.
10.3	We describe how student information is protected and what limitations remain.
10.4	We give families guidance on appropriate AI use at home.
10.5	We explain when parental consent or additional notices are required.
10.6	Families have ways to ask questions and raise concerns.
10.7	We provide clear contact information for AI-related safety, privacy, or policy concerns.
10.8	We have a plan for communicating changes to approved tools and policies.
10.9	We share resources that help families reinforce AI literacy at home.

Questions for leadership

Could a parent understand our AI approach without technical knowledge?
Can families find answers about privacy, safety, and academic integrity?
Do we engage families before concerns come up, not only after an incident?

11. Governance, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement

AI readiness is ongoing. Schools need to evaluate implementation and respond as tools, risks, and needs change.

#	Practice	In place	In progress	Not yet	N/A
11.1	We have assigned responsibility for ongoing AI governance.
11.2	We regularly review approved tools, policies, and vendor practices.
11.3	We have a process for reporting unsafe outputs, errors, and misuse. (Critical)
11.4	We define who responds to each type of AI-related incident.
11.5	We document incidents and use what we learn to improve policies and training.
11.6	We track adoption and gather feedback from teachers and students.
11.7	We evaluate educational outcomes, not just usage numbers.
11.8	We periodically reassess privacy, security, accessibility, and safety risks.
11.9	We have a schedule for reviewing AI readiness and updating our action plan.
11.10	We share relevant findings with school and district leadership.

Questions for leadership

Who owns AI governance after the initial rollout?
How will we know if AI is improving learning?
What would cause us to revise, restrict, or stop using a tool?

Score Your School's AI Readiness

For each section, add up your points (In place = 2, In progress = 1, Not yet = 0). For the maximum, multiply the number of items by 2, then subtract 2 for every item you marked N/A.

Section	Items	Points earned	Max points	Section %
1. AI Strategy and Leadership	8
2. AI Policy and Acceptable Use	10
3. Student Safety and Age-Appropriate AI	10
4. Student Data Privacy and Security	11
5. Teacher Training and Professional Development	10
6. Student AI Literacy	12
7. Academic Integrity and Assessment	11
8. Approved AI Tools and Technology Infrastructure	11
9. Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion	8
10. Parent and Community Engagement	9
11. Governance, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement	10
Total	110

Readiness percentage = total points earned ÷ total max points × 100 = __________ %

Critical gaps to fix first

List every (Critical) item you rated Not yet. Address these before anything else, whatever your overall score.

Item #	Practice	Owner	Target date

Interpreting your score

Score	Readiness level	Recommended next step
0–39%	Early stage	Establish leadership ownership, fix urgent safety and privacy gaps, and create initial AI guidance.
40–59%	Developing	Formalize policies, begin staff training, and set up a consistent tool approval process.
60–79%	Building capacity	Strengthen classroom implementation, student AI literacy, and governance.
80–100%	Established foundation	Validate implementation, measure outcomes, and keep improving.

Important: This score is a planning aid, not a certification or compliance assessment. A high overall score never makes up for a critical gap in student safety, privacy, or legal obligations.

AI Literacy by Grade Band

Section 6 asks whether you've defined AI literacy skills for each grade band. Use this as a starting point and adapt it to your curriculum.

Skill area	Grades 3–5	Grades 6–8	Grades 9–12
Understanding AI	AI is a tool people build. It learns patterns from lots of examples and doesn't think or feel.	Generative AI predicts likely responses based on its training data, which is why it can sound sure and still be wrong.	Explain training data, model limits, and why AI can invent facts or sources.
Checking output	Double-check AI answers with a trusted adult, book, or website.	Confirm important claims with at least two reliable sources. Notice missing perspectives.	Evaluate sources critically, identify bias, and judge when an AI answer is good enough to rely on.
Prompting	Ask a clear question, then try again with more detail if the answer isn't helpful.	Add context, purpose, and constraints. Compare results from different prompts.	Break multi-step projects into prompts and document how the work developed.
Privacy and responsibility	Never share your full name, address, school, or photos with AI.	Follow class rules for when AI is allowed and how to say you used it.	Cite AI assistance properly and decide when using AI helps or undercuts your own learning.

Your First 90 Days: Turn Readiness Into Action

Days 1–30: Assess and prioritize

Appoint an AI readiness lead or team.
Inventory AI tools staff and students already use.
Review every critical item, starting with safety, privacy, and consent.
Complete this checklist with relevant stakeholders.
Pick the three most important gaps to address first.

Days 31–60: Establish the foundation

Draft or update your AI acceptable-use policy.
Define how AI tools get reviewed and approved.
Set minimum privacy and student safety requirements.
Begin foundational AI literacy training for staff.
Share initial expectations with teachers, students, and families.

Days 61–90: Implement and evaluate

Pilot approved tools in selected classrooms or programs.
Introduce grade-appropriate AI literacy activities.
Collect feedback from educators, students, and families.
Review safety, usability, accessibility, and learning outcomes.
Update the plan and schedule a recurring review.

How HeyOtto for Schools Supports This Checklist

HeyOtto for Schools is AI for schools, built for students ages 8–18 and their teachers. Here's how it connects to the sections above.

Section	How HeyOtto Schools helps
Section 1	School accounts can be set up around your school's mission and values, including for faith-based schools.
Sections 3 and 8	One structured environment for student AI use, instead of a mix of consumer tools with different protections and no shared oversight.
Sections 3 and 4	Ask us for our safety, privacy, and data-handling documentation, and review it against every critical item in these sections before you decide.
Section 5	Teacher support for planning lessons, differentiating materials, and building classroom resources.
Section 6	Hands-on practice with prompting, iteration, and critical thinking, plus coding and creative projects where students build things with AI.

The right fit depends on your school's requirements, systems, and goals. Evaluate HeyOtto for Schools, and any other AI tool, against your own privacy, safety, accessibility, and governance criteria.

See what HeyOtto for Schools includes

Sources and Guidance

This checklist draws on federal student privacy law and published guidance for schools. Check your state's own AI guidance and student privacy laws too, since requirements vary.

A Final Note for School Leaders

AI readiness isn't about adopting AI as fast as possible. It's about deciding where AI belongs, preparing educators and students to use it well, and putting safeguards in place that keep learning at the center.

Start with your most important gaps. Build the foundation before you scale. Revisit your approach as your school learns what works.

The goal is to prepare students to use AI responsibly, thoughtfully, and effectively.

School AI Readiness Checklist · HeyOtto for Schools · Last updated October 2026

FAQs

Who should complete the school AI readiness checklist?: School and district leaders, principals, technology directors, instructional coaches, curriculum leaders, and educators. It works best completed together, not by one person.
What should a school do first if a critical item is Not yet?: Fix any critical item covering student safety, privacy, or legal obligations before acting on the overall score.
How is the readiness score calculated?: Add points for each item (In place = 2, In progress = 1, Not yet = 0). Maximum points are two per item, minus two for every N/A. Divide earned points by max points and multiply by 100.

Sources

Written for K–12 school and district teams assessing AI strategy, policy, safety, privacy, literacy, and governance. This is a planning aid, not a certification or compliance assessment.

How to use this checklist

1. AI Strategy and Leadership

2. AI Policy and Acceptable Use

3. Student Safety and Age-Appropriate AI

4. Student Data Privacy and Security

5. Teacher Training and Professional Development

6. Student AI Literacy

7. Academic Integrity and Assessment

8. Approved AI Tools and Technology Infrastructure

9. Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion

10. Parent and Community Engagement

11. Governance, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement

Score Your School's AI Readiness

Critical gaps to fix first

Interpreting your score

AI Literacy by Grade Band

Your First 90 Days: Turn Readiness Into Action

Days 1–30: Assess and prioritize

Days 31–60: Establish the foundation

Days 61–90: Implement and evaluate

How HeyOtto for Schools Supports This Checklist

Sources and Guidance

A Final Note for School Leaders

FAQs

Sources

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