Each week, “Answer Key” aims to help families by responding to an important question about education and schools in Greater Houston. If you have a question for us to answer, please email us at education@houstonlanding.org or fill out the form at the end of this article.
This week’s question:
What are the rules for students using AI in their schoolwork?
Sometimes you can’t tell when a sentence is AI-generated. Other times, the unnatural aspect of a sentence sets off alarm bells that something is wrong.
Generative artificial intelligence, more commonly known as AI, mimics human thought, creativity, and decision-making by drawing from a large base of existing knowledge and work to create a seemingly original product. For instance, a student using the AI tool ChatGPT could ask it to write a list of Revolutionary War-era historical figures, and ChatGPT would come up with a list much like Google comes up with search terms.
Students can use AI tools to help with research and organize study materials, but critics say the danger comes when students use AI to complete entire essays and assignments before understanding how to think and write critically on their own. As the technology improves, AI-generated work and human-made work has also become increasingly difficult to distinguish.
To better grapple with the emergent technology, school districts across Greater Houston are updating their technological use policies, in HISD’s case even creating an entire guidebook on the district’s approach to AI.
Most policies severely limit or ban students’ access to AI except with explicit permission from parents and instructors. In some authorized instances, districts are also slowly introducing AI-assisted tools into their curriculum in order to work with technology, not against it.
Here are how some Houston-area school districts are both curtailing and embracing AI technology.
Houston
In November 2024, HISD partnered with the AI literacy organization AI for Education to develop the most comprehensive AI guidebook of all the Houston-area districts.
Under that guidance, students under 14 years old can learn about generative AI and use pre-approved tools as part of classroom assignments while supervised by a district staff member. Students 14 and older can access pre-approved generative AI tools with parent consent and teacher permission.
The goal of the district’s guidance is to help students “understand what Generative AI is and is not, its opportunities and limitations, and ways to apply the tools judiciously to augment their own knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving abilities in their studies.”
Teachers are permitted to use AI tools in classroom or administrative work and will have the opportunity to receive professional development training over the summer to better incorporate AI into their instruction.
Katy
The Katy ISD 2024-2025 student handbook expressly prohibits passing off work written using AI as one’s own in its plagiarism guidelines. The offense is at the same level as online impersonation, copyright infringement, hacking, or data violations.
Fort Bend
Fort Bend does not explicitly name AI in its digital citizenship policy, but the district does prohibit the use of district or personal technology for cheating or plagiarism.
Conroe
AI is not mentioned in either Conroe’s 2024-2025 student code of conduct or its acceptable use policy for digital resources.
Cypress-Fairbanks
Cypress-Fairbanks does not mention AI in its 2024-2025 student code of conduct, but the district prohibits plagiarism by any source including the Internet.
Aldine
According to Aldine’s AI policy last updated in October 2023, AI-generated work cannot be viewed as a student’s own work and therefore violates the district’s plagiarism policy. However, the district leaves room for teachers to authorize AI use on a case-by-case basis.
Pasadena
Pasadena’s student handbook prohibits academic dishonesty when using digital tools “including those augmented with AI capabilities” but does not outline specific guidance unique to AI. A web page on the district website titled “AI Guidance” sits blank.
Pasadena Chief Technology Officer Melissa McCalla said in an emailed statement that the district began training staff on appropriate AI use this school year and will continue to review potential AI tools for students.
“We are excited about the potential benefits that generative AI can bring in supporting productivity and skill development for both staff and students,” McCalla said in an email.
Alief
Alief’s student handbook does not mention AI.
Spring
Spring’s student-parent handbook does not mention AI.
Correction, Jan. 30: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described Houston ISD’s policy on students accessing AI tools. Students of all ages can learn about and access AI tools in limited circumstances outlined by district policy.
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