Tell families how your class uses AI

Teachers, sooner or later a parent is going to ask you, "So do you let them use AI?" You'll have about 20 seconds to answer.

That question is coming whether or not your school has said anything about AI. In a February 2026 survey of 1,511 public school parents, 47% said their child's school hadn't given them information about its AI policies during the 2025-26 school year, and another 15% weren't sure. 57% said the school hadn't asked for their input. (National Parents Union and Echelon Insights)

So families are filling in the blanks on their own. I'd guess some assume AI does their child's homework, and some assume you're grading with it. I think the most useful thing you can do is tell them what actually happens in your room, in plain words, before they have to ask.

This week's workflow is a one-page AI note for families. It takes about 20 minutes, and AI does the part it's good at: turning your rules into something a busy parent will read.

Step 1: write your own rules first

AI can't tell you what your class rules are. You have to decide them. Take 5 minutes and jot down plain bullets under 4 headings:

• What students use AI for in this class, and what they don't. Be specific: "Brainstorming topics, yes. Writing the essay, no."
• What I use AI for, like drafting practice questions or planning, and that I review everything before students see it.
• What never goes into an AI tool: student names, grades, IEP or 504 information, or anything else that identifies a student.
• How families can help, like a question to ask at home, and how to reach me.

If your school or district has an AI policy, have it open while you write. Your note can be more specific than the policy, but it can't contradict it. If there's no policy yet, say what you do in your class and leave the school-wide rules to your principal.

Step 2: use AI to turn the bullets into a family note

Paste in your bullets and nothing about any student. The note is about your class, so nothing personal needs to go in. (If you want AI's help with class data later, here's how to keep student names out of it.)

Step 3: check it the way a parent would read it

Read what comes back with one question in mind: if a parent took this literally, would it still be true? It's the same habit as reviewing AI classroom materials before you use them. Look for 3 things:

• Anything you didn't say. AI likes to fill gaps. If the note promises that you "monitor all AI use" or names a tool you never mentioned, take it out.
• Anything that sounds bigger than it is. "We use the latest AI tools" should become "I sometimes use AI to draft practice questions, and I check every one."
• Anything a family could misread. Read it out loud once. If a sentence makes you wince, it'll make a parent wince too.

If you're sending it in more than one language, get the English version plain and final first, then translate it. A clear original makes a much better translation.

Step 4: get ready for the follow-up questions

The note will start conversations, especially at conferences. Use it to prepare.

The questions it can't answer from your note are the useful ones. They're the gaps in your rules. Decide what you think before a parent asks you in person, and add the answer to the note if it belongs there.

Step 5: send it before anyone asks

Send it with your next family newsletter, post it wherever families already look, and bring a printed copy to conferences. Then keep it current. If your rules change midyear, send a short update so the note stays true.

My one warning

Don't put anything in the note that your school hasn't decided. If you're not sure a tool is approved, or a rule is yours to make, leave it out and ask your principal before you send it. A note that's short and true is better than one that promises more than your school has agreed to.

One question back

What's the question families ask you most about AI? Reply to this week's email and tell me. I'll gather the best ones for a future edition.