Michigan issues AI guidance for schools

The Michigan Department of Education on May 12 released statewide guidance for school districts on how to use artificial intelligence in classrooms and operations, as districts across the state weigh whether and how to permit the fast-spreading tools. State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko told the State Board of Education that AI can be useful if educators and students understand how to use it appropriately. The guidance directs districts to keep AI use purposeful, protect student privacy, maintain human oversight and train staff. It also points schools to companion resources from Michigan Virtual and other groups as districts draft local rules. ### What did Michigan actually issue? The Michigan Department of Education said it released an AI guidance package that includes a starter guide for districts, a comprehensive district guide, a computer science learning alignment framework and a separate instructional resource for educators. The department published the materials on its artificial intelligence webpage and said officials reviewed them at the May 12 State Board of Education meeting. (michigan.gov) Delsa Chapman, deputy superintendent in MDE’s Division of Assessment, School Improvement, and Systems Support, said the comprehensive guide gives districts “structured administrative guidelines” and practical examples for setting guardrails on AI use in teaching and learning. The starter guide says it is aimed at districts with limited capacity and focuses on essential practices rather than a full rollout. (michigan.gov) ### What are districts being told to do first? The starter guide says districts should begin with a short AI vision statement, updated acceptable-use policies, disclosure norms, a prohibited-uses list, vendor clauses in procurement documents and at least one professional learning session on AI basics. It also recommends adding AI readiness goals to the Michigan Integrated Continuous Improvement Process and reviewing AI data use every semester. (michigan.gov) Privacy is a central requirement in the state materials. The district guide says schools must follow laws including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and accessibility rules, while the instructional guidance tells educators not to share student data or personally identifiable information when using AI tools. (michigan.gov) ### How much room does the guidance give teachers to use AI? The state materials say AI may support learning and operations, but not replace educators or decision-makers. The starter guide tells districts to review tools for bias, accuracy and appropriateness before adoption, and the instructional guidance says teachers should first check whether their district has approved tools for classroom use. (michigan.gov) Maleyko framed the state’s approach in similar terms at the board meeting. “AI can be a good learning and teaching tool if used properly,” he said, adding that educators and students need to know how to use it appropriately. ### Where does Michigan Virtual fit into this? A December 2024 MDE memo said the department endorsed Michigan Virtual’s resources as its AI guidance for districts and said Michigan Virtual had emerged as a national leader in the area. (michigan.gov) The current MDE AI webpage still points districts to Michigan Virtual planning guides, teacher guides and other implementation materials. (michigan.gov) Michigan Virtual’s AI Lab says it works with K-12 schools on intentional and responsible AI use, and its sample K-12 guidance says district staff should understand both the benefits and limitations of generative AI tools. A 2024 Michigan Virtual study of more than 1,000 educators found that about half already used AI professionally even though only about 30% of districts had AI policies at the time, with privacy, ethics and student misuse among the main concerns. (michigan.gov) ### What does this mean for classroom practice right now? The instructional guidance says educators can use AI for lesson plans, presentations, images and idea generation, and names tools such as Magic School, Adobe Firefly, Canva and QuestionWell as examples. The same document says teachers should use district-approved tools where available and avoid entering student-identifiable information into outside systems. (michiganvirtual.org) For districts still building capacity, the state’s message is narrower than open-ended classroom experimentation. The starter guide emphasizes brief foundational training, disclosure rules, bias checks, source verification and transparency about when AI was used in assignments or school work. That framing, based on the state documents, positions AI as a support tool inside local guardrails rather than a substitute for classroom judgment. (michigan.gov) ### What comes next for Michigan schools? The MDE artificial intelligence webpage says the department will continue sharing AI resources as they become available and lists a Summer 2026 AI and Media Literacy Collaborative hosted by the REMC Association of Michigan for educational leaders. The department also provides a contact address for questions and support as districts develop local policies and training plans. (michigan.gov 1) (michigan.gov 2)