{"resourceId":"fcps-md-policy-124-ai-text-20261007","versions":[{"version":"external-9d37ff0b41620157b91eca3b8141450b1a120c378beb9ac77dc5e75f0dd4d6de","resource":{"id":"fcps-md-policy-124-ai-text-20261007","title":"Frederick County Policy 124 text: PreK-12 student AI prohibition limited to approved, network-bound, monitored tools","organization":"Frederick County Public Schools Board of Education","sector":"K-12 education","geography":"Frederick County, Maryland, US","publishedAt":"Adopted 2026-10-07 (policy history record)","publicationDate":"2026-10-07","eventDate":"2026-10-07","sourceName":"Frederick County Public Schools legal documents","sourceLabel":"Frederick County Public Schools legal documents","sourceUrl":"https://apps.fcps.org/legal/documents/124/history/504","evidenceClass":"standards-guidance","outcomeClass":"cautionary","topics":["governance-procurement","data-security","accessibility-workforce"],"finding":"The adopted policy text goes beyond the headline ban already archived via news coverage: it prohibits student AI use PreK-12 except for AI-literacy instruction, course/extracurricular requirements, or superintendent approval; confines any use to FCPS-approved tools reachable only on the secure FCPS network and monitored by FCPS; bars staff from using AI to replace direct instruction or evaluate student work; mandates AI access where an IEP or 504 plan requires it; and directs regulations across ten areas including human oversight, data security and procurement, plus an advisory group. Why now: the primary text (adopted Oct 7) was not previously archived and specifies the operating constraints.","sledRelevance":"Gives districts and vendors the exact clauses a large Maryland district will enforce, rather than press summaries.","evidence":"Primary policy document (5 pages) read in full; no outcome data — it is a governance rule, not an evaluation.","architectureImplications":"Network-bound, monitored access implies district-managed identity, filtering and logging; consumer tools reached off-network are out of scope by design.","governanceImplications":"Exceptions route through the superintendent; implementing regulations not yet published, so enforcement detail is unknown.","securityPrivacyImplications":"Monitoring requirement increases student activity data held by the district, which itself needs retention and access rules under Policy 208.","caveats":"Policy text only; regulations, approved-tool list and enforcement are pending. Board elections on Nov 3 could alter direction (reported elsewhere, not in this document).","streamIds":["k12"],"roles":{"sales":"Framing point: this is a compliance-led buyer, not an innovation buyer. Frederick County has codified a default-deny posture where only approved, network-bound, monitored tools are allowed and AI may not grade students. Conversations should start from the superintendent's forthcoming regulations, IEP/504 access duties and the advisory group, not product features. Any offer should be bounded to helping the district inventory, approve and monitor tools; nothing here supports claims of learning gains or cost savings.","engineering":"Framing point: the policy turns access control into the core requirement. Any approved tool must work only inside the FCPS network with district monitoring, which favors SSO-gated, filterable deployments with audit logs and configurable disabling of embedded AI features. Engineers should verify whether off-network access can be technically prevented, how logs are retained under data-security policy, and how IEP-mandated exceptions are provisioned per student without opening general access.","delivery":"Framing point: delivery is regulation drafting and controls, not rollout. The superintendent must write rules across ten named areas and stand up an advisory group. Delivery work is a tool-approval workflow, monitoring and exception process (literacy, course-required, IEP/504) with named owners. Acceptance criteria should be proposals such as all approved tools logged and reviewed on a schedule; risks include inconsistent exception handling and monitoring that outpaces privacy rules."},"roleDetails":{"sales":{"customerProblem":"District must operationalize a PreK-12 student AI prohibition with narrow exceptions and monitored, approved tools.","stakeholders":["Superintendent and designee","Department of Curriculum and Instruction","Department of Information and Technology","Special education / 504 coordinators","AI advisory group"],"discoveryQuestions":["Which tools are currently approved, and who approves additions?","How will superintendent-approved exceptions be requested and recorded?","How are IEP/504-required AI uses provisioned?","What monitoring data will be retained and for how long?"],"valueHypothesis":"Interpretation: structured approval and monitoring support could reduce compliance ambiguity for the new policy; no outcome evidence exists.","potentialEngagement":"Bounded assessment of the current tool inventory against Policy 124 clauses and a draft exception workflow.","unsupportedClaims":["Any learning-outcome benefit","Cost savings","That a ban reduces academic dishonesty"]},"engineering":{"fit":"Fits SSO-gated, district-hosted or tenant-controlled tools with admin-disable of embedded AI features.","architectureIntegration":"Approved tools must be reachable only on the secure FCPS network and monitored; integrate with existing filtering, identity and logging.","prerequisites":["Tool inventory","Network/identity controls that can restrict access off-network","Logging pipeline"],"constraints":["Off-network access must be blocked for approved AI tools","Staff may not use AI to evaluate student work","Maryland law and FCPS data-security policy apply"],"security":"Monitoring generates sensitive student activity data; apply Policy 208 data-security safeguards and least-privilege access to logs.","proofOfValue":["Demonstrate a tool cannot be reached off-network","Show per-student exception provisioning for an IEP case","Verify embedded AI features can be disabled by admin"]},"delivery":{"work":"Draft implementing regulations and operate approval, exception and monitoring processes.","dependencies":["Superintendent regulations","Advisory group formation","Procurement guidelines"],"ownership":"Superintendent with Curriculum and Instruction and Information and Technology departments (named responsible offices).","skillsAdoption":"Staff professional learning is a required regulation area; teachers need clarity on permitted operational uses.","governanceCheckpoints":["Regulation adoption","Approved-tool list publication","Advisory group review cycle"],"acceptanceCriteria":["Proposed: 100% of approved AI tools listed with owner and review date","Proposed: every exception logged with approver","Proposed: IEP/504 AI requests resolved within a set number of school days"],"risks":["Inconsistent exceptions across schools","Monitoring data over-retention","Accessibility duties overlooked under a default ban"]}},"retrievedAt":"2026-10-09T22:03:30-05:00","enrichedAt":"2026-10-09T22:20:00-05:00","enrichmentBasis":"retrieved source","accessibilityWorkforceImplications":"IEP/504 carve-out makes AI an accommodation right even under a ban; staff need training to apply it consistently.","procurementImplications":"Procurement guidelines are a mandated regulation area; vendors must show network restriction and monitoring support.","operatingModelImplications":"Creates a centralized approval and exception operating model with an advisory group.","sourceVerification":{"openedUrl":"https://apps.fcps.org/legal/documents/124/history/504","referenceExcerpt":"The Board restricts AI use to FCPS-approved AI tools that can only be accessed within the secure FCPS network and monitored by FCPS.","promptVersion":"sled-research-v4.0","model":null,"basis":"agent-reported inspection"}}}]}