{"resourceId":"sarasota-county-schools-fl-proposed-ai-policy-parental-opt-in-closed-systems-20261022","versions":[{"version":"external-8da829c3d11dcd3155381c8e49847bcf8540dad6c677e7edd96baf2bb34f092a","resource":{"id":"sarasota-county-schools-fl-proposed-ai-policy-parental-opt-in-closed-systems-20261022","title":"Sarasota County Schools (FL) advertises AI policy revisions: parental opt-in, no AI decisions without human review, closed systems, ban on companion-style AI","organization":"Sarasota County Schools (reported by The Sarasota Record)","sector":"K-12 district AI acceptable-use and internet-safety policy","geography":"Sarasota County, Florida, United States","publishedAt":"October 22, 2026 (The Sarasota Record)","publicationDate":"2026-10-22","eventDate":"2026-10-20","sourceName":"The Sarasota Record","sourceLabel":"Local news report on proposed district policy","sourceUrl":"https://sarasotarecord.com/articles/sarasota-schools-propose-ai-rules-for-students-and-staff-mvjtwdva","evidenceClass":"independent-reporting","outcomeClass":"emerging","topics":["governance-procurement","data-security","accessibility-workforce"],"finding":"The Sarasota County School Board approved revisions to Policy 4.24 (AI Acceptable Use) and Policy 3.43 (Internet Safety) for advertising on October 20; notices posted October 21 give 21 days to request a hearing, and final approval is pending. Students could not use AI unless a parent opts them in and the teacher allows it, must cite AI content, and must be allowed to show mastery without AI. AI could not make decisions without human review, including grading, discipline, threat assessments, counseling referrals and ESE referrals. By July 1, 2027, teachers and administrators must complete district AI training before using a new AI tool with students. Approved tools could not sell, monetize, profile or exploit student data to train commercial models; U.S. data storage gets priority; undisclosed behavioral monitoring, social scoring and psychological profiling are banned. Supplemental platforms must run on closed systems, align tutoring to Florida's B.E.S.T. standards and keep interaction records at least 30 days for parent access. The internet-safety policy bans AI designed to meet students' social or emotional needs or simulate friendship, and requires a comparable non-AI alternative for students not opted in.","sledRelevance":"A proposed district policy that combines parental opt-in, human review of consequential decisions, vendor data terms and a ban on companion-style AI, giving vendors concrete requirements in a large Florida district.","evidence":"Local news summary of proposed policy text and public notices; policy not yet adopted; no usage data.","architectureImplications":"Supplemental platforms must be closed systems that retain student interaction records at least 30 days for parent access. Interpretation: vendors need per-student logs retrievable on request.","governanceImplications":"Board advertises rule changes under Florida rulemaking notice; parental opt-in gate; human review requirement for consequential decisions; training deadline July 1, 2027.","securityPrivacyImplications":"Prohibits commercial use and model training on student data, behavioral monitoring without disclosure, social scoring and psychological profiling; prefers U.S. data storage.","caveats":"Proposed, not adopted; based on a news summary of the policies and notices, not the policy text itself; final wording may change after hearing requests.","streamIds":["k12"],"roles":{"sales":"Sales framing: Sarasota's proposal sets clear terms for student AI tools, including parental opt-in, closed systems, 30-day interaction records, no commercial training on student data and no companion-style features. A bounded offer is helping the district translate these into vendor review criteria. Do not claim the policy improves learning or safety; it is proposed and has no results.","engineering":"Engineering framing: products must run as closed systems, keep student interaction records for at least 30 days for parent access, honor an opt-in roster and avoid features that simulate relationships. Pre-sales should confirm opt-in enforcement through rostering, log retrieval for records requests and data residency. Proof of value is a demonstration that an opted-out student cannot reach AI features and a parent records request can be fulfilled.","delivery":"Delivery framing: if adopted, the district must run opt-in collection, provide non-AI alternatives, train staff by July 2027, review tools against data terms and keep human review on consequential decisions. Ownership sits with public affairs and policy plus instructional technology. Acceptance means opt-in status is enforced in systems and alternatives exist. Risks are uneven opt-in uptake, record-retrieval burden and features that drift into companion-style design."},"roleDetails":{"sales":{"customerProblem":"A district plans to allow student AI only with parental opt-in and strict vendor data terms but must find tools that meet them.","stakeholders":["Supervisor of public affairs and policy","Superintendent","Instructional technology","ESE leaders","Parents"],"discoveryQuestions":["How will opt-in status reach each tool?","Which current tools meet the closed-system rule?","How will 30-day interaction records be retrieved?","What counts as companion-style design?"],"valueHypothesis":"Clear vendor criteria could speed compliant tool selection; not measured in this source.","potentialEngagement":"Convert the proposed policies into a vendor checklist and opt-in rostering plan.","unsupportedClaims":["Policy not adopted.","No evidence of learning or safety effects.","No uptake data."]},"engineering":{"fit":"Fits closed AI platforms with roster-based access controls and retrievable interaction logs.","architectureIntegration":"Sync parental opt-in flags to rostering so AI features are disabled for non-consenting students; retain logs 30 days or more.","prerequisites":["Opt-in data in the student information system","Rostering integration","Log export"],"constraints":["Florida B.E.S.T. alignment for tutoring","No companion-style features","No commercial training on student data"],"security":"Bar data monetization and profiling; prefer U.S. data storage; disclose any monitoring.","proofOfValue":["Opted-out student blocked from AI","Parent records request fulfilled from logs","Data terms signed"]},"delivery":{"work":"Implement opt-in, training, vendor review and human-review rules once the policy is adopted.","dependencies":["Final board approval","Opt-in collection process","Vendor compliance"],"ownership":"District public affairs and policy office with instructional technology.","skillsAdoption":"District AI training for teachers and administrators before using new tools with students.","governanceCheckpoints":["Hearing period closes","Final board approval","Vendor review","Training completion by July 1, 2027"],"acceptanceCriteria":["Proposed: opt-in status enforced in every approved tool","Proposed: non-AI alternative documented for each AI assignment","Proposed: all teachers using new AI tools trained by July 1, 2027"],"risks":["Low opt-in rates","Record-retrieval burden","Ambiguous companion-feature rules"]}},"retrievedAt":"2026-10-23T22:09:23-05:00","enrichedAt":"2026-10-23T22:12:24-05:00","enrichmentBasis":"retrieved source","accessibilityWorkforceImplications":"Allows AI use consistent with documented accommodations; mandatory staff training before new tools.","procurementImplications":"Closed systems, standards alignment, data terms and U.S. storage preference for supplemental platforms.","operatingModelImplications":"Parental opt-in plus teacher permission gates student AI use.","sourceVerification":{"openedUrl":"https://sarasotarecord.com/articles/sarasota-schools-propose-ai-rules-for-students-and-staff-mvjtwdva","referenceExcerpt":"Tools approved for students could not sell, monetize, profile or commercially exploit student data to train commercial AI models.","promptVersion":"sled-research-v4.0","model":null,"basis":"agent-reported inspection"}}}]}