CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — The Charleston County School District is weighing how to integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms as officials work to develop policies and guidelines for its use.
Charleston County School District considers AI education policy (WCIV)
At a meeting Monday night, the district’s Committee of the Whole heard a presentation from “AI for Education,” a national consulting group helping CCSD craft its approach to AI.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Luke Clamp said the district recently gathered parents, students, teachers and other stakeholders to discuss ideas and concerns about AI’s role in education.
“We used that first collaborative, in-person session to inform the presentation shared tonight, which really kickstarts the opportunity to begin designing policy,” Clamp said. “That policy will lead into strategy, professional development, and support for students and teachers in the upcoming school year.”
READ MORE | “Lowcountry schools embrace AI tech to boost K-5 reading and math skills.”
With AI technology growing rapidly and reshaping the job market, CCSD leaders say they want to ensure students are prepared for a changing career landscape.
During the presentation, AI for Education CEO Amanda Bickerstaff cited the World Economic Report from January 2025, which projected that by 2030, AI will create 170 million new jobs, replace 92 million jobs and transform 86% of businesses.
She also noted that LinkedIn ranks “AI literacy” as the No. 1 skill to list on a résumé in today’s job market.
“As we begin to develop the strategy for professional use of it, AI is going to continue to evolve exponentially,” Clamp said. “We as educators and leaders should begin to accept its opportunities while also developing guardrails to protect its use.”
The presentation also addressed common concerns about AI in schools, including academic integrity, bias, misinformation and what experts call “cognitive offloading,” or overreliance on technology.
As the company drafts a policy for CCSD, Bickerstaff said it will focus on preparing students to use AI responsibly while teaching them about data privacy, security and digital well-being.
“That policy begins to inform and establish guardrails for our system to use,” Clamp said. “It will be part of the catalyst behind the strategy and professional development.”
Several trustees expressed caution about moving too quickly, emphasizing the need for deliberate and thoughtful policymaking.
READ MORE | “School districts work to understand new AI-generated tool.”
Clamp encouraged parents who may have reservations about AI to explore the technology themselves.
“As parents begin to explore the tools, they’ll become more familiar with what students are using,” he said. “But as I tell all parents, get involved and be aware. Don’t assume that quiet noise is good noise. Pay attention to what your students are using, and how much screen time they have—so the appropriate use can help elevate their learning experience.”
The board plans to hold a first reading of the proposed AI policy on Dec. 8.
Phase One of the initiative, research and policy drafting, costs the district $27,000. Phase Two, which will focus on training and implementation, has not yet been priced.
CCSD hopes to begin Phase Two by the 2026–27 school year.
