When ChatGPT launched in 2022, thrusting a powerful AI tool into everyday life, Mt. Lebanon High School Principal Joel Thompson took note. He knew his staff needed to develop ethical and responsible ways to respond to artificial intelligence.
“We needed to start the conversation, as it was evident to me the impact would be significant,” said Thompson.“Getting people to be willing to talk about these issues and solutions was easy. They saw challenges and opportunities, and wanted to respond.”
That’s since turned into years of work with Responsible AI in Learning (RAIL), a specialized, accreditation-style program created by the Middle States Association. Its goal is to help K-12 schools safely and ethically integrate artificial intelligence.
Mt. Lebanon last year earned an endorsement in AI literacy, safety and ethics from RAIL, a global organization.
This year, it earned a second RAIL endorsement, focused on how artificial intelligence can genuinely enhance student learning. Mt. Lebanon is one of the first public schools in the world to receive an endorsement in this category.
“The idea was to help school leaders learn to navigate the new world of AI and the impact it will have,” Thompson said. “You want to embed a change like this deep in the culture so any changes you make are reflected in the values you hold.”
The school believes education must drive innovation, not the other way around, Thompson said. Staff established a framework that allows teachers to choose instructional strategies and technologies that best meet the needs of students.
At Mt. Lebanon, that’s included standardizing AI use for instruction and learning, and creating a system where students know if they can or cannot use AI for an assignment.
The school did a year’s worth of research on effective learning models — including a special education teacher using AI tools to create more personalized learning experiences for students with disabilities.
“As we adapt, we’re thinking about what students’ needs are and what we value in instruction, all while meeting the opportunity for students to be digitally literate,” he said.
Keeping up with AI is a tall task, but Thompson believes Mt. Lebanon has the right model to adapt to ethical AI use in education.
“Our focus is about how we are changing and adjusting how we are teaching and learning,” he said.
Members of Mt. Lebanon’s AI leadership team are Thompson, technology director Chris Stengel and teachers Josh Bilak (science), Stephanie Camarda (social studies) and Kurt Voss-Hoynes (English).
