Student Ideas Shape EA’s AI Policy

By:  Jessica Muonio
School:  Escuela Americana

Escuela Americana set out to build an AI policy that students would recognize as theirs. We began by listening closely: students and teachers already had strong ideas about how AI could help learning, and where it could create confusion or risk. Our first draft was unfortunately too wordy; it described AI but didn’t yet offer the kind of everyday guidance classrooms need. So in February, we shifted to a practical protocol (from LEGO) that helps learners turn big ideas into memorable “rules.” Across Grades 3–5, 6–8, and 9–11, student groups discussed what they had seen, what they tried, and what they needed moving forward. They then collaborated in these groups and then altogether to draft the core principles we would build into a policy students and staff could remember and apply.

In March, our AI Taskforce synthesized what we heard from students into 10 intentionally broad rules. These were broad enough to stay adaptable as AI evolves, and clear enough to guide teaching and learning now. We then brought these rules back to faculty and teachers to strengthen the policy with classroom-ready bullet points based on real experience. The result is a policy that is co-created by students and staff, written to be adaptable and easy to live out in daily learning. We then shared the policy parents in various methods, including a Parent Education meeting and social media and introducing it through classroom posters so it becomes part of everyday routines. It will also be added to our Student Handbook, with our lawyer adding any child-protection/safeguarding notes needed, along with an introduction that explains our AI philosophy.


And most importantly, this process turned AI from something students and teachers were still trying to figure out into something they can use thoughtfully, through a policy they helped create. By grounding our guidelines in student voice, teacher experience, and a clear set of adaptable rules, Escuela Americana is empowering learners to approach AI with curiosity, responsibility, and confidence. We excited about how we created a policy that is a “living document,” that prepares us for an ever-changing world as new possibilities and learning emerges.