A One-Page AI Policy for Your Syllabus (With Fill-in Template)

Most classroom AI policies fail in one of two directions. They're either a legalistic wall of prohibited-list text no student reads, or they're "use it responsibly" — a phrase that means nothing to a 14-year-old. This is a middle path: one page, plain English, specific enough to enforce, humane enough to actually follow.

Below is the template, then the reasoning behind every clause, then three variations for elementary, middle, and high school.

The template

AI in this class

AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and similar) are part of how people work now. You'll use them in this class. You'll also do work without them, because both skills matter.

When AI is welcome:

• Brainstorming ideas before you start.
• Explaining something you didn't understand from class.
• Getting feedback on a draft you wrote.
• Practicing skills (quizzing yourself, generating example problems).

When AI is not welcome:

• Any assignment marked "no-AI" (usually in-class writing, tests, and reflections).
• Writing the first draft of an essay for you.
• Solving a problem you were supposed to work through.

What you always have to do:

1. Tell me. Note at the end of the assignment: "I used [tool] for [purpose]." One sentence. No penalty for honest use.
2. Own it. If it's in your assignment, you're responsible for it — including anything wrong or made up.
3. Learn from it. If AI helped, you should be able to explain what it did and why. I may ask.

What happens if you use AI when you shouldn't: We talk first, not punish first. A one-time mistake is a conversation. A pattern is an academic-integrity issue and follows the school policy.

A note on detection: I don't use AI-detection tools. They're unreliable, especially for multilingual students. I decide based on the whole picture: your draft history, your class contributions, and conversations with you.

That's the whole thing. Under 300 words.

Why every line is there

"AI tools are part of how people work now." Setting the frame before rules matters. If the first line is a prohibition, students hear "this teacher is scared." If the first line is context, they hear "this teacher is thinking clearly."

The four "welcome" uses are all learning-forward. Brainstorming, explaining, feedback, practice. Notice that none of them replace student thinking; they support it. That's the honest use case.

The three "not welcome" uses are all thinking-substitutes. First drafts, solved problems, and assessment work. The distinction students internalize is "AI can help me think, not think for me."

"Tell me. One sentence. No penalty." This is the single most important line. Disclosure only works if it's cheap. The moment honesty costs a grade, students go underground.

"Own it." Puts the responsibility for accuracy back on the student, which is where it belongs.

"Learn from it. I may ask." Creates a soft audit. Students who used AI to skip thinking can't answer follow-up questions. Students who used it to learn can.

"We talk first, not punish first." Prevents the fear-driven cover-up spiral. First infractions are almost always misunderstandings, not cheating.

"I don't use AI-detection tools." Says the quiet part out loud. Detection tools have well-documented false positive rates, especially for English learners. Naming this in the syllabus removes a source of injustice from your class.

Elementary variation (grades 3–5)

Shorter, more concrete, less nuance about intent:

AI helpers (like Google Bard for Kids or the class chatbot) can help you brainstorm and check your spelling. They cannot do your writing for you. If you use one, write one sentence at the bottom: "I used [tool] to [what]." I'd rather you tell me than hide it. If you're not sure, ask.

Middle school variation (grades 6–8)

Use the template as written, but add:

Because we're practicing skills you'll use for the rest of your life, some assignments are marked "brain-only." Those aren't there to punish you — they're there so you know you can do it without help.

High school / AP variation (grades 9–12)

Use the template, plus:

In this class, disclosure includes: the tool, the prompt you used, and how you evaluated the output. For research-heavy assignments, keep a short AI log — I'll ask to see it before final grades.

What to do with parents

Send the same one-page policy home in the first-week welcome letter. A one-line note above it: "This is what your student and I have agreed on for AI use this year. Please read it with them and email me any questions." Most parents want a policy to exist; almost none want a fight.

What not to include

Don't list specific tools by name in the policy body (they change quarterly). Don't promise 100% enforcement (you can't deliver it). Don't use the word "cheating" in the welcome-uses section (it primes suspicion). And don't make the policy longer than one page — the whole point is that students read it.

You can copy the template above verbatim. It's under Creative Commons for teacher use.