California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted the first meeting of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workgroup at the California Department of Education (CDE) Headquarters in Sacramento on Friday, Aug. 29. Established after last year’s passage of Senate Bill 1288, a bill authored by Senator Josh Becker (13th District) and sponsored by Superintendent Thurmond, the workgroup marks California as one of the first states in the nation to establish a legislatively mandated statewide effort focused on AI in K–12 education.
“There is an urgent need for clear direction on AI use in schools to ensure technology enhances, rather than replaces, the vital role of educators,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “Workgroup members are representatives from various organizations, including technology leaders. The majority are educators, and this workgroup also includes students. We want to ensure that those who will be affected by this guidance and policy have a voice in creating it.”
The workgroup is a model of Superintendent Thurmond’s efforts to develop strong public–private partnerships that power innovation in public education. It will develop the statewide guidance and a model policy to ensure AI benefits students and educators while safeguarding privacy, data security, and academic integrity. The group includes teachers, students, administrators, classified staff, higher education leaders, and industry experts. At least half of the members are current classroom teachers, elevating educator expertise as the foundation for decision-making.
The launch of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence Workgroup directly advances Superintendent Thurmond’s priorities, which include:
Transforming Education with Innovation: equipping schools with equitable, forward-looking approaches to technology;
Equity and Access for All Students: ensuring AI tools do not exacerbate inequities but instead expand opportunities for every student;
Whole Child Support: safeguarding against bias, misuse, and misinformation in AI systems while protecting student well-being;
Elevating Educator Voice: centering teachers in decision-making about AI in classrooms; and
Transparency and Public Engagement: committing to openness through public meetings and shared resources.
The Aug. 29 session was the initial meeting of the Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence Workgroup. The second meeting will take place in October, followed by a third meeting in February.
The CDE has released initial guidance for schools and educators regarding the use of AI, which will be enhanced by the work of this group. The initial guidance can be found on the CDE Learning With AI, Learning About AI web page.
