Key Takeaways
- AFT, UFT and Microsoft announce legally enforceable AI safety standards for schools.
- Student and educator data cannot train AI, be sold, or be used for tracking.
- Schools retain AI controls, while parents receive clearer information about data use.
The American Federation of Teachers, United Federation of Teachers and Microsoft announced a national school AI standard Wednesday to protect student data, limit tracking and require human oversight.
Agreement Puts Data Privacy And Safety First
The “National AI Safety & Privacy Standard” establishes legally enforceable AI safety standards for schools that school districts can incorporate into Microsoft customer agreements, according to the organizations. The agreement comes as schools face growing use of artificial intelligence without comprehensive federal or state rules governing the technology.
Under the standard, technology companies cannot use student or educator data to train AI models, sell or repurpose the information, or track students. Schools retain control over how data is used, retained, and deleted.
The agreement also requires AI systems to include safeguards against harmful or manipulative experiences and protect sensitive information. AI systems cannot make decisions without human oversight, while companies must provide information about how their products work and what data they collect.
AFT President Randi Weingarten said the agreement is intended to give schools enforceable AI safety standards for schools rather than voluntary promises.
“We have forged a hard-fought, iron-clad privacy agreement with real teeth that protects students and families,” Weingarten said. “Anything less than legally enforceable provisions is simply a wish list.”
Schools Gain More Control Over AI Use
The standard gives schools control over when and how AI tools are used, helping strengthen AI safety standards for schools, and requires companies to clearly communicate product changes, risks, and available controls.
Parents, educators and students also are to receive accessible information about AI use in schools and the safeguards surrounding the technology. The agreement allows school districts to end agreements and seek damages from companies that violate its provisions, according to the organizations.
“This standard sets a high bar for child privacy and AI safety, and we’ll extend this agreement to every school district across the country,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said.
The agreement follows recent efforts by education organizations and school systems to place limits on technology use by students. New York City Public Schools and Mayor Zohran Mamdani adopted a framework banning screens and AI use among younger students last week, according to the announcement.
A similar framework has been adopted by the Los Angeles Unified School District and New York State United Teachers, the AFT’s state affiliate.
Push Builds For Stronger School Technology Rules
Weingarten called in May for a total screen ban from kindergarten through second grade, a ban on student-facing AI in elementary schools and a ban on social companion chatbots for students under 16, as part of stronger AI safety standards for schools.
The AFT released its “Commonsense Guardrails for Using Advanced Technology in Schools” in 2024, outlining nine principles focused on informing and protecting students and families.
The union also announced the National Academy for AI Instruction last year to provide educators with training on the use and misuse of AI tools. The academy is led by educators and focuses on helping teachers use emerging technology while addressing student safety and privacy.
“HIPAA and FERPA never envisioned the advent of AI,” Weingarten said, referring to federal health and education privacy laws. “In the absence of those protections, tech companies need to take responsibility for the products they create and market to students, educators and communities.”
UFT President Michael Mulgrew said educators are taking a larger role in setting AI safety standards for schools and expectations for technology used in schools.
“Educators are stepping in to do what we do best: protect our students,” Mulgrew said. “This agreement gives families and school districts the information and privacy protections they have been demanding.”
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