Requirements for School Districts
Florida’s amendment to Rule 6A-1.0957, Internet Safety Policy, establishes specific requirements for governing artificial intelligence (AI) instructional tools in public education. Approved by the State Board of Education on September 16, 2026, the amended rule takes effect October 29, 2026, and requires district school boards and charter school governing boards to adopt and implement the required policy amendment by July 1, 2027. The rule establishes expectations for student safety, parental choice, data privacy, academic integrity, and responsible AI use.
Key Requirements
The amended rule requires districts to address several areas in their Internet Safety Policies, including:
- Parental notification and choice: Districts must notify parents when instructional AI tools are approved, identify the courses involved and how students will interact with the tools, and provide a non-AI alternative.
- Developmental appropriateness: Districts must conduct additional reviews of instructional AI tools intended for students in Voluntary Prekindergarten through grade 5.
- Student protection: Districts must prohibit specified AI companionship features, undisclosed behavior monitoring, social scoring, and psychological profiling.
- Student data privacy: Districts must address restrictions on vendor practices involving student data, including its sale and use in training agentic AI models.
- Academic integrity: Districts must establish clear expectations governing appropriate AI use in student work.
- Cybersecurity and human oversight: Districts must establish procedures addressing AI-related incidents that compromise district data systems, oversight of agentic AI tools, and human review of AI-assisted decisions.
Districts should use the complete adopted rule language to determine the precise scope of each requirement and identify the policy provisions necessary for compliance.
Implications for District Policy
Compliance requires more than adding a general statement about responsible AI use. Districts must review existing Internet Safety Policies and related technology policies, identify necessary revisions, and establish supporting procedures for approving AI tools, notifying parents, documenting parental choices, evaluating vendor practices, and addressing AI-related security incidents.
Coordination among instructional leadership, information technology, procurement, school administration, and legal counsel will be important to align policy requirements with operational practices. Districts should also establish consistent methods for communicating expectations to employees, students, and families.
How Neola Can Support District Implementation
Florida school districts partnering with Neola can use the company’s policy-development and consultation services to translate the amended rule into proposed board policy revisions and supporting policy materials. The existing relationship provides a starting point for addressing new regulatory requirements without developing an entirely new policy framework.
Specific deliverables should be confirmed with the assigned Neola associate and within the scope of each district’s agreement. Policy-related support may include:
- Proposed board policy revisions: Drafting amendments to the district’s Internet Safety Policy to address the requirements of Rule 6A-1.0957.
- Related policy recommendations: Identifying other existing policies that may require review or revision for consistency.
- Administrative procedures: Developing or revising supporting procedures that explain how policy requirements are to be implemented, as included in the district’s services.
- Standardized forms and documentation templates: Providing or developing appropriate supporting materials where available within the district’s agreement.
- Consultation and policy maintenance: Working with the assigned associate to address policy questions and incorporate applicable legal or regulatory updates into policy materials.
Neola’s role is to support policy development and maintenance. District administrators retain responsibility for operational implementation, including selecting and reviewing AI tools, evaluating vendors, establishing parent notification processes, training employees, communicating expectations, and maintaining compliance documentation. Districts should coordinate these activities with their legal counsel and other responsible departments.
Recommended Implementation Approach
Districts can organize their work into five phases:
- Assess: Review existing policies and procedures against the adopted rule.
- Revise: Work with the assigned Neola associate to prepare proposed board policy revisions.
- Develop supporting materials: Identify needed administrative procedures, forms, and documentation processes.
- Coordinate implementation: Assign responsibilities across instructional, technology, procurement, legal, and administrative teams.
- Adopt and implement: Complete board action, communicate requirements, train employees, and establish monitoring procedures before the July 1, 2027, deadline.
Conclusion
Rule 6A-1.0957 establishes a more specific framework for AI governance in Florida public education. Through its policy-development services, Neola can help partnering districts translate regulatory requirements into proposed board policy revisions and supporting administrative procedures. By combining Neola’s expertise with effective district-level implementation and oversight, school systems can strengthen compliance, protect students, respect parental rights, support educators, and promote the responsible use of instructional technology.