School Committee Adopts New AI Use Policy

School Committee · Meeting of October 13, 2026

Norfolk School Committee adopted its first artificial intelligence use policy and raised long-term substitute pay to address a recruiting gap. Superintendent Ingrid Allardi said the district could not attract applicants at its old $190 daily rate for long-term substitutes and won unanimous approval to raise it to $250, plus a new $150 rate for unlicensed short-term subs. The AI policy, built over two years by a 17-member Tech Steering Committee, bars K-5 students from directly using AI tools except a single guided sixth-grade project, and limits staff to Google's Gemini for low-stakes grading with parent notice.

"We did the comparison because we've been advertising, we're not getting applicants," Allardi said of the substitute shortage. Members also adopted a bicycle and e-bike policy citing rising numbers of unlicensed students on motorized scooters, and heard that a November 10 Town Meeting vote on school-building feasibility funding could end a five-year wait for Massachusetts School Building Authority support if it fails.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,308 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of October 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.