Artificial intelligence is already part of day-to-day work in schools, whether districts planned for it or not. This OSBA workshop brings together district leaders, board members and technology professionals to talk honestly about what AI looks like in practice, beyond the buzz and beyond the hype. You’ll hear directly from a district that has been living with AI for several years, along with experts who can speak to policy, legal considerations and classroom realities. The goal isn’t to push AI integration, but to help districts understand how to approach it thoughtfully, responsibly and with eyes wide open to both the benefits and the risks.

Join OSBA for an innovative workshop and leave with:
• A clearer sense of how districts are approaching AI, including where it actually helps, where it causes headaches and how to think about it as a districtwide issue instead of a collection of tools.
• Real stories from a district that’s already implementing AI — what they tried, what stuck, what didn’t and what they’d do differently if they were starting today.
• A better understanding of the risks that come with AI in schools — from legal and privacy concerns to equity and misuse — so leaders can ask smarter questions.

Sessions

Date Title Location
4/11/26 AI in Schools: What districts are facing right now TBD

Saturday April 11, 2026

9:30 a.m.
Registration
10 a.m.
Welcome
Gamy Narvaez, policy consultant and staff lawyer
10:05 a.m.
Governing AI: Leading schools in the age of artificial intelligence
Mark Henderson, Director of AI Strategy and Services, Missouri School Boards Association

AI is already in the classroom. Is your governance team ready? This session breaks down what school leaders need to understand about AI's real-world impact on teaching and learning, provides essential questions for board-superintendent conversations about AI governance, and clarifies what AI literacy means for students and teachers. Walk away with a framework for guiding your district's AI journey responsibly. 

10:55 a.m.
Break
11 a.m.
Governing AI: Leading schools in the age of artificial intelligence (continued)
Mark Henderson, Director of AI Strategy and Services, Missouri School Boards Association
12 p.m.
Lunch
12:30 p.m.
Beyond the hype: Comprehensive AI integration across a small district
Matthew Young, superintendent, George Burich, assistant superintendent, Cuyahoga Heights Local, and Robert McBride, Esq., Ennis Britton Co. LPA

Join members of Cuyahoga Heights Local’s (Cuyahoga) leadership team and legal counsel as they share over three years’ worth of comprehensive AI integration across district operations. Through live demonstrations of real applications and practical examples, see how a small district built legal frameworks that enabled innovation in board communications, special education documentation, policy development, strategic planning and more. This informal, interactive session prioritizes practical demonstrations you can replicate, candid discussion about failures and successes, and extended time for your questions. 

1:25 p.m.
Break
1:30 p.m.
From risk to responsibility: District ownership of AI in Ohio schools
Courtney Monastra, Ohio Partnership Director, MagicSchool AI

Now that Ohio districts are required to adopt an AI use policy for staff and students, the real risk is not whether AI is used but whether districts have visibility, oversight and ownership of that use. Without a system-level approach, AI adoption becomes fragmented, leading to inconsistent instruction, equity gaps and additional cognitive load for teachers left to figure it out on their own. When districts provide responsible, aligned access to AI, teachers regain meaningful time by reducing planning and adapting instruction to meet diverse learner needs, and by spending less time on family communication, allowing them to focus more on students and high-quality instruction. When done well, AI becomes a shared asset for consistent practice across schools, supporting stronger teaching experiences and improved outcomes, rather than a collection of disconnected tools. 

2:30 p.m.
Adjournment