AFT and Microsoft Establish AI Safety and Privacy Standards for Schools

Historic Pact Grants Parents and Educators Authority Over AI with New Safety Standards

NEW YORK—In a groundbreaking move, AFT President Randi Weingarten, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, and Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith have unveiled a new "National AI Safety & Privacy Standard." This agreement introduces legally enforceable measures designed to protect students, families, and educators in the context of AI use in schools. The agreement emerges amidst a lack of comprehensive federal and state regulations on AI in education.

This pioneering agreement follows the recent ban on screens and AI in New York City Public Schools. It ensures that tech companies are prohibited from using student data for AI training, guarantees that students cannot be tracked, mandates human oversight in AI decision-making, and demands transparency from companies regarding their tools. School districts across the U.S. can integrate these protections into existing Microsoft agreements, ensuring enforceability.

Weingarten emphasized, “We have forged a hard-fought, iron-clad privacy agreement with real teeth that protects students and families, because no one else, including the federal government, has stepped up to do the real work.” She stressed the importance of legally binding provisions over mere intentions.

According to Weingarten, the agreement aims to achieve three main objectives: safeguarding children's privacy and data, granting schools control over AI tools, and ensuring transparency for parents. New York City’s adoption of these guidelines, which includes a ban on screens and AI for younger students, enhances the focus on online safety for children and educators.

In a speech titled "Devices Down, Eyes Up, Hands-On," Weingarten highlighted her fight for enforceable data privacy and advocated for banning screens and AI for early education and social companion chatbots for students under 16. Similar policies have been implemented by the Los Angeles Unified School District, New York State United Teachers, and recently by New York City Public Schools.

Microsoft's Smith stated, “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.”

The agreement prioritizes three key areas:

Privacy Protection: Students, educators, and parents are assured that their data remains under control. Data will not be used to train AI models, sold, or repurposed, and schools will manage data usage, retention, and deletion.

Safety Enhancement: Robust security measures and human oversight protect students and educators. AI systems must be designed to avoid detrimental experiences, safeguard sensitive data, and adhere to high standards for security and accountability.

Transparency and Control: Families are entitled to clear information about AI usage and protections in place. Schools maintain control over AI application, and companies must communicate transparently about changes, risks, and controls.

Mulgrew, representing the 200,000-member New York City AFT affiliate, expressed, “Educators are stepping in to do what we do best: protect our students. This agreement gives families and school districts the information and privacy protections they have been demanding, and it empowers school districts to end agreements and seek damages from bad actors who break the rules.”

In 2024, the AFT released its “Commonsense Guardrails for Using Advanced Technology in Schools,” advocating nine core principles for informed and protected student and family engagement. Additionally, the National Academy for AI Instruction was established to offer educators training on AI use and misuse, ensuring their proactive involvement in technology changes.

Weingarten noted, “HIPAA and FERPA never envisioned the advent of AI,” underscoring the need for tech companies to assume responsibility for the AI products they offer to educational communities.

Further details on the agreement can be viewed here, and the complete agreement can be viewed here.

The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.

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