Students urge codifying CDE AI rubric for classrooms to reduce confusion and inequity

A group of students told the Senate and Assembly Education Committees that rapid advances in generative AI demand statewide guidance so teachers and students are not punished by inconsistent rules.

Nadine Tasos of Piedmont High School and other panelists asked lawmakers to adopt the California Department of Education's responsible‑use rubric, which assigns allowable AI assistance on a 1–5 scale by assignment type. They urged that teachers require students to cite any AI assistance used—including the entire prompt conversation—and that the State adopt the rubric by the 2029 school year to allow districts and teachers time to prepare.

Students emphasized the rubric's scalability and the need to preserve teacher agency: under the proposal, teachers would assign AI usage levels by assignment type, and districts would set course‑level averages. Presenters also urged that teacher training be available through CDE webinar recordings, while acknowledging the state would not likely pay overtime for teachers to view training and that districts might choose to compensate staff.

Legislators welcomed the goal but raised two practical tensions: (1) whether statutory rubrics can remain adaptive as AI changes rapidly, and (2) how to fund or require teacher training without creating large unfunded mandates. Committee members recommended that any statutory approach leave room for local experimentation and include mechanisms to require transparent AI prompt citation and process documentation.

The committee did not take formal action; members encouraged further dialogue with CDE and local education agencies to ensure guidance is practical and adaptive.