Students tell Parma City School Board: involve students in AI policy, address peer relationships and chronic absenteeism

Two student research teams presented findings to the Parma City School District Board on May 21 and recommended concrete steps for district policy and practice.

First, a First Ring Student Leadership team presented a statewide survey on student AI use. Presenters said they received almost 3,500 responses and found usage concentrated in language arts and math. They proposed that district AI policy define acceptable versus improper use, specify which AI tools are permitted and how, and include AI literacy instruction for students and professional development for teachers.

Presenters emphasized ongoing student involvement in policy development. “AI is already part of daily learning, but expectations remain unclear and inconsistent,” one presenter said, urging the board to include student voice as the district completes an Ohio‑mandated AI policy.

A Normandy High School team summarized a survey of roughly 900 students about peer relationships and social‑emotional wellness. While about three‑quarters of respondents said the peer environment is somewhat supportive, roughly one in four disagreed; many students reported they do not feel comfortable sharing thoughts with peers. The presenters recommended student‑led after‑school programs, anonymous reporting surveys, broader peer mediation and recognition for positive behavior.

At Valley Forge High School, a sophomore team reported chronic absenteeism affecting about 25–30% of students. Their data identified hallways, lunch periods and restrooms as places students feel unsafe—locations with high student ratios or no staff supervision. Recommendations included redistributing monitoring to cover those zones, creating an anonymous tip line, increasing collaborative group work to motivate attendance, and holding a dedicated freshman orientation day to build belonging.

Board members praised the student work and invited the teams to return with updates; district staff and trustees also encouraged incorporating the findings into upcoming policy and school climate planning.

The presentations were scheduled while Ohio is requiring districts to adopt formal AI policies; the students’ work is likely to inform local policy discussions in coming weeks.