Guiding Principle 5 in Action: Transparency & Integrity
At Central Rivers AEA, we value honest and transparent use of technology to ensure every decision serves students well. This is at the heart of Guiding Principle 5 in our AI Guiding Principles. In practice, when we use AI to generate significant content, we share that openly—because transparency builds trust with the schools, educators, and families we partner with every day.
If you have wondered, “Do I need to let someone know I used AI for this?” you are not alone. The new AI Disclosure FAQ for Staff offers a shared framework, and this post highlights the key guidance so we can apply it thoughtfully to our daily practice.
Most everyday AI use across our agency does not require disclosure. Disclosure becomes essential when AI alters what our partners or families would reasonably assume about who authored the content, its authenticity, or how conclusions supporting students were reached.
We view this through the lens of partnership and trust, rather than tool usage. If an educator or family reading our work would feel misled upon learning how it was created, that is our cue to offer clear transparency.
disclose when we use AI to:
- Turn your bullet points into a first draft
- Tighten or reorganize a document
- Suggest headlines, titles, or subject lines
- Polish an email or summarize your own notes
We remain the author and expert guide. AI helps us refine our workflow, while the professional judgment, empathy, and final review stay firmly with us.
To uphold integrity across our work, we prioritize clear disclosure in two primary situations.
1. Altered reality. If AI generates realistic media—such as an image depicting an event that appears real, or an audio clip simulating a real person’s voice—we inform our audience directly. Simple, clear language works best:
“This image depicts an event that appears real but was actually generated by AI.”
“This video uses an AI-generated version of a real person’s voice.”
2. External compliance. Certain contexts carry specific expectations. Academic research, legal proceedings, grant requirements, or copyright submissions may require explicit disclosure statements. In these instances, we follow the specific guidelines provided by the governing entity or contract.
When leveraging AI for data analysis or recommendations, active human review is essential to our student-centered mission. If AI assists in synthesizing complex data, we ensure that a CRAEA staff member has reviewed and verified the insights before sharing. If unverified AI analysis must be shared in preliminary stages, clear transparency regarding our methodology ensures everyone stays informed. The FAQ provides this model statement:
“Please note: The data analysis and recommendations presented were initially generated by an AI system and are provided alongside our team’s ongoing review.”
By maintaining rigorous human oversight, we ensure our recommendations remain evidence-informed and grounded in what is best for students.
Regardless of the tools we use, we remain fully accountable for the quality, accuracy, and care reflected in our work. AI is an effective assistant, but it cannot replace our compassionate expertise, contextual understanding, and commitment to students. Verifying and standing behind what we share is how we build lasting trust.
Before sharing materials created with AI support, we can take a moment to ask ourselves three simple questions:
- Would my audience feel misled if they knew how this was made?
- Does this show something realistic that did not actually happen?
- Have I reviewed this carefully to ensure it aligns with our high standards for student support?
If the answer to the first two is no and the third is yes, we are ready to move forward with confidence.
Looking forward together
Transparency is never a sign of diminished quality; it is a reflection of integrity. By modeling thoughtful, ethical technology use, we support our partner districts in fostering positive learning environments. When in doubt, erring on the side of openness keeps our focus centered on student success.
The complete AI Disclosure FAQ for Staff is available alongside our AI Guiding Principles. How can we support you as you navigate these tools in your role? Let’s work through any questions together.
Reach out with questions: Dr. Tiffanie Zaugg Assistive Technology/AI Specialist at tzaugg@centralriversaea.org.
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