East Brunswick Schools Has No AI Policy Yet. That's About to Change, Officials Say

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Board of education members and administrators debated the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence at a recent board meeting, stopping short of endorsing any specific tools while agreeing to develop a formal AI policy in the coming months.

The conversation, which touched on chatbots, administrative efficiency and student data privacy, reflected the broader uncertainty facing school districts as AI technology rapidly evolves.

Board member Jaime Falco raised the question of whether the district could legally and practically use AI to streamline non-instructional functions such as letter writing, communications and administrative workflows — and whether the technology could eventually generate revenue through proprietary curriculum development.

Administrators confirmed no formal AI policy is currently in place, but said one would be presented at the next policy committee meeting. They emphasized that any adoption would need to account for the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA, which governs student data.

"There's definitely room for us to use AI to be more efficient," Superintendent Evelyn Mamman said, "but we need to have a vision statement in terms of what AI is going to do for us."

Officials cautioned that closed AI systems — those that keep sensitive data within a secured environment — carry significant licensing costs, typically structured as recurring subscription fees that tend to increase over time.

At least one board member pushed back on the enthusiasm, drawing on personal and professional experience to temper expectations. Board Member Wilbur Pan noted that AI-generated drafts often require extensive fact-checking and editing, and that consumer-facing chatbots have proven unreliable in practice.

"I just want to temper expectations," the member said.

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