Date
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Location Name
G-P Atrium Stage
Name
Student Voice as Strategic Input: A Panel and Workshop on AI
Description
As districts develop AI policy and practice, decisions are often made with limited insight into how students are actually experiencing AI. 81% of teachers say their school has an AI policy, but only 4-8% describe it as clear, and most students don't know what it is (Frontier 2025; Challenge Success).
This session centers student voice as strategic input. Boys and Girls Club students from three communities will share how AI shows up in their learning, including access gaps, fairness, and how AI is reshaping motivation and trust. Participants will work with snapshots pairing student voice with research from Harvard's Center for Digital Thriving, Stanford's Challenge Success, and Brookings. The session closes with approaches schools and districts are using to incorporate student voice into AI work and time to identify moves to take back.
WPS brings documented results: a 50% reduction in chronic absenteeism in Salem and an effect size of 1.78 in self-directed learning (Harvard GSE).
Speakers
Session Type
Traditional Workshop
Track
AI Implementation
Secondary Track
Equity and Inclusion
Primary Audience
School and District Leadership
Secondary Audience
Principals
Fall Conference Strands
Educate
MA DLCS Strands
Computing and Society, Digital Tools and Collaboration