Elite Academic Academy joins EDSAFE AI Alliance Policy Lab for school AI rules

What the Policy Lab does

The Policy Lab is led by the EDSAFE AI Alliance, a project of InnovateEDU, and is supported by a multi-year grant from Google.org. It brings schools and state education organizations together to develop clear and responsible artificial intelligence policy for TK, 12.

According to the announcement, the network now includes 36 school districts and 16 state-level entities. It reaches more than 654,300 educators and millions of TK, 12 students nationwide. Members range from large urban educational systems to small independent schools.

Participants use an open-science, evidence-based approach built on the EDSAFE AI SAFE Framework, which stands for Safety, Accountability, Fairness & Transparency, and Efficacy. Together the labs co-design an open-access "policy stack". It includes acceptable use policies, parent communication guidelines and ethical frameworks that schools can adapt.

Why Elite joined

Elite Academic Academy, founded in 2018, offers homeschool, virtual, flex and independent study programs for TK-12 students. It says its selection reflects a belief that AI belongs in education when it is introduced responsibly and with care.

"As AI becomes part of how students learn and teachers teach, our responsibility is to lead with clear guardrails, so innovation serves students and never outpaces their safety," said Ashlea Kirkland-Haynes, CEO of Elite Academic Academy.

Membership gives the network a more structured way to address student data privacy, academic integrity and teacher support as AI tools evolve. Elite also says the move complements its immersive learning work, including partnerships with Meta and Knoxlabs, and its plans to expand the thoughtful use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

EDSAFE AI Project Manager Andrea Claver said the cohorts are "turning high-level ethical principles into practical operational reality for their local communities," which Elite describes as the outcome it wants for its own students, families and educators.

Portrait of a Learner and teacher support

Elite says its Portrait of a Learner will guide how AI policy is applied in its Homeschool, Virtual and Flex Academies. The framework centers on Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Curiosity and Compassion.

"Technology should deepen the Portrait of a Learner, not replace it. This work helps us keep learning deeply human while preparing students for an AI-shaped world," said Kirkland-Haynes.

The collaboration also gives Elite's California-credentialed teachers access to expert networks and peer practice as they implement and use new AI tools.

What it means for families

For families, Elite says participation means clearer expectations and stronger protections around how AI is used in their children's learning. The announcement states that EDSAFE AI leaders have emphasized that school systems should not have to navigate safety, equity and data privacy in isolation.

As policies take shape, Elite plans to keep its community informed and to share what it learns. Because the policy stack is open-access and adaptable, the work may also be useful to other schools, though the announcement does not detail when materials will be published.