AIP Tools · K–12 AI Governance
Pilot Program Framework
Test a tool with a few representative groups for eight weeks before adopting it everywhere, and decide on evidence you agreed before it started.
Why pilot first: a tool that looks right in a demo meets real classrooms, real families and real data in a pilot — at a scale where stopping costs little. The criteria for continuing are written down before launch, so the decision is not made by whoever is most enthusiastic at the end.
Five Steps
1. Choose the pilot groups
Three groups — classes, grades or campuses — that between them look like the school.
- Leaders of each group willing to take part
- A mix of enthusiastic and sceptical teachers
- Students with additional needs and language learners included
- Devices and connectivity the school provides (policy §14)
- More than one grade band, if the tool is meant for several
2. Recruit teachers honestly
Say what it will cost them and let them say no.
- State the time it will take, in hours
- Offer levels of participation, including none
- Written opt-out at any point, without consequence
- Sceptics wanted — they find the problems early
3. Set targets before launch
Write each target down, with how it will be measured, before the tool is switched on. Examples to adapt — not benchmarks:
- Share of pilot teachers using it weekly
- Change in student AI literacy, pre and post
- Family awareness and opt-out rate
- P1/P2 incidents (policy §10) — the threshold for stopping
- Comparable use across student groups
4. Decide with the rubric
Eight criteria, 1–5 each, 40 points. The worksheet below prints on its own.
- GO STRONG: 32–40 — adopt school-wide
- GO: 28–31 — phased adoption
- GO CONDITIONAL: 24–27 — close the gaps first
- NO GO (REVISE): 20–23 — pause, fix, re-pilot
- NO GO (STOP): <20 — end it
5. Report the pilot
Design, targets, results by group, incidents, cost, recommendation. A full sample is on request with the Blueprint card.
8-Week Timeline
-
Weeks 1–2
Preparation
Teacher training (4 hrs) · Parent notification sent · 2-week opt-out window · Tool account setup
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Weeks 3–4
Launch
Tools activated in classrooms · Week 3 check-in (15 min) · PLC #1 meeting · Incident tracking begins
-
Weeks 5–6
Monitor
Usage data review · PLC #2 · Parent survey sent · Mid-pilot adjustment (if needed)
-
Weeks 7–8
Close
Final usage data · Post-pilot surveys (teachers + students) · Incident report compiled · Pilot report drafted
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Week 9
Decision
Decision by leadership or the governing body · Go/No-Go recorded · Adoption plan (if GO) or pilot contract ended (if NO GO)
Go / No-Go Decision Matrix
| Score | Decision | Action |
| 32–40 | GO STRONG | Adopt school-wide |
| 28–31 | GO | Phased adoption |
| 24–27 | GO CONDITIONAL | Address identified gaps, then implement |
| 20–23 | NO GO (REVISE) | Pause program, fix issues, re-pilot |
| <20 | NO GO (STOP) | Terminate program, end vendor contracts |
8-Criterion Scoring Worksheet (Printable)
Score each criterion 1–5 based on pilot evidence (1 = far below target, 3 = met target, 5 = exceeded). Total maps to the Decision Matrix above. Print this section and complete it with the pilot review team before the decision meeting.
| Criterion |
Key question |
Score (1–5) |
Evidence ref. |
| 1. Teacher adoption | Did target % of teachers actively use the tool weekly? | | |
| 2. Student outcomes | Did pre/post AI literacy scores improve at the planned rate? | | |
| 3. Incident rate | Were P1/P2 incidents (policy §10) below the threshold set before launch? | | |
| 4. Parent sentiment | Survey average ≥ 3.5/5 and opt-out rate < 20%? | | |
| 5. Equity & access | Comparable use and outcomes for students with additional needs, language learners, and across family income? | | |
| 6. Budget compliance | Pilot spend within 10% of plan, including hidden costs? | | |
| 7. Vendor performance | SLA met, support responsive, no privacy red flags surfaced? | | |
| 8. Group-lead endorsement | Do the leads of all three pilot groups recommend continuing, in writing? | | |
Total score
/ 40
Pilot lead — name & signature
Recommendation (GO STRONG / GO / CONDITIONAL / NO GO)
Pre-Pilot Checklist
- 3 pilot groups selected (varied students, grade levels, device access)
- Commitment confirmed by the lead of each pilot group
- Teacher mix recruited (enthusiasts + skeptics)
- Parent notification sent — 2-week opt-out window opened
- Training scheduled (100% completion required before tool access)
- Incident response protocol documented and shared
- Metrics dashboard configured (Google Sheets or Excel)
- Vendor contracts: pilot terms only (no multi-year lock-in)