Note: Audio distortion affects the first five minutes of this episode. The remainder of the session is clear.

Artificial intelligence took center stage at Tuesday's FCCPS School Board work session — and the community showed up ready for the conversation.

The FCCPS AI Advisory Committee, led by Chair John Black, delivered a months-in-the-making framework for how the district should approach AI governance: not a blanket ban, not uncritical adoption, but a thoughtful policy architecture that governs how AI is used — not just which tools are permitted. The board then heard from five advisory committees, each bringing a distinct community lens.

The Special Education Advisory Committee drew a clear line: AI must never be used to generate IEPs or 504 plans or influence eligibility decisions — while affirming its real potential as an assistive and instructional tool for neurodivergent learners. The Advanced Academics committee raised concerns about cognitive offloading, AI hallucinations, and automated grading. The Business and Education, Health and Wellness, and ESOL committees each weighed in with perspectives that, despite coming from very different places, landed in remarkably similar territory: human-centered learning, AI as supplement not substitute, and teachers who are genuinely prepared to lead the way.

The second half of the session turned to cell phone policy implementation at Meridian High School, with Principal Peter Laub presenting two options for next school year and sharing ground-level observations that suggest the cultural shift is already taking hold.