Every Celina ISD student will have access to an artificial intelligence platform called MagicSchool when classes begin Wednesday, August 12, and using AI to cheat will carry the same consequences as copying another student's work.
Chief Technology Officer Zach Allen and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Kyla Prusak presented the district's new AI framework to the Board of Trustees at its Monday, July 27 meeting. The presentation capped more than a year of work by a district AI committee made up of teachers, administrators, and students from all eight campuses.
The district's Vision Statement for Artificial Intelligence Integration says Celina ISD will intentionally integrate AI as a tool to support individual and group learning, according to the district's AI webpage published the same day.
What MagicSchool does
MagicSchool is a K-12 AI platform. Teachers can use it to write lesson plans, build rubrics, create presentations, and generate worksheets. Students can create interactive study aids, get feedback on their work, and track progress on specific topics, Community Impact reported.
Students may also access AI tools built into other platforms the district has already reviewed and approved through its software request process.
Teachers set the rules, not the district
There is no single blanket policy dictating when students can or cannot use AI. Instead, individual teachers will set guidelines for each assignment based on grade level, skill level, and learning goals. A math teacher might allow AI for checking work on one assignment and ban it entirely on the next.
That flexibility puts the enforcement burden on classroom teachers rather than a central office directive.
Academic dishonesty consequences
Using AI tools for plagiarism or cheating will be treated the same way as other forms of academic dishonesty, such as copying another student's work, according to Community Impact's reporting on the 2026-27 student handbook. Students who misuse AI face the same disciplinary process that already exists for traditional cheating.
Privacy and the device contract
AI companies that contract with Celina ISD must comply with federal and state student-privacy laws, consistent with requirements for other technology providers. Parents and students are required to complete an annual Student Device Contract acknowledging the district's Acceptable Use Policy, which will be updated to include a section on AI. That update had not been completed as of the July 27 board meeting.
How the committee got here
The AI committee began its work with a student panel to understand how students were already using AI tools. The committee met three times over the past year before bringing its recommendations to the board, according to the district's meeting recap. The July 27 presentation was an information item, not a formal board vote. No community members spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Celina ISD serves approximately 5,300 students across eight schools. The district's new AI webpage includes teacher supports, guidance documents, an approved tools list, and FAQs. The first day of school is Wednesday, August 12.
