School AI Agreement Adds Privacy Protections
Microsoft and two teachers' unions established contract terms governing student data, automated decisions and classroom AI tools.
- By Chelsey Arries
- September 14, 2026
Districts can add new artificial intelligence privacy and safety provisions to their Microsoft customer agreements under a standard developed with two national teachers' unions.
Microsoft, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) created the National AI Safety and Privacy Standard. The provisions become contractually enforceable when individual school districts incorporate them into their Microsoft agreements.
Under the standard, student and educator data cannot be used to train AI models, sold or repurposed. Schools retain control over how their information is used, stored and deleted.
The agreement also prohibits tracking students and requires human oversight when AI systems are used for high-risk decisions. Technology providers must disclose what information their systems collect and explain how their tools operate.
The standard arrives as several large school systems restrict student access to generative AI. New York City Public Schools imposed a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI programs for students from prekindergarten through eighth grade. Los Angeles Unified School District also blocked student access to generative AI on district-issued devices. The district is using content-filtering software to enforce the restriction.
The policies reflect growing concerns about student privacy, data security and the use of automated tools in education. Additional information is available in the National AI Safety and Privacy Standard.
About the Author
Chelsey Arries is assistant editor of Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.