Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) has put a new artificial intelligence (AI) policy in place to limit the use of emerging AI tools and websites on school laptops. HCPS is putting measures into place to keep students safe and promote a higher work ethic. The main strategy is to use Securly, the district’s filtering software, to block most public and up-to-date AI sites while the district establishes boundaries on what AI is permitted. Currently, the district intends to implement safer AI tools for students in the classroom, as well as virtually, in the near future. So, even though the average student can’t jump on ChatGPT or other popular AI sites right now, the district isn’t ditching it completely; they still see its value for the future.
The harsh and stricter rules for the 2025-2026 year are due to the school’s use of the Securly content filtering system. This technology blocks many unapproved websites that use AI, sites already on their list, and sites that the county manually adds to the list. Blocked AI sites include chatgpt.com, grok.x.ai, gemini.google.com, claude.ai, and many more listed on Securly Support’s official page. If a student tries to access one of these sites, the filter redirects them to chat.securly.com or the “Looks like this page isn’t allowed” page. This block applies to everyone using school devices or the “HCPS-WIRELESS” or “HCPS-GUEST” WiFi networks.
HCPS states that the need to block these sites is mainly because of data privacy laws. Many public AI websites and tools collect and share personal information. Also, these sites often have age limits that conflict with federal student privacy laws, such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). By blocking untrusted sites, the school protects student data, which could be sold to third parties. This ensures any accessible digital tool meets the legal and ethical rules described in the districts and schools’ Digital Resource Menu (HDRM).
The policy blocking AI tools also reinforces academic honesty and proper technology use. One thing to remember is that while AI sites are currently restricted, the student Code of Conduct in every HCPS school prohibits bypassing the school’s internet filters or security programs (Securly). Using unblockers, VPNs, or different websites is a violation and may result in disciplinary action. At the same time, the district’s position is that AI is a tool used to help the student. It must be cited correctly, and students should use their own reasoning. Copying AI answers without understanding them is plagiarism. Using AI to also cheat is also breaking the Code of Conduct, as it explicitly says, “Cheating, including the actual giving, receiving, or using any unauthorized assistance or unfair advantage on any form of academic work.” This policy supports HCPS’s goal of developing critical thinking skills and teaching students to use technology as a source of help, not a shortcut.
