Request for Collaboration: Help Shape the AI & Data Safety Shield for Schools
As part of the EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellowship, the AI & Data Safety Shield for Schools is a national research effort to help districts design practical, human-centered safety for AI use.
From the desk of Tricia Blum, EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellow
Across the country, education leaders are navigating a growing paradox:
AI is becoming part of classrooms, communications, and district operations, but the systems that keep students safe haven’t caught up.
As part of my work in the EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellowship, I’m studying this challenge through a research project called the AI & Data Safety Shield for Schools.
The EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellowship is a national program that supports applied research and innovation to advance ethical, transparent, and safe AI in education. Each Fellow explores a Problem of Practice—a real-world challenge that, if solved, could help schools use AI responsibly and equitably.
My Problem of Practice
My starting point is simple and urgent:
K–12 students aren’t yet safe in an AI-enabled world.
AI brings extraordinary opportunities for learning, but it also introduces new kinds of vulnerability.
We need to protect students from all sides.
I’m exploring a multi-pronged “Safety Shield” model for schools:
AI Governance & Literacy – helping educators, students, families, and communities understand, use, and question AI safely.
Data Encryption & File Protection – making sure student information stays secure across platforms and vendors.
Student Protection & Situational Awareness – preventing online harm, misinformation, and emerging AI-related safety risks.
Together, these elements form a protective ecosystem that can keep students safer both online and in the classroom.
How You Can Help
Right now, I’m talking with district and charter leaders to understand how schools are thinking about AI safety and what support would be most useful, and I’d really appreciate your perspective.
It would be incredibly helpful if you’re willing to:
Take the 2-minute District AI Safety Reality Check → https://aigg.typeform.com/district-ai
Take part in a brief 20–30-minute one-on-one listening call to share your experience and insights.
Your input will directly shape this research, and everyone who participates will receive a copy of the final report, including data and findings, when it’s published in early 2026.
Student Safety Shield Piloting
This fall, we’ll begin piloting sections of the AI & Data Safety Shield with one or more districts.
Pilot partners will help test what’s practical, uncover what’s missing, and refine real-world strategies schools can use right away.
If your district might be interested, simply note it in the survey or reach out to me directly at tb@aigovernancegroup.com.
Your Voice Matters and This Isn’t a Product or a Pitch
It’s research-driven by the belief that every student deserves a learning environment that’s both innovative and safe.
Your insights can help shape how schools across the country approach AI, protecting students not just from what they see online, but from the unseen risks that come with new technology.
Thank you for lending your voice to this work.
Tricia Blum
EdSAFE AI Catalyst Fellow
Take the District AI Safety Reality Check → https://aigg.typeform.com/district-ai
