Clover School District will temporarily block the use of all AI programs but one. Here’s why.

CLOVER — All four public school districts in York County have said their rules for using artificial intelligence (AI) in schools are changing as they learn more about the technology.

On Oct. 20, one district announced a major change. For the next few months, it will block all AI tools on laptops and tablets given to students, except for one program.

The Clover School District said the pause will last at least four months. It will give the district time to make its rules for responsible AI use clearer, protect student information and provide consistent support as schools begin using AI.

The only AI program that students will still be able to use on their devices is SchoolAI, a generative AI tool the district has bought for students. School officials say it has features designed to protect data and keep students safe.

“The product, for example, will redirect a student who attempts to search a subject outside the parameters of an assignment,” district spokeswoman Stephanie Knott said. “It also acts as a partner in learning without simply giving the answer to students.”

Clover officials did not point to any problems with other generative AI programs, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Instead, they made the decision after receiving advice at a recent workshop held by the South Carolina Department of Education about AI.

“Although filtering cannot guarantee that every resource will be blocked, we are asking that staff plan any AI usage with classroom instruction around SchoolAI and should not direct students to other AI platforms during this pause,” the district said.

During the pause, the district will form task forces to study how AI should be used in learning. These groups will make recommendations to the Clover School Board in the spring.

“We want to ensure clarity around issues such as which tools are approved for use, which assignments should have no AI use, which assignments could be AI-supported and which assignments could be AI-generated,” Knott said.

The pause mainly affects middle and high school students in Clover. Elementary students there have not been using AI as part of their schoolwork.

In August, the York School District became the first district in the county to adopt an official policy on the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

The Rock Hill School District may form a task force to study AI this spring.

In Fort Mill, schools created an AI committee during the 2025-26 school year and developed rules for using generative AI. This school year, teachers are completing training on Google Gemini and the district's new rules.