How AI could benefit school business officials

From brainstorming grant application responses to drafting budget narratives, administrators are cautiously digging into ways AI tools can help their daily operations.

Education Dive

Published Sept. 25, 2024

Anna Merod Reporter

School district finance officials are beginning to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including generative AI like ChatGPT, to assist with tasks such as grant writing and budget narrative development. During the Association of School Business Officials International’s 2024 annual conference, administrators shared how these tools could benefit their daily operations. However, they emphasized caution, particularly regarding data privacy and accuracy.

One key application of AI for school administrators is grant writing. Howard Barber, assistant superintendent of finance and operations for the Old Rochester Regional School District in Massachusetts, demonstrated how he uses AI tools to brainstorm and strategize grant applications. AI can help craft creative responses and generate ideas to make applications stand out. Administrators first complete research on grant eligibility and program requirements before using AI to enhance their writing. AI can also help align school programs with grant criteria.

However, there are concerns about privacy and data security when using AI tools like ChatGPT, which are often freely accessible. Bill Sutter, CFO for Boulder Valley School District in Colorado, highlighted the importance of accessing AI through enterprise services to ensure compliance with strict security measures. Free AI tools may not offer adequate data privacy protection, and Sutter advised administrators to avoid entering personal information when using these tools.

In addition to grant writing, AI is proving useful in developing budget narratives for school finance officials. Mary Ellen Normen, administrator for business and finance at Lincoln Public Schools in Massachusetts, explained that AI can assist in drafting and presenting district budgets for public meetings. AI can also simulate potential questions from community members, enabling administrators to prepare responses in advance. Despite its benefits, Normen cautioned against over-reliance on AI, stressing the need to maintain an authentic voice in all communications.

Another area where AI can help is in generating critical feedback on written documents. Administrators can use AI to review budget memos or other materials, asking the tool to identify any missing information or potential areas of concern. This self-reflective use of AI can help officials anticipate public feedback and refine their presentations accordingly.

Despite its potential, AI is not without flaws. It can sometimes generate inaccurate or misleading information, known as "hallucinations." For this reason, conference speakers stressed the importance of fact-checking all AI-generated content before incorporating it into official documents. Errors made by AI in a grant application or budget memo could lead to serious consequences, such as losing out on funding or damaging public trust.

In summary, while AI offers promising benefits for school business officials in streamlining tasks such as grant writing and budgeting, administrators should approach the technology with caution. Ensuring data privacy, maintaining professional ethics, and carefully reviewing AI-generated content are crucial steps to integrating AI effectively into school district operations.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com