In January, the Middle States Association (MSA) announced that RCDS earned the RAIL (Responsible AI in Learning) endorsement in AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics. The two-year certification was given to schools who have set a remarkable standard for AI in education through dedication and pioneering spirit. With his endorsement—the world's only endorsement in AI for K-12 schools—institutions signal their responsiveness to the most significant technology since the public Internet.

The endorsement in AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics is the first of a number of RAIL endorsements that will be awarded in the coming years. Rye Country Day is one of just 50 schools around the world to earn this recognition.

In the Spring 2024, Joanne Shang, Chris Kaye, Maximo Perez, and Daren Khairule teamed up as an AI Team to receive an RCDS Research and Innovation Grant for their work to examine how AI should interact with our curriculum and pedagogy. As part of their project, “Educating with AI,” they worked to complete tasks and curate assets to satisfy the RAIL AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics requirements set out by MSA, the worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement. 

This spring, the AI team will be drafting an official AI framework, policies, and norms that will be implemented at RCDS starting in the 2025-26 school year.

RAIL is a comprehensive implementation framework for AI in schools and systems, and MSA likens the program to an accreditation for the adoption of AI. Rye Country Day School is one of MSA’s 2024 Founding Schools of RAIL.

Educating with AI
(2024-25 Research & Innovation Grantees)

Joanne Shang
Upper School Mandarin Teacher

Chris Kaye
Middle/Upper School Photography Teacher

Maximo Pérez
Middle School Computer Science Teacher

Daren Khairule
Director of Academic Technology