Policy IKL
Academic Honesty and Integrity
School Board Approved: July 15, 2024
A. Statement of Policy. All students are expected to demonstrate academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to put forth their best effort on tests and assignments. Students are expected to demonstrate respect towards their instructors and peers by encouraging and facilitating learning. Engaging in various forms of cheating or academic dishonesty does not permit students to realize the full extent of their educational experience or their full academic potential. These expectations are directly related to the Board’s educational objectives for students to learn to be responsible for and accept the consequences of their behavior.
B. Prohibited Behavior. In addition to any standards or rules established by individual classroom teachers, the following behaviors are in violation of the standards of academic integrity and honesty and are specifically prohibited:
1. Cheating. Cheating is any act of academic dishonesty, which includes such things as receiving or communicating information to another student during a test or other assessment; looking at another’s test or assessment during the exam; using notes or obtaining information during a test or assessment when prohibited; obtaining information about the questions or answers for an assessment prior to the administration of the exam; or whatever else is deemed contrary to the rules of fairness with respect to school work or assessment, including special rules developed by the instructor of the course.
2. Improper Use of AI Tools. Improper use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools consists of Improper use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools is defined as use which is inconsistent with the purpose, spirit, or specific instructions for assigned school work or homework. Students may only use AI tools in accordance with the teacher’s specific instructions or pre-existing class, school or District guidelines. When use is permitted, students must state their use of the AI tools and, where applicable, find a legitimate, independent source to cite information. Teachers will provide general instructions related to the acceptable use of AI tools, but students are expected to obtain clarification from the teacher if they are uncertain of whether and how AI tools may be used on any given assignment.
3. Plagiarism. Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s ideas or words as one’s own without crediting the source. It is the use, whether by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another without full and clear acknowledgment through proper citation format. Sources of work that must be cited or otherwise acknowledged in order to avoid plagiarism include, but are not limited to, books, articles, websites, work of classmates/others, and AI tools. Teachers should provide clear instructions related to the applicable standards of attribution and citation for a given assignment, but students are expected to obtain clarification from the teacher if they are uncertain of the applicable standards.
4. Academic Misrepresentation. Academic misrepresentation occurs when a student has another student or individual substitute for himself or herself during the taking of a test or other assessments.
5. Academic Collusion. Academic collusion is the sharing of test or other assessment questions or answers with another student without the instructor’s permission. Academic collusion includes copying another student’s homework without the instructor’s permission or allowing another student to copy one’s work. It also includes group collaboration on individual assignments without the instructor’s permission.
6. Dishonesty in Papers or Other Academic Work. Dishonesty in papers or other academic work occurs when one submits work prepared by a writing service, an AI tool, or any another person. All work submitted for a course must be the student’s own original work unless the sources are cited, or are otherwise in compliance with the teacher's instructions, or school or District guidelines.
7. Self-Plagiarism (Work Done for One Course and Submitted in Another). Self-Plagiarism occurs when a student for a class refers to work previously submitted in another class in order to fulfill the academic requirements in that latter class. In some instances, instructors may allow a certain amount of work from a prior course to be repurposed; students who wish to do this must seek express approval from the instructor in advance.
8. Unfair academic advantage. Unfair academic advantage occurs when a student acts in such a way as to prevent or hinder another student’s performance with respect to an academic activity. Examples include: concealing, destroying, or stealing research or library materials with the purpose of depriving others of their use; sabotaging another student’s work; or attempting intimidation for academic advantage.
9. Facilitating academic dishonesty. Facilitating academic dishonesty occurs when one student completes an academic activity (e.g., homework, test, paper, etc.) for another student, or collaborates with another student on an academic activity when instructions have called for independent work.
10. Other Academic Dishonesty. This policy also prohibits any intentional act that violates the spirit of academic integrity and this policy. Such prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, stealing assessments; tampering with academic records; including inaccurate academic information on any application or resume; altering academic tests or assessments, grades or other student records; distributing materials for the purpose of cheating or facilitating; inappropriate or unethical use of technology ( pre-programming of a graphing calculator, smart phones, etc.); or feigning illness or personal circumstances to avoid an academic activity (e.g., test, quiz, paper, homework, lecture, etc.).
C. Consequences. The disciplinary consequences for violations of this policy shall be consistent with Board policy and the Student Code of Conduct.
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