Publicly Documented AI Policies in BC Secondary Schools: A Baseline Inventory (2022-2026)

This study documents publicly posted artificial intelligence (AI) policy content in British Columbia secondary schools during the 26 months following ChatGPT's November 30, 2022 public release. Through systematic analysis of publicly available Codes of Conduct from 66 schools across 11 districts, the research establishes an empirical baseline of institutional policy documentation as of January 2026. Schools were classified into four policy types: comprehensive AI-specific policies (7.6%), generic AI mentions without elaboration (27.3%), traditional policies with no AI reference (54.5%), and no publicly posted academic integrity content (10.6%). The findings reveal that 65% of schools examined lack AI-specific content in their publicly posted Codes of Conduct 26 months after ChatGPT's release, despite adequate time for policy development (two complete annual planning cycles) and demonstrated feasibility (Saanich Schools and International Baccalaureate schools developed comprehensive publicly documented policies within 22 months).The analysis documents three key patterns in publicly posted policy content. First, external accountability mechanisms correlate with comprehensive public documentation: all IB schools examined maintain detailed publicly posted policies regardless of district context, while non-IB schools show wide variation. Second, district-level coordination produces uniform public documentation when districts choose to exercise that option (Saanich's district-wide framework, SD 61's uniform minimal language), but most districts permit school-level autonomy resulting in substantial within-district variation. Third, schools sharing identical administrative infrastructure, resources, and superintendent oversight demonstrate radically different publicly documented policy outcomes, with students' access to posted institutional guidance depending on which school they attend.These patterns reveal how BC's devolved governance model—Ministerial Order 276/07's assignment of Code of Conduct development to individual schools—operates regarding public policy transparency. The model permits comprehensive public documentation (as Saanich and IB schools demonstrate) but does not require it, producing systematic variation in what schools choose to publicly post. This preprint establishes a documentary baseline for longitudinal research on policy evolution, comparative analysis across jurisdictions, and conceptual inquiry into whether institutional policy frameworks adequately address AI's implications for academic integrity in K-12 education. The study focuses deliberately on publicly posted institutional policies rather than total guidance because institutional documentation serves distinct functions: establishing baseline consistency, supporting teacher enforcement, addressing equity across student mobility, and providing public accountability in devolved governance systems.