guide · AI and student information · last reviewed 18 October 2026
Using AI with student information in Northern Territory schools
Northern Territory government schools follow the Department of Education and Training's Generative AI policy and guidelines (approved 23 October 2025) and the Information Act 2002. This guide sets out what they say about student information.
At a glance
- Staff must not upload personal and sensitive information into generative AI tools, and may only enter information marked public or unclassified.
- The policy states no exception for approved tools or for consent.
- Records stored interstate are "outside the Territory", so the transfer rules apply.
- Catholic and independent schools set their own rules.
General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 18 October 2026; rules change, so check the sources below and confirm with your department.
What the department says (government schools)
The policy says staff "must: ... only input information marked PUBLIC or UNCLASSIFIED", and "must not: upload personal and sensitive information into generative AI tools". "Sensitive information" includes health information.
The guidelines: "ensure you do not enter any personal or identifiable information, including student work or details into generative AI tools, any personal information should be de-identified".
Staff use "approved tools ... in the Digital applications catalogue on eLearn". New AI features in a tool mean a request "to get it reassessed".
The policy aligns with the NT Government's AI Assurance Framework (current edition dated November 2025), which applies when agencies use AI-enabled systems, including AI built into a product.
What the law says
- Information Act 2002 (as in force on 1 June 2026): 10 Information Privacy Principles.
- IPP 9: a public sector organisation "must not transfer personal information about an individual to a person (other than the individual) outside the Territory" unless a listed ground applies, such as consent or a recipient bound by substantially similar principles. "Outside the Territory" includes other states.
- IPP 10: sensitive information is not collected unless "the individual consents" or another exception applies.
- Data breaches: no mandatory notification provisions were found in the Act. Department staff follow its internal data breach response plan.
Parent consent
The Department's privacy and consent advice for schools and parents (May 2023) says consent is needed when student information is collected, used or transferred out of the NT to cloud providers. We could not re-open it on 18 October 2026 to confirm the current wording.
The same advice says express consent is used for sensitive information, which includes health and wellbeing information.
A Privacy Information Statement is prepared to inform parents when they give consent. Consent does not lift the policy's ban on uploading personal and sensitive information to generative AI.
What staff can and can't put into AI
Staff can
- Use approved tools from the Digital applications catalogue
- Enter only information classified as public or unclassified into generative AI
- Analyse de-identified information with AI
- Write notes and reports themselves in software with AI switched off
Staff can't
- Upload personal and sensitive information into generative AI tools
- Enter student work or details into generative AI tools
- Upload photos of students
- Use AI in ways that undermine genuine communication with families
Reports and family communication
AI "does not replace the expertise and professional judgement of teachers and educational staff, nor should it undermine genuine communications with students and families".
Staff must "evaluate and verify decisions and content produced by the generative AI tool, especially when generative AI is used for decision making that will directly impact individuals", and be "transparent with staff, students and families" about their use of AI.
Approvals and assessments
| Step | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Request | If a tool is not in the catalogue, "Submit a request for a new digital application using the Online and Cloud System Request form". |
| Assessment | A security risk assessment and review of AI assurance assessments, plus "Privacy impact assessments of generative AI tools". The Department prepares the Privacy Information Statement. |
| Approval by risk | Low and medium-risk tools are approved within the Department; "high-risk generative AI tools" are approved by the Chief Executive. |
| Conditions of use | Approved apps are listed in the catalogue with conditions of use, and reassessed when AI features change. |
Timelines. The generative AI policy and guidelines were approved on 23 October 2025. No published timeline for assessments or approvals.
Catholic and independent schools
The policy excludes "non-government school users in the NT, except when using the NTSchools network".
Catholic Education NT and independent schools follow the federal Privacy Act and their own rules; check with your system or school board.
The ISA/NCEC Privacy Compliance Manual (April 2025) suggests a privacy impact assessment for each AI system.
Using Descant within these rules
Under the policy as written, NT government schools use Descant with AI off unless the Department approves AI use in writing.
AI is off unless your school adds it
Recording, AI drafting and AI summaries are an optional paid add-on, off unless your school adds them. A school can switch AI off at any time. With AI off, nothing about a student is sent to an AI model, and case management, referrals, support plans, consent records and notes staff write themselves keep working.
Require recorded parent consent before AI runs
With this setting on, AI processes a student's information only when the school has recorded consent from a parent or carer. In NT government schools consent alone does not lift the department's position on identifiable information, so use it only once the department has approved AI use.
Documents families sign online (coming)
Families will be able to read and sign other school documents online. Parents and carers can already give consent through a secure link. No AI is involved in signing.
Staff review every AI draft
Drafts are labelled as AI-assisted, stay with the staff member, and are never sent to families automatically. Transcription and drafting run in Australia, audio is deleted once transcribed, and school data is not used to train AI models.
See the NT privacy compliance page for the privacy principles and assessment steps, how Descant keeps student data safe, our privacy policy, and note templates staff can write from with AI off.
Questions to ask your department
- Does "must not upload personal and sensitive information into generative AI tools" apply to an assessed, catalogue-approved, Australian-hosted tool under contract that does not train on or retain data? Can the Chief Executive approve an exception?
- How would student wellbeing and NCCD notes be classified under the records standard?
- What risk level would the Department give a case-management tool holding health information, and how long does assessment take?
- Is a contract binding the vendor to the IPPs accepted in place of consent for hosting outside the NT?
- Would an "AI off" setup be assessed as a non-AI application, and would switching AI on later trigger reassessment?
Contact: [email protected] (digital applications); [email protected] (privacy).
Sources
Each source was read on 18 October 2026. Dates are those shown on the page or document.
- Generative artificial intelligence policy (PDF) (v1, approved 23 October 2025)
- Generative artificial intelligence guidelines (v1, approved 23 October 2025)
- Digital applications policy (PDF) (approved 12 October 2022)
- Conduct policies, with the advice "Privacy and consent explained" (May 2023) (read 18 October 2026)
- NT AI Assurance Framework (edition dated November 2025)
- Information Act 2002 (as in force 1 June 2026)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. It describes public rules as at 18 October 2026, and makes no claim that Descant is approved by any department.
Other states and territories
The national picture: frameworks, ST4S and the Privacy Act. Other guides in the series: Victorian schools, NSW schools, Queensland schools, South Australian schools, Western Australian schools, Tasmanian schools, ACT schools.