CARL Commitments
Our Commitments & Design Principles
How CARL approaches equity, accessibility, Indigenous sovereignty, teacher control, and responsible AI in education.
Beta-stage transparency
CARL is currently in beta. These commitments describe the design principles guiding CARL now, what we are testing with educators, and what we intend to formalize as the platform moves toward broader live use.
The short version
CARL is designed to support teachers, not replace them. We use AI with constraints, guardrails, and teacher review, especially around equity, accessibility, Indigenous content, and sensitive classroom contexts.
Teacher-controlled
Editable outputs
Responsible AI
Beta learning
Teacher control
Teachers control the inputs, edit the outputs, and decide what belongs in their classroom.
Equity as structure
Equity, accessibility, and student voice are treated as planning structures, not afterthoughts.
Indigenous sovereignty
CARL does not generate or interpret Indigenous knowledge. It points teachers toward authentic sources.
Responsible AI
CARL uses constraints, bias checks, and review prompts rather than treating AI output as final.
Our Perspective
CARL is built primarily with Canadian K–12 educators in public education contexts in mind. We are grounded in British Columbia while engaging questions that matter across Canada and beyond: equity, accessibility, responsible AI, Indigenous sovereignty, and teacher control.
This page explains how CARL approaches responsible AI in education during beta and as we move toward live use. It is meant to be transparent about what CARL is, what it is not, and how our values shape design decisions.
These commitments are not a finished claim of perfection. They are the standards we are using to build, test, revise, and hold ourselves accountable.
A necessary boundary
We are not Indigenous. We do not speak for Indigenous peoples, Nations, or communities. CARL is designed to point teachers toward Indigenous-authored and Indigenous-led sources, not generate, interpret, or prescribe Indigenous knowledge.
We work on land where First Peoples have lived and continue to live, and we understand that this carries responsibility, not authority.
What CARL Is, and What It Is Not
These boundaries matter in beta, and they will continue to matter when CARL is live.
CARL is
A teacher-controlled planning platform designed to reduce workload while supporting inclusive, curriculum-aligned instruction
A structured system that offers optional enhancements such as UDL, accessibility, EDI, student voice, SEL, and trauma-informed supports
A tool that supports professional judgment through editable outputs, clear constraints, and guardrails
CARL is not
A replacement for teacher expertise, professional judgment, or relational teaching
A curriculum authority, evaluator, or “one right way” teaching engine
A source of Indigenous knowledge or a system that generates or interprets Indigenous teachings
Our Commitments
In beta, these commitments guide what we build, test, and revise. When CARL is live, they will continue to shape product decisions, support materials, and future accountability practices.
Equity
Equity as structure, not add-ons
For CARL, equity is not a checklist or a decorative statement. It is built into lesson structure, prompts, and safeguards.
Prompt for perspectives beyond dominant norms
Flag common representation gaps and assumptions
Support bias-aware instructional decisions
Teacher agency
Teacher control and professional judgment
CARL is designed to support teacher expertise, not replace it. Teachers control the inputs, decide what to use or skip, and retain authority over instructional decisions.
During beta, we are refining these workflows with educator feedback. When CARL is live, teacher review, editing, and publishing control will remain core to the platform.
Accessibility
Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning
CARL is designed to suggest concrete ways students can access learning and demonstrate understanding while maintaining meaningful expectations.
Frame supports as universal, not “for some students only”
Support differentiated access, expression, and participation
Reduce workload without lowering rigor
Student agency
Student voice, agency, and consent
CARL is designed with the belief that students are not passive recipients of learning. Student voice shows up through choices in process, format, audience, collaboration, reflection, and participation.
Agency is not treated as an engagement trick. It is a matter of respect.
Responsible AI
Responsible AI in education
AI tools can produce errors, bias, or confident-sounding misinformation. CARL is intentionally constrained by pedagogical rules, ethical guardrails, and validation checks.
In beta, we are continuing to test how CARL flags uncertainty, prompts teacher review, and avoids harm. When CARL is live, review and accountability will remain central to how the platform is used.
Indigenous Voice Inclusion
Respecting sovereignty and self-determination
Indigenous peoples hold the inherent right to govern their own knowledge, cultures, histories, and protocols. CARL’s Indigenous Voice Inclusion approach is designed around that boundary.
What CARL will not do
CARL will not generate Indigenous teachings
CARL will not interpret Indigenous knowledge
CARL will not replace relationship, consent, local guidance, or Indigenous-led leadership
CARL will not force Indigenous connections where authentic connections are not clear
What the feature is designed to do
During beta, CARL’s Indigenous Voice Inclusion feature is being designed to support respectful classroom inclusion by pointing educators toward Indigenous-authored works, verified Indigenous-led resources, and trusted collections where authorship and provenance are clear.
The feature is teacher-initiated and opt-in. When certainty is not possible, CARL should point teachers toward trusted sources rather than guessing. If no authentic connection exists, CARL should name that gap rather than inventing one.
In development
Giving Back
We are building a giving-back workflow connected to the Indigenous Voice Inclusion option. Our intention is to support community-led healing and remembrance work by donating to the Na-mi-quai-ni-mak Community Support Fund at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
This donation is not a substitute for relationship-building, guidance, or consent from Indigenous communities. It does not give CARL authority to generate or interpret Indigenous knowledge, and it does not replace the need for Indigenous-led leadership in this space.
Because CARL is currently in beta and not yet fully operational at scale, we are still finalizing the donation structure, including amount, timing, and reporting cadence. When this workflow is live, we will publish a clear explanation of how donations are triggered and how totals are reported.
Learning, Limits, and Accountability
This work is ongoing. We are continually learning, refining, and revisiting our design decisions.
What we can say now
During beta, CARL is still being tested, revised, and shaped through educator feedback. We are careful not to overstate where we are today, especially around consultation, Indigenous guidance, and long-term accountability practices.
We welcome respectful dialogue and feedback as we continue improving the platform.
What we are working toward
As CARL moves toward broader live use, we intend to keep strengthening transparency, documentation, educator feedback loops, and future relationships with Indigenous educators who can guide this work responsibly.
We will not claim partnerships, consultation, or authority we have not yet undertaken.
Have feedback on these commitments?
We welcome respectful dialogue as CARL continues through beta and moves toward broader live use.