Long before ChatGPT became a household name, some U.S. school districts were already laying the groundwork for artificial intelligence in classrooms, as outlined in EdTech Magazine. Among the pioneers is Georgia’s Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), which began exploring AI as early as three years before OpenAI's chatbot debuted.
Lisa Watkins, GCPS’s Executive Director of Instructional Technology and Innovation, recalls the driving question behind their early efforts: “When you have over 30 kids in a classroom, how can AI help to support students’ learning to reach them wherever they are? This can really be a game changer for teachers.”
Today, Watkins and Dr. Sallie Holloway, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science for GCPS, lead a cross-departmental initiative to weave AI responsibly and ethically into all aspects of education. Their approach focuses on thoughtful policy, training, and a human-centered framework that emphasizes student empowerment and teacher support. “By the time ChatGPT came out, we’d already been doing this for a couple of years,” Holloway says. “That was a big aha moment for a lot of people who were saying, ‘This is why we started this work. We knew this was coming.’”
Lisa Watkins, GCPS’s Executive Director of Instructional Technology and Innovation, recalls the driving question behind their early efforts: “When you have over 30 kids in a classroom, how can AI help to support students’ learning to reach them wherever they are? This can really be a game changer for teachers.”
Today, Watkins and Dr. Sallie Holloway, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science for GCPS, lead a cross-departmental initiative to weave AI responsibly and ethically into all aspects of education. Their approach focuses on thoughtful policy, training, and a human-centered framework that emphasizes student empowerment and teacher support. “By the time ChatGPT came out, we’d already been doing this for a couple of years,” Holloway says. “That was a big aha moment for a lot of people who were saying, ‘This is why we started this work. We knew this was coming.’”
Seckinger High School: A Model for AI-Driven Learning
In 2022, GCPS launched Seckinger High School, a specialized school where AI is embedded across the curriculum. The school offers a career and technical education (CTE) pathway in AI and is supported by a feeder system of elementary and middle schools that use the district’s AI Learning Framework to incorporate age-appropriate AI concepts into their teaching.
Holloway says Seckinger students are more engaged thanks to AI’s clear relevance to real-world challenges.
Watkins agrees: “This starts with our students and making sure they are prepared for postsecondary education and for the changes we already see happening in the workforce. We’re leaning into those critical thinking and problem-solving skills… and it’s exciting that AI can support that.”
Holloway says Seckinger students are more engaged thanks to AI’s clear relevance to real-world challenges.
Watkins agrees: “This starts with our students and making sure they are prepared for postsecondary education and for the changes we already see happening in the workforce. We’re leaning into those critical thinking and problem-solving skills… and it’s exciting that AI can support that.”
Scaling AI Literacy in Kansas
Meanwhile, in Kansas, Wichita Public Schools (WPS) has emerged as another leader in AI adoption. Digital Literacy Coordinator Dyane Smokorowski and CIO Robert Dickson saw potential in AI early on. By 2022, WPS had begun positioning AI not only as a tech tool but as a foundational skill for students and staff alike. “This is what we’ve been trying to have happen in education for decades,” Smokorowski says. “And educational technologies have finally caught up.”
Serving 47,000 students across 88 schools, WPS provides access to Microsoft Copilot and tools like Canva Magic Media for staff and administrators. A tiered training strategy—starting with administrators, followed by teachers, then students—has been key to their success. “It has to be a holistic approach,” says Katelyn Schoenhofer, WPS’s first AI Specialist. “Make sure you’re planning with that goal of supporting every person within the system.”
Serving 47,000 students across 88 schools, WPS provides access to Microsoft Copilot and tools like Canva Magic Media for staff and administrators. A tiered training strategy—starting with administrators, followed by teachers, then students—has been key to their success. “It has to be a holistic approach,” says Katelyn Schoenhofer, WPS’s first AI Specialist. “Make sure you’re planning with that goal of supporting every person within the system.”
Building the Bridge to Higher Education
To ensure continuity beyond high school, Nancy Amato, a professor of computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is piloting a project to bring AI-enhanced instruction into Illinois high schools. “Even though we have these huge numbers of students, we can do this because we are engaging AI to personalize instruction,” she explains. “Those are the kinds of things we need to develop and make available to our K–12 teachers too.”
Amato emphasizes that AI literacy—not just technical skills—is essential. “We also need AI literacy for everyone so they understand the systems they’re interacting with.”
Amato emphasizes that AI literacy—not just technical skills—is essential. “We also need AI literacy for everyone so they understand the systems they’re interacting with.”
Training the Trainers
Wichita's strategy includes a “train the trainer” model. Instructional coaches receive AI-focused professional development and then return to their schools to support teacher teams. “It allows them to go back into their buildings and do professional development that is relevant to their staffs,” Schoenhofer says.
Both GCPS and WPS are also laying the groundwork for deeper AI applications. GCPS is evaluating tools like MagicSchool, Diffit, and Curipod, while WPS plans to use Microsoft’s Azure and Copilot for more advanced data analysis and decision-making.
Still, Watkins cautions that tools shouldn’t drive AI strategy: “Start with the larger picture and ask what problems we are trying to solve. What is your ultimate goal? Then, look to see how those approved tools can help with that.”
Both GCPS and WPS are also laying the groundwork for deeper AI applications. GCPS is evaluating tools like MagicSchool, Diffit, and Curipod, while WPS plans to use Microsoft’s Azure and Copilot for more advanced data analysis and decision-making.
Still, Watkins cautions that tools shouldn’t drive AI strategy: “Start with the larger picture and ask what problems we are trying to solve. What is your ultimate goal? Then, look to see how those approved tools can help with that.”
5 Key Tips for Successful AI Integration
The educators blazing a trail in AI offer these best practices:
As GCPS updates its AI policies and prepares to scale its framework districtwide, and as WPS invests in AI for both instructional and operational use, these districts provide a glimpse into how public education can evolve to meet a rapidly changing digital future.
- Focus on Vision: “The vision for learning should be an anchor for any new initiative,” says Watkins.
- Stay Human-Centered: “Understand people’s comfort level, challenges and concerns,” says Schoenhofer.
- Be Holistic: “AI has multiple potential touchpoints in K–12 education,” notes Amato.
- Include Teachers: “It’s incredibly important that teachers have a voice,” Smokorowski advises.
- Teach AI Literacy: “You cannot be a responsible and ethical user if you don’t understand how AI works,” Holloway warns.
As GCPS updates its AI policies and prepares to scale its framework districtwide, and as WPS invests in AI for both instructional and operational use, these districts provide a glimpse into how public education can evolve to meet a rapidly changing digital future.