Guide to AI Tools for District Administrators

Guide to AI Tools for District Administrators

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In the rapidly evolving educational landscape, generative AI is becoming an increasingly important tool for educators and students alike. This article provides a comprehensive guide for educational leaders seeking to effectively integrate generative AI into schools.

A wealth of resources is available to facilitate this transition. National-level guidelines, such as those proposed by the U.S. Department of Education, prioritize expanding AI literacy and integrating AI fundamentals across K–12 curricula. These guidelines also encourage partnerships with local agencies to offer dual-enrollment credits in AI courses and support the use of AI-driven tools to personalize learning and improve student outcomes.

Successful integration frameworks, like the Brookings Institution’s responsible AI playbook, highlight five core principles: transparency, accountability, human-in-the-loop design, equity, and continuous monitoring. These principles serve as practical guardrails for districts and vendors, supported by empirical evidence and case studies illustrating their effectiveness in real school settings.

Planning tools and implementation strategies identified include: identifying specific AI use cases, collecting and analyzing data, selecting and customizing AI tools, starting with pilot projects, integrating AI with existing systems, and conducting continuous monitoring and iteration based on outcomes.

Professional development is emphasized as essential and should be comprehensive, engaging educators, administrators, and IT staff to understand AI’s capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations. Research stresses that blending theoretical AI knowledge with hands-on practice and fostering positive teacher beliefs improves sustainable AI integration in classrooms.

Key resources for educational leaders include:

• Maestra's list of the best 15 AI tools for educators
• The November 2024 issue of AASA's School Administrator magazine, featuring an article summarizing the age-appropriate application of AI in Gwinnett County (GA) Public Schools
• Common Sense's basic course for educators on AI
• Navigating AI Biases in The Classroom, a key resource for educators
• OpenAI's guide for teaching with AI
• Cornell's Center for Teaching Innovation's ethical considerations for educators regarding AI
• TCEA's artificial intelligence educator course, available for a fee
• Colleague.ai, a generative chatbot developed specifically for educators
• The Future of Privacy Forum and the National Education Association's Task Force Report on AI in Education, providing guidelines and frameworks for the ethical use of AI in education
• The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's generative AI guidelines
• Choice360's curated list of AI ethics resources
• AI for Education's two-hour AI essentials course for educators
• Matt Miller's Ditch that Textbook site, featuring a section devoted to AI
• The Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) and the Council of the Great City Schools' Readiness Checklist for Generative AI
• A scholarly article on AI ethics in K-12 education, available from the National Institute of Health
• ISTE's AI in education resources, valuable for PD opportunities
• Google and Adobe's courses for professional development in generative AI for educators
• The AI Governance Group's short list of recommendations for implementing AI, along with a range of other AI resources
• Leon Furze's overview article providing nine considerations for ethics and AI
• Axon Park, Oyelabs, Itransition, and DigitalDefynd's lists of AI case studies in education
• Educational leaders should be familiar with MagicSchool.ai, Eduaide.ai, and similar AI tools for educators and students
• The AI for Education platform's curated listing of state-level AI guidance for K-12 schools
• Tech & Learning's AI Starter Kit for Teachers, offering many education-related AI apps, platforms, and tools
• The Michigan Virtual School's planning guide for schools to use in implementing AI tools
• Goblin Tools, a set of tools focused on the needs of neurodiverse users

In conclusion, by leveraging these resources, educational leaders can create a foundation for effective, equitable, and sustainable generative AI integration in education.

1. Educational leaders can expand AI literacy in schools by incorporating AI fundamentals within K-12 curricula, as advocated by national guidelines like those from the U.S. Department of Education.
2. Successful integration frameworks, such as the Brookings Institution’s responsible AI playbook, underscore the importance of principles like transparency, accountability, and continuous monitoring in districts and vendors.
3. To facilitate effective AI integration, educational professionals should undertake comprehensive professional development addressing AI’s capabilities, limitations, and ethical considerations.
4. By selecting and customizing AI tools, educational leaders can start pilot projects and integrate AI with existing systems to personalize learning, improve student outcomes, and foster digital learning environments.
5. Key resources for educational leaders seeking guidance on generative AI integration include Maestra’s AI tools list, Common Sense’s AI course, and TCEA’s artificial-intelligence educator course, among others.
6. In organizational resources, educational leaders should be familiar with the AI for Education platform’s listings of state-level AI guidance for schools and the Michigan Virtual School’s planning guide for school implementations of AI tools, ensuring equitable and sustainable integration of AI in education.

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