Schools to redefine learning in the AI ​​era

(TNS) – Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE + ASCD, believes that school districts are at the dawn of a new phase with regard to generative artificial intelligence.

The cutting -edge districts of the use of technology now think “less of AI tools and capacities and more in the ways in which AI is used to change learning,” said Culatta in an interview before the start of the annual iste + ASCD conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Until relatively recently, the districts had trouble making heads or chatgpt tails and other large -language models fueled by AI.

But in the past school year, an increasing number of districts have trained teachers at AI or encouraging them to experiment with technology, according to research. The number of districts that trained teachers to a generative AI have more than doubled from 2025 to 2025, according to an analysis of the research company and politics Rand Corp., published this spring.

In the fall of 2025, 48% of the districts said they had trained teachers to use AI – against 23% in the fall of 2025. If the districts follow their plans for the current school year, almost three -quarters will have followed a training in AI to educators by fall 2025, concluded Rand.

It was a progression, said Culatta.

“I think schools had to go through it like,” wow, what is AI? “And then (they) are focused on the tool: how do you use it? He said.” And then there is this third phase: “OK, now, let's come back to take care of learning and our final goals, but using AI as a tool to do it.” I think we are starting to push this year. “”

How do the districts navigate as a daily reality, not a sudden Gamechanger? And how can organizations like ISTE + ASCD help educators get the most out of limited financial resources now that billions of federal dollars on pandemic aid have mainly dried?

In a zoom interview, the education week posed these questions and others. You will find below the protruding facts of the conversation, published for length and clarity.

What percentage of districts do you think you are entering this new AI phase which emphasizes the use of technology to strengthen teaching and learning?

It is probably a fairly healthy bell curve. There are probably 25% of the districts that are still “AI. What is it?” The vast majority takes place somewhere: “We know that AI is here. We know what it is.” But they are very focused on it as a tool. How to use it? How can we set up privacy policies? Much of the conversation concerns efficiency there.

And then, we are starting to see perhaps 25% of schools that now really say: “What does learning look like now?” And that brings conversation to learning with AI in the context of it, right?

What is ISTE + ASCD doing to continue this conversation?

I think there is a real criticism, what I would call, the life skills of the AI ​​that people will need to prosper, in order to survive in the future of work and learning. (For example), it is really essential that students know how to use AI to get comments on their performance.

How do you think schools adjust their technological objectives to life after funding for cocovid relief?

The whole industry is forced to rotate and make choices on what to sacrifice and what not to sacrifice when you cannot do everything. Sometimes the best innovations come when you have to say: “Hey, we can't do everything. What are the things that really matter?”

We are trying to encourage (educators) to recognize that student experience is the thing you cannot sacrifice. It's just an area that must be prioritized. If children do not like to come to school, it is very difficult to have a conversation on anything else.

What do you think of the Trump administration which abandoned the Federal Office of Educational Technologies?

Publisher's note: CULATTA led the office during the Obama administration.

It is somewhat confusing that in a world where technology has an impact and changes learning more deeply than I think I have never seen in my career, this is the moment when the federal government decides to close the office which is really focused on the guarantee of effective technology in learning.

If there was a decision to say, instead of the Ed Tech office, we will have integrated technological experts in all the divisions of the ED Ministry? Cool. I could see that. But that's not what's going on. We created a kind of emptiness at a time when this kind of advice is really critical.

Iste sessions you want to shout?

There will be large sessions around this subject of improving student experience. Now that we have Iste and ASCD (make the event) together, we have leaders of the Rock Star who will help to make sure that we really think of what works for learning.

© 2025 week of education (Bethesda, md.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.