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Empowered educators, engaged learners: The AIU’s vision for AI in schools
By Daveen Rae Kurutz & Sam Kulp
“This is a huge opportunity,” said Rachel McVeagh, Instructional Innovation Coordinator of transformED, a program of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit that focuses on starting, scaling, and sustaining transformational practices in our schools.
“We can now access technology that can support students in ways we’ve always dreamed of—from providing instant feedback before they submit work to personalizing their learning,” McVeagh said. “AI allows students and their teachers to ask bigger questions and explore content more deeply.” AI is here, and it presents a huge paradigm-shift for teaching and learning.
Through the AI Fellows program, created by the AIU and transformED, educators from across Southwestern Pennsylvania have resources to navigate the world of artificial intelligence. Designed to empower educators to lead their districts in AI integration, the AIU AI Fellows program was funded by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and enabled educators and administrators from 20 districts to spend one year intensively learning about the innovative, equitable, and ethical use of AI. The goal: create a network of informed educational leaders who can serve as a resource to districts across the region.
“Every district needs a strong AI leader — someone who is knowledgeable about the technology, is willing to explore how it will impact teaching and learning, and who is thinking carefully yet expansively about how it can lead to true transformation in our schools,” McVeagh said.
The program paired educators with varying backgrounds and grade levels with administrators from their district to bring AI to their schools. In total, 19 suburban Allegheny County districts and one Washington County district participated in the program, which included five professional development sessions and funding for substitute teachers, AI tools, and attendance to the 2025 SXSW EDU Conference in Austin, Texas. The fellows then conducted action research projects focused on topics related to policy, instructional strategies, and professional development.
“Building the capacity of individuals who can lead the charge in our AI-driven world is a great benefit to their districts,” McVeagh said. “The program energized these individuals, and they are excited to share all that they have learned.”
The cohort included educators in various stages of their careers who teach subjects ranging from social studies to computer science at elementary, middle, and high schools in small and large districts.
Cofacilitator Brian Stamford, Ed.D., program director for Accountability and Innovative Practices at the AIU, said having a wide variety of teachers involved in the program expands equity of opportunity — so students of all ages and all experiences can learn about the latest technology tools. Representation plays a key role in encouraging more teachers to explore the implementation of AI. “By having a diverse range in terms of background and experience,” Dr. Stamford said, “I feel like everyone will see someone like them, which will help with buy-in.”
One fellow, Shannon Roos, brought her knowledge as an English teacher and instructional coach to the fellowship from Hampton High School. “I’m working with our academic support teachers to integrate Class Companion and SchoolAI for individual skills practice and feedback,” she said. “This is just such a good opportunity to see what other schools in the district or what other schools in the area are doing, and then also to build things together.”
Another fellow, Amanda Sappie from Cornell High School, is seeking to use AI to help make science writing more engaging for her middle school students. “Science writing is something that’s a little bit scary, especially for middle school. We’re using different AI tools that give writing feedback in real time,” she said. She conducted her research in her eighth grade science classes, where she added AI tools to one chapter, comparing student growth with and without the technology.
As AI continues to evolve and grow, educators must be prepared to thoughtfully integrate the technology into the classroom, Dr. Stamford said. AIU Executive Director Robert Scherrer, Ed.D., emphasized the broader impact: “The AI Fellows program is key to preparing students for a future fueled by AI.”
“The AI Fellows program is critical because it gives educators the time, tools, and community they need to deeply explore the role of AI in learning,” Dr. Scherrer said. “By focusing on action research and real-world practice, the AI Fellows program ensures that AI integration is thoughtful, strategic, and student-centered.”
To help bring each fellows’ ideas to life, participating districts were required to commit an administrator to the program. Dr. Stamford noted that this level of support was essential, as it gave teachers the freedom to experiment with AI tools and take risks.
“This program provided a safe environment for educators to learn and experiment with new things that they might otherwise have felt more hesitant to try,” McVeagh said. “We built a true community of learners in which educators supported one another by sharing interesting findings and successful strategies.” The AI Fellows program isn’t just about implementing new teaching strategies that incorporate AI. Shaping district policy to guide that implementation must be factored in, as well.
“During a time of such rapid development, clear guidance enables educators to safely explore using new technology in their schools,” McVeagh said. “As districts increasingly adopt guidelines and policy surrounding AI, we will begin to see a ripple effect of people having the confidence to try using AI in responsible ways. Educators will feel more confident to try using AI for teaching and learning because they will begin to have a better understanding of what is deemed acceptable and what is not within their school setting. Similarly, students will learn from their teachers, who will be sharing those guidelines and modeling this responsible use.”
Some question whether AI has a place in grading and evaluation. Roos found that AI was more helpful for skills practice or formative assessment rather than for offloading tasks like grading. “I don’t think it’s quite there yet, but I think it’s great for getting them that feedback and working through those initial steps with them,” she said. “It’s just such a complex thing to tackle when there’s not a curriculum in place. Being able to work across districts is important in figuring out ‘what does this look like in the hands of students? How do we help them use it effectively?’”
Teachers are also finding that many of their students are eager to use the technology. “I was most surprised that the kids are not afraid of AI whatsoever,” Sappie said. “They are much more willing to use the tools than I expected.”
Concerns regarding the ethical use of AI in education are abundant. As with any new tool, the limits and potential misuse of AI are important to consider during implementation. “I hope that AI fellows leave the program much better equipped to begin teaching their students how to be ethical and responsible users of the technology, preparing them for the world of today, outside of K-12,” Dr. Stamford said. Their collective expertise will be a resource for other teachers in Allegheny County. As more school districts implement the technology, the AI fellows and their research can be referenced as a guide throughout the process.
“Each fellow’s work is something that those in other districts can learn from, which is what makes it so valuable,” McVeagh said.
“The AI Fellows program can serve as a regional and national model for AI integration,” Dr. Stamford said. “A regional education agency identified early adopters of AI, brought them together, and partnered with subject-level experts and private organizations to dig into best practices. That model is one that can be replicated nationwide.”
Read more about the AI Fellows Program:
