Tech & Learning.com - AI Toolkit for School - October 2025

OCTOBER 2025

TECHLEARNING.COM

AI Toolkit for School Districts

What to Know About AI Policy, Literacy, Resources & More!

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Strategic Planning, Governance, & Equity 5

Creating a Responsible AI Policy: Top 10 Things to Know

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By Ray Bendici

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By Ray Bendici

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5 Key Policy Considerations for Regulating AI in Classrooms

By Steve Baule

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The Role of School Leaders in Ensuring Ethical Technology Use and Data Privacy

By Steve Baule

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How School Leaders Can Address the Inequities of the AI Digital Divide

By Michael Gaskell

AI Applications in Education

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Using Chatbots To Create Personalized Learning Experiences

22 Group Publisher Christine Weiser christine.weiser@futurenet.com CONTENT Managing Editor Ray Bendici ray.bendici@futurenet.com

Event Development Director Marquita Amoah marquita.amoah@futurenet.com

By Erik Ofgang

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What Works, What Doesn’t, and How to Tell: The Data That Should Drive K–12 Edtech Decisions in 2025-26

By Lisa Katz

20 Optimizing Teacher PD with AI

By Michael Gaskell

AI Training and PD 22

AI Literacy: 6 Resources For Teachers

By Erik Ofgang

24 4 Things To Teach Students Beyond Basic AI Literacy

By Stephanie Smith Budhai, Ph.D.

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By Michael Millington

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Providing AI To Teachers On A Budget

AI Ethics and Legal Concerns in Classrooms

By Michael Gaskell

AI Tools & Resources 27

AI Tools & Resources

By T&L Editors

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By Ray Bendici

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or school and district leaders facing the task of creating a responsible AI policy, understanding of the different types of AI and domain-specificity matters.

Leigh Hall, Director of Research for

Merlyn Mind, discusses ten critical aspects essential for creating a responsible AI policy, including data privacy, safety and security, training and support, student well-being, and more.

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STRATEGIC PLANNING, GOVERNANCE, EQUITY WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

CREATING A RESPONSIBLE AI POLICY: TOP 10 THINGS TO KNOW

1. Why Use AI? Districts need

Accountability. Being

to make clear the rationale for implementing AI into education. For example, AI can lead to enhancing learning opportunities, improving digital literacy skills, increasing efficiency, and creating a more equitable and accessible learning environment.

transparent and accountable about your district’s AI use is critical, says Hall, adding the need to fully disclose how AI is being used in educational settings and to define the mechanisms for accountability.

2. Data Privacy, Safety, and Cybersecurity. When ap-

clearly stated guidelines and protocols for adopting an AI tool is key, said Hall. When doing so, a comprehensive needs assessment should be undertaken first, followed by due diligence and a pilot test of any tool.

proaching AI data privacy and security, Hall recommends first outlining protocols around student data that are in compliance with local and national regulations.

Then, explain how your district will adhere to ethical and safety standards, provide criteria for how and when AI will be used, and define roles and responsibilities by those associated with its use.

3. Bias and Fairness. Using AI

in an equitable, fair, and unbiased manner is critical, Hall says. That includes ensuring that any AI tools promote an equitable and inclusive experience, explaining if you plan on using diverse datasets, promoting training to recognize AI bias, and creating protocols to monitor it all.

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5. Developing A Framework for AI Procurement. Having

6. Educator Training and Support. Obviously, provid-

ing professional development is critical for the implementation of AI tools. Educators need to understand that ongoing AI PD opportunities can help build their overall digital literacy, Hall says, including best practices around ethical use.

7. Student Well-Being. Stu-

dent well-being and safety needs to always be a priority, including creating guidelines for monitoring and addressing potential negative impacts, explaining how AI will support accessibility and be used to help all students, especially those

with disabilities or who may be ELLs. 8. Parent and Community Engagement. “What you want

to do first is to understand what parental concerns are?” says Hall.

“Have a forum for parents and community members to come in. And we have to know the top three to five concerns, and then we can develop a strategy to address those concerns.”

9. Evaluation and Continuous Improvement.

As with any initiative, prepare for ongoing evaluation of any AI technology, which should include defining processes for assessing effectiveness and learning outcomes as well as using datadriven insights.

10. Roll-Out Plans. When it’s

time to actually implement AI technology, have a clear plan and timetable in place to maximize benefits and minimize disruption, Hall said. Also plan ahead for the hardware, software, and personnel necessary to support AI in your district.

Read the full article here

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5 KEY POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR REGULATING AI IN CLASSROOMS

By Steve Baule

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nstitutions across all industries are grappling with how to address the continuing growth of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their environments. Educators are no different as AI tools have already impacted the fabric of the classroom and faculty office.

At this stage, it is important to ensure that extant institutional policies address issues raised by the use of AI tools. It is best to revise extant policies in light of AI as opposed to building a new AI policy that may or may not fully align with other policies.

5 Key AI Policy Considerations o not simply ban the use of AI in the develop•D ment of assignments. Tools such as MS Office and Grammarly have AI embedded, so to do this would unnecessarily ban the use of many common tools. ake sure that any AI tools comply with FERPA •M

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and ADA regulations. When using AI tools to develop

student-specific items, such as personalized learning plans or IEPs, do not include personally identifiable information. equire instructors to be clear about when and •R how students can or cannot utilize AI tools. For instance, an instructor might allow students to use AI to develop an outline but not to draft the narrative. At the course level, instructors should be clear about what level of use they would like to see within the course, or assignment by assignment, if appropriate.

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• Ensure that there is a human decision-making step in any AI automated processes. Clear evidence exists that AI detectors tend to discriminate against nonnative English speakers, often identifying their work as AI derived. onsider how to make sure the use of AI •C throughout the institution is as transparent as possible. Also, consider identifying AI-generated mate-

rials from outside of the classroom.

As educational institutions navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, a thoughtful approach is required to harness the benefits while mitigating potential risks and doing so transparently and responsibly. The journey toward AI integration in education is complex, but with careful policy development and consideration of key factors, it can lead to a more efficient, equitable, and innovative learning environment for all.

Read the full article here

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THE ROLE OF SCHOOL LEADERS IN ENSURING ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY USE AND DATA PRIVACY

By Steve Baule

The Importance of Data Privacy in Schools

The collection, storage, and use of both student and staff data have become increasingly complex in educational settings. With learning management systems, cloud-based platforms, and AI-driven analytics, vast amounts of sensitive data are generated daily.

To uphold data privacy, school leaders should implement robust cybersecurity measures, including data encryption, secure login protocols, and regular audits of digital infrastructure. Leaders must establish clear policies on data retention and deletion so that unnecessary or outdated information is not stored indefinitely, reducing the risk of exposure.

Necessary Technology Policies

Technology use and data security policies should be transparent, easily accessible, and regularly updated to reflect evolving technological trends and threats.

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Key components of effective policies include: cceptable Use Policies (AUPs): Clearly define •A how students and staff can use school-provided devices, networks, and software. ata Security Protocols: Establish guidelines for pass•D word protection, multifactor authentication, and incident response plans in case of data breaches. ata Collection and Sharing Policies: Ensure that •D only essential data is collected and that any sharing with third parties complies with legal and ethical standards. arental Consent and Communication: Keep •P parents informed about how their children’s data is used and obtain consent for data collection when necessary.

Building a Culture of Accountability and Transparency

Creating a culture in which ethical technology use and data privacy are prioritized requires school leaders to model accountability and transparency. They must demonstrate a commitment to ethical decisionmaking in their regular use of technology and data management.

By setting clear policies, fostering digital literacy, investing in training, and cultivating a culture of accountability, school leaders can create learning environments that harness the benefits of technology while protecting students and staff from its risks.

Read the full article here

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n our technologically rich and fluid world, technology has the potential to be an integral component of the teaching and learning process, changing how students learn, teachers instruct, and schools operate.

These benefits of technology come with significant ethical and privacy concerns. As custodians of educational institutions, school leaders must navigate these challenges with vigilance and foresight to ensure that technology is used ethically, and that student and staff data remains secure.

HOW SCHOOL LEADERS CAN ADDRESS THE INEQUITIES OF THE AI DIGITAL DIVIDE

By Michael Gaskell

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ighlight potential risks, including implicit bias, •H and hallucinations. A hallucination is when an AI generates incorrect information as if it were factual. AI hallucinations are often caused by limitations in training data and algorithms, which produce content that is wrong or even harmful.

• Encourage critical thinking and fact-checking when using AI-generated content. Using resources

such perplexity.ai and consensus.app are examples of AI resources that aim to point you to factual information.

Teaching about these, and the process for fact checking are critical to the process. ducation and awareness. Commit •E to regular AI education for students and staff. Communicate the school’s appropriate use of AI, emphasizing fairness and safety.

Establishing a clear and equitable AI policy for schools is a proactive approach to access the benefits of AI while addressing potential risks, especially those of ethics. By setting clear guidelines, encouraging responsible use, and promoting learning experiences, schools can teach students to navigate the evolving digital landscape with ethical integrity and academic success as well as strike a balance in harnessing the power of AI and minimize the risk of deepening the digital divide.

Read the full article here

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tudents and communities of color, and the schools that serve them, need to have a comprehensive understanding of AI’s impact, both positive and negative, so they aren’t left behind.

This knowledge will empower educators, students, and their families to actively engage in shaping the future of education and advocating for their needs — including access to developing AI technologies.

Steps to ensure academic tools, content reflecting the broad cultural and neurodiversity of student populations, and ways to prevent the emergence of a new and even broader digital divide, should be carefully planned, well-communicated, and executed.

To address these challenges, school community stakeholders must work collaboratively to ensure equitable education of and access to AI tools and prevent the widening of the digital divide in education.

Providing awareness of and instructions for how to ensure individuals institute such processes maximizes equitable access because communities with larger barriers and the individuals within are less likely to face the divides that exist within the internet orbit that permeates our everyday experience.

Here are some additional strategic steps that school leaders and their communities can establish so that the divide is narrowed, even eliminated, to ensure access to AI resources and information is offered in a proportionate and balanced manner.

USING CHATBOTS TO CREATE PERSONALIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCES

By Michael Millington

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An example of this is True’s implementation of a high school handbook into a chatbot. “The thought is that we put it on this website and make it available [for that high school],” he says. “Then it becomes a 24/7 tool that students and parents can use to ask questions about what’s in the handbook.”

Chatbots Inside the Classroom

Creating A Chatbot To Support Education

“Chatbots, in the educational realm, give teachers an opportunity to create a personal learning environment for the student,” says Travis True, Curriculum Technology Specialist for USD 501 Topeka Public Schools. “They get to manage what information is provided. They can upload their own information on what the chatbot is going to feed information from.”

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AI APPLICATIONS IN EDUCATION

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s the world of education advances, it becomes increasingly necessary to cater to different learning styles in order to give students the best possible learning experience. While teachers still provide the best way to reach students, a unique and catered learning environment can be created through the use of a dedicated chatbot.

And how can a chatbot work in education but outside of the classroom?

“At a school or district level it can allow building principals and district leaders to set up tools that parents or even staff can use to help find information quickly,” says True.

Students who need a more specialized touch with their education can receive that attention with a chatbot. And, as True points out, creating one isn’t a difficult task for educators who have access to AI-enabled platforms such as SchoolAI or MagicSchool.

“The tools that the teachers have access to are pretty straightforward,” he says.

“They enter instructions, standards, and how the chatbot is going to interact with the students. On the student side, there is a learning curve, because you have to ask good questions to get good information out of the chatbot. That’s a good skill for students, knowing how to ask good questions to get good answers.”

Read the full article here

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USING AI AND TECH FOR ACCESSIBILITY: 5 TIPS FOR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS

By Erik Ofgang

CREDIT: EVGENIYSHKOLENKO/GETTY IMAGES

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rystal Yang, a recent high school graduate about to start her first year at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, launched Audemy, a nonprofit educational gaming platform designed for the visually impaired. So far, Audemy has partnered with 26 schools for the blind, and the platform has been used by more than 10,000 blind students.

Along the way, Yang has learned several best practices that she thinks can help others--including high school and college students--launch AI-powered apps that make a difference. Here are her tips for starting a tech nonprofit or company.

a small app. When it comes to editing the code, that gets a little harder, but overall, I think people would be surprised at how much AI can do right now.”

1. Embrace AI. “For the general public, there’s this

4. Seek Out Grants. Many grants are available for

huge fear of AI right now,” Yang says. “But I think it’s really necessary to embrace it. It is the future.”

She advises those interested in tech entrepreneurship “to shift your perspective and see how it can be used to help society, increase efficiency, and make things more accessible,” she says.

nonprofits, particularly in the technology space. Yang says those looking to build new organizations should look for these.

2. Use AI To Get Started With Code. Learning to

code without any experience can be really intimidating, but the process is getting easier and easier.

“A lot of AI tools are able to code pretty well right now, and there are a lot of resources online that teach how to code,” Yang says. “I think someone without any coding skills can make an interactive website or create 14 | OC TO B E R 2 0 2 5

3. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help From Experienced Volunteers. People across the

globe are passionate about using technology to help solve problems, and Yang was able to use the website VolunteerMatch to get volunteers to help launch and run her nonprofit. She now has a team of 60 professional developers and designers from all over the world, a response that has surprised her.

5. Harness Tech For Accessibility. For those look-

ing to work in the accessibility space in particular, Yang sees lots of opportunities. “I think accessibility is a really under-addressed theme when it comes to development,” she says.

Yang advises other students interested in working in the world of accessibility to connect with people from various communities and see what their needs are that are not being addressed.

Read the full article here

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Lead learning that works for everyone with an AI platform that teachers trust Let us show you how

PROVIDING AI TO TEACHERS ON A BUDGET

By Ray Bendici

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y using open-source resources, Llano ISD has been able to create its own custom AI chatbot that provides teachers and staff access to large language models via API (application programming interfaces – rules and protocols that define how apps communicate with one another). This flexible pay-per-use approach allows the IT team to control costs while providing access to multiple AI platforms.

The district does not have to invest in large upfront AI license purchases, and maintains the ability to change/ update platforms and access as needed.

“Since we only pay as we use, with six teachers when we piloted last year, the highest bill we had was $6.87 for a month of AI usage,” says Maurie Beasley, Llano ISD’s network administrator. “And that was with them utilizing it every single day.”

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Creating An AI ‘Fuel Gauge’

A self-proclaimed “integration specialist,” Jim Beasley, the district’s Director of Technology (and Maurie’s husband), engineered “Agnes”, the district’s proprietary AI chatbot, which uses APIs to set AI usage 16 | OC TO B E R 2 0 2 5

and spending budgets for individuals to counter that.

He utilized Open Web UI, an open-source environment to create the platform, and has customized it to fit the district’s AI needs.

When accessing Agnes, users are presented with a dropdown list of AI models available to them, which can be customized for individuals or entire departments. In addition to already ensuring each choice is COPPA- and FERPA-compliant, each product is marked with dollar signs (like a Yelp listing) to indicate the cost.

“It’s almost like a fuel gauge,” says Maurie. “And so, if I’m a teacher, I log into Agnes, I’m going to see I have a full tank at the beginning of the month. And then as that fuel tank goes down, that’s when I’m going to drop to a cheaper model because I don’t want to run out of what’s in my tank.”

Thanks to the flexibility of Agnes, Llano educators have access to the latest versions of AI models and tools such as GPT-5 and Gemini, and Jim can easily switch out of outdated tools or add newer ones such as ones from Anthropic. The system also allows for all the required content filtering for students.

Ultimately, “If I don’t have a certain number of teachers using AI every single day, I cannot justify a return on my investment as to what I’m spending per year for that product,” Maurie says, “We need to do AI as cheaply as possible because we don’t have the money to go buy it anywhere else.”

Read the full article here

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WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN’T, AND HOW TO TELL: THE DATA THAT SHOULD DRIVE K–12 EDTECH DECISIONS IN 2025-26

By Lisa Katz

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istrict leaders are under increasing pressure to improve student outcomes, support teachers, and use limited funds wisely. Technology remains a key part of that strategy, but not all tools contribute equally. The challenge is deciding what stays, what goes, and what truly delivers results.

That challenge is compounded by the sheer volume of available metrics. Edtech companies often present usage dashboards, testimonials, or standards alignment charts. While those indicators can be helpful, they don’t always answer the most important questions.

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to achieve, such as change in performance or mastery of content in math, literacy, or engagement?

Raise the Standard: What the New Baseline for Edtech Should Be

The strongest districts aren’t just reviewing platform activity reports, they’re using data to understand: ow teachers are embedding •H tools in daily instruction ow students are interacting •H with specific features or content ow students are perform•H ing and where patterns diverge across schools, grades, or student groups Research That Stands Up to Scrutiny

In an era of increased accountability, claims about being “evidenceWWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

based” must be more than marketing language. Districts deserve to know that the tools they’re investing in are grounded in credible, third-party research and that vendors are transparent about what’s known and what’s still being tested.

District leaders should ask: ho conducted the research and •W

was it conducted by an unbiased independent research team? oes the sample size reflect •D school environments, including high need and/or diverse populations? re the outcomes aligned to •A what district leaders are trying

District leaders, now more than in years past, are less interested in vendor promises and more focused on evidence that learning took place. They are raising the bar, not just for edtech providers but for themselves.

Read the full article here

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Usage Data That Informs Instruction

The baseline for edtech must shift from tools that simply exist in the ecosystem to those that actively elevate it. Districts that succeed in this new landscape are those asking sharper questions and demanding clearer answers to questions such as: ow is this being used in class•H rooms like ours? hat evidence backs up its •W impact? oes it help our students learn, •D not just practice?

OPTIMIZING TEACHER PD WITH AI

By Michael Gaskell

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ntroducing AI tools to support educators offers spectacular access to resources and engagement not previously realized. With so many platforms available, it can be overwhelming. Drilling down to manageable learning opportunities and tools is a worthy pursuit through which all school leaders should guide teachers.

Getting Started With AI PD

So where to begin? Consider that among the vast range of AI tools and resources to help teachers, the best are not necessarily the well-branded or cost-heavy options.

Some schools have adopted AI tools such as Diffit or MagicSchool, both paid resources. I do not contest AI

investments. Rather, if there is a parallel source that is free or low-cost, teachers should be provided support to use these, especially in districts with fewer resources.

Khanmigo is an example of a decent free AI tool. It has many features that MagicSchool and Diffit offer, and the company is respected, so I suggest it as one educators and schools might explore. Gemini is another powerful AI, with Google Classroom and Drive integration, plus NotebookLM. The pioneer of AI, ChatGPT, continues to stay relevant, as does Meta from Facebook, and there are other freemium models, such as Perplexity and Claude.

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IN ADDITION TO NOTEBOOKLM AND THOSE ABOVE, HERE ARE OTHER TOOLS I USE: • Brisk is a Chrome extension that acts as an AI-powered teaching assistant, helping educators streamline tasks such as generating lesson plans, providing feedback, differentiating content, and creating resources directly within their existing workflows to save time and enhance teaching effectiveness.

• SchoolAI offers tools such 2 0 | O C TO B E R 2 0 2 5

as personalized learning experiences for students and AI assistants for teachers to streamline tasks including lesson planning and feedback, aiming to enhance teaching and learning. anva Magic Studio empow•C ers teachers to generate designs, rewrite text, edit images, and create engaging content such as presentations and videos, stream-

lining creative tasks, and enhancing visual learning materials.

• Eduaide is a workspace created by teachers for teachers, designed to simplify tasks such as lesson planning, resource creation, and feedback, ultimately aiming to free up educators’ time to focus on student growth.

Read the full article here

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AI LITERACY: 6 RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

By Erik Ofgang

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hether we like it or not, AI has become part of the classroom and world, and therefore, as educators, we owe it to our students to teach them about how to make the best use of AI tools while avoiding unethical uses of this technology.

I find the following resources to be the most helpful when it comes to my

own efforts at staying on top of digital literacy and keeping my students educated about it.

1. Digital Promise - Digital Prom-

ise is a wonderful source for information about AI literacy, as it is for most things technology- and education-related. The nonprofit’s AI in education and AI literacy page has links to many WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

State University, is a great resource for AI in education and to stay on top of new future-esque innovations overall. To keep up on my own AI literacy, I follow Maynard for his fun, easy-to-read, and insightful commentary on all that is happening in this fastevolving world.

5. AutomatED - AutomatED is

2. Common Sense Media -

Common Sense Media offers a host of 20-minute or less AI literacy lessons that can help educators and their students navigate the strange new world of AI and its many implications both in and outside of the classroom. It also has a short, self-paced, and free online course that they co-designed with OpenAI about how to use ChatWWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

GPT effectively for teaching.

3. ISTE+ASCD - The ISTELive

2025 conference may be done for 2025, but the organizations have partnered to provide a wide variety of AI literacy resources to educators. These include K-12 lesson plans and professional development opportunities as well as early access to StretchAI, an AI tool specifically designed to coach educators on using AI in the classroom.

4. Future of Being Human Newsletter - The Future of Be-

ing Human newsletter by Andrew Maynard, a professor at Arizona

6. Tech & Learning Newsletter - I know this

sounds self-serving, but Tech & Learning’s newsletter truly provides AI resources that are really some of the best around.

With contributions from educators at every level and from various specialties, as well as tool reviews and overviews and quick and actionable advice, I keep an eye out for this newsletter that publishes three times per week.

Read the full article here

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AI resources. These include recommendations for teachers on how to support safe AI use, summaries of several states’ AI in education policy statements, webinars on AI literacy, usage, and much more.

laser-focused on providing educators with actionable ways to use AI in class. I find that these types of use cases can often provide the best AI literacy, and AutomatED’s primary author, Graham Clay, is as good as anyone when it comes to providing step-by-step and detailed guides to integrating AI into teaching.

4 THINGS TO TEACH STUDENTS BEYOND BASIC AI LITERACY

By Stephanie Smith Budhai, Ph.D

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imilar to how educators have been thrown into the fire that is using AI for teaching and learning, students have been, too. Beyond nurturing interest in using ChatGPT and other AI chatbots for personal and academic needs, most students have not had formal education on AI.

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1. AI Responsible and Ethical Use While groups such as Code.org briefly highlight biases that are inherent in AI, it is important to intentionally expand on AI responsible and ethical use from a tech justice lens. The Kapor Center offers a free Responsible AI and Tech Justice Guide for K-12 education. The guide is organized into six core components with the aim of building students’ capacity to explore the impacts and implications of AI technologies on society, be aware of personal usage of AI, and examine the AI creation ecosystem, among other goals.

2. Al Environmental Impacts AI has major impacts on the environment, agriculture, water consumption, energy, and more, so there are developed lessons that you can use to teach students about these concerns.

You can also build a focus on sustainability and taking personal actions 2 4 | O C TO B E R 2 0 2 5

to mitigate some of AI’s carbon footprint. Partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), this Environmental Impact of AI Lesson, which is under a Creative Common license, can be used. It features a vocabulary review, an interactive activity, and a planning guide as well as a section on teacher modifications that include teacher-made resources aligned with the lesson.

3. AI Misinformation The News Literacy Project offers Checkology, a free virtual platform with a curriculum to develop students’ ability to confirm when information is from credible sources, understand what a credible source is and where to locate one, and to use critical thinking to assess the credibility of content. The Checkology platform has a host of resources and interactive activities for students to engage in while learning about misinformation. It also has an evaluation center for teachers to track student progress and a help center for support.

4. AI Deepfakes AI for Education provides downloadable resources that include a classroom guide and discussion questions to use as you teach students about misinformation and AI deepfakes. The materials will help students understand what deepfakes are, the dangers of deepfakes, such as cyberbullying and misinformation, and techniques that are used to create deepfakes.

It also offers real examples of deepfakes that feature popular artists and books, such as Katy Perry and Harry Potter.

Read the full article here

WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

AI ETHICS AND LEGAL CONCERNS IN CLASSROOMS

By Michael Gaskell

protecting against AI bias includes executing a prompt with thoughtful wording, as described in steps here.

Human oversight and review of AIgenerated content are essential.

AI-Driven Assessments and Grading - AI-driven assessments

and grades can provide valuable insights into student learning, but educators must ensure that these are valid and effective, which mirrors the importance of the previously mentioned emphasis on proofreading, editing, and revising.

Conducting regular assessments of an AI platform’s accuracy and reliability, implementing human review and validation processes, and using multiple assessment methods, all help ensure comprehensive student evaluation.

Preventing AI-Generated Content Bias and Discrimination - The problem

Teacher Training and Support - Educators need training and

is that an AI platform is not what generates biased content but rather, the internet ecosystem from which it captures information gathers it. A simple yet important step in

support to effectively integrate AI-powered tools into their teaching practices. Professional development, coaching, resources and lesson plans, collaboration,

WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

and sharing of best practices, all aid educators in harnessing the potential of AI. Absent this kind of support, educators will remain lost in the sea of BIG AI, and unsure of how to respond.

Addressing AI-Related Incidents - The response to AI-relat-

ed incidents, such as cyberbullying or AI-generated harassment, must be further developed and outlined in school Acceptable Use Policies.

Helpful learning strategies can be borrowed from the methods to manage social media issues to support students in learning to make appropriate usage decisions.

Ultimately, the integration of AI in education offers tremendous potential for improving student learning outcomes, but it also raises significant ethical and legal considerations. Educators have a critical role to play in maneuvering this complex landscape and ensuring that AI is used in ways that benefit students and respect their rights.

Read the full article here

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CREDIT: T_KIMURA/GETTY IMAGES

T

he integration of AI-powered resources and tools in education has the potential to reshape the learning landscape, offering personalized insights and rapid feedback. However, with these opportunities come critical ethical and legal concerns that educators must consider.

The use of AI-powered resources and tools in education also poses a risk of perpetuating questionable content through deep fakes, and disseminating misinformation. In addition, when using AI tools, educators must ensure that they are complying with student data privacy laws, such as FERPA and COPPA. Limiting data sharing steps in protecting student data must always be a priority.

CREDIT: SARAYUT THANEERAT GETTY IMAGES

AI TOOLS RESOURCES 2 6 | O C TO B E R 2 0 2 5

AI TOOLS & RESOURCES

By T&L Editors

H

ere are a few key AI tools, with each linked to the Tech & Learning overview. For more

tools, as well as news, best practices, tips, and more, visit Tech & Learning’s AI Starter Kit. WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

Amira Learning - Amira Learning is a research-backed AI reading tutor that incorporates the science of reading into its features.

Brisk - Brisk is an AI teaching assistant that works with the curriculum intelligently.

ChatGPT - The first name in chatbots can be used in myriad ways by teachers, from creating lesson plans to providing student feedback.

Claude AI - Features that make Claude AI appealing to educators include a focus on privacy and conversational style.

Colleague AI - Colleague AI offers bot buddies to assist teachers and students in class and beyond.

CTL - Chromebook Plus is an advanced version of the traditional Chromebook, infused with powerful AI features designed to elevate the educational experience.

DeepSeek - DeepSeek R1 is a new reasoning AI model that has made the next generation of AI tools more readily available to students and teachers.

WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

Diffit - Diffit helps teachers generate materials for lessons differentiated by grade.

Eduaide.AI - Eduaide.Ai makes lesson planning and assessment easier using smart machine learning.

Gemini - Gemini, Google’s flagship generative AI model, can help educators with lesson planning and more, though it’s not as effective as platforms specifically designed for education.

Khanmigo - Khanmigo, from Khan Academy, utilizes the advanced capabilities of GPT-4 to assist a limited group of teachers and learners.

Kira Learning - Kira Learning is an AI learning toolkit designed for teachers and students for 24/7 use.

Lincoln Learning - Lincoln AI now provides students their very own 24/7 learning assistant via text or voice, as if they are talking to someone on Zoom.

MagicSchool - MagicSchool uses AI to help with teaching across a range of areas for an all-round offering.

Meta AI - The Meta AI chatbot is fast and easy to use. It’s also designed to integrate with Meta’s social media apps, which isn’t always a strength.

Microsoft Copilot - Microsoft Copilot is the AI teaching assistant of the future.

NotebookLM - Google’s NotebookLM is an AI powerhouse that can supercharge lessons, engage students in exciting new ways, and even help to create podcasts.

Perplexity - Perplexity is an AI that makes traditional search engines look archaic.

Poe AI - Poe AI is the one-stop spot for AI that can be a powerful education tool.

PowerSchool - PowerBuddy for Assessment brings AI workflows to Performance Matters to improve assessment throughout educational institutions.

SchoolAI - SchoolAI supports teachers and students in bespoke learning using artificial intelligence.

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Reset & Reimagine: PLANNING FOR

TOMORROW’S EDUCATION Join the Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summits, where Superintendents, CTOs, CAOs, and Instructional and Tech District Leaders come together to share ideas, best practices, and innovative solutions.

N ovember 22, 2025: Northeast Pre-NYSCATE Leadership Summit F ebruary 25, 2026: Northwest Pre-NCCE Leadership Summit M arch 13, 2026: Southeast Regional Leadership Summit M ay 1, 2026: New England Regional Leadership Summit J une 27, 2026: Orlando Pre-ISTE Leadership Summit S eptember 18, 2026: Texas Regional Leadership Summit

Find Out More and Register Interested in partnership opportunities? Download the media kit or contact allison.knapp@futurenet.com