Three Things Districts Can Do Now to Lead in the Age of AI

North Carolina schools are navigating the future of education with artificial intelligence. District leaders and educators need information about how AI works, where it adds benefit, and how to prepare students for the future. Here are three things districts can do now to lead in the age of AI.

1. Build a Conceptual Understanding of How AI Works

You don’t need a computer science degree to talk about AI with purpose. A baseline grasp of how AI learns from data, what it can (and can’t) do, and where its blind spots are gives leaders and educators confidence to set policies and practices. Districts can support understanding of leaders and educators throughout their systems by incorporating opportunities to learn how AI works.

Resource: NCDPI’s AI Literacy Timeline helps you scaffold AI awareness, literacy, and fluency for both educators and students.
Resource: Dr. Brinnae Bent’s video series that shares AI concepts for folks without complex math.

2. Identify Where AI Can Add Real Benefit

AI can open up time and space. Used responsibly, it can reduce routine tasks, help differentiate instruction, and support creative problem-solving. Knowing where AI belongs helps schools avoid distractions and focus on impact.

Resource: The EVERY Framework (Evaluate, Verify, Engage, Revise, You are responsible) is a simple checklist developed with DPI to guide responsible AI use in classrooms.

Resource: Check out aiEDU for many resources, like AI lesson plans and more!

3. Reimagine Learning and Work for the Future

AI is a catalyst to redesign instruction, shifting from memorization to inquiry, from one-size-fits-all to personalized learning. In this future, the seven durable skills in North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate, adaptability, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, empathy, a learner’s mindset, and personal responsibility, become even more essential.

Resource: Portrait of a Graduate Rubrics provide practical ways to embed these skills into classroom practice.

Why This Matters

By building AI literacy, identifying clear benefits, and reimagining teaching for the future, districts can align with North Carolina DPI’s vision and lead with confidence. Kinwise supports this work through strategic planning, professional development, and educator training to help schools prepare students to thrive in the AI age.