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April 14, 2025

What Every School Leader Should Know About A.I. Right Now

   Key points summarized

  • From applying for scholarships to fact-checking teachers, students are integrating A.I. into their daily lives, yet many schools lack clear policies or instruction.
  • The most innovative schools are leaning in with lessons, playbooks, and tools that equip students, educators, and families to navigate A.I. with confidence and character.
  • While 60% of educators are using A.I., most haven’t received professional development on how to use it effectively in the classroom.

 

If it feels like artificial intelligence went from buzzword to building block over the last few months, you’re not imagining it. A.I. isn’t just a topic of conversation. It’s transforming how students learn, create, and connect. And it’s happening fast.

This year alone, we’ve seen:

Meanwhile, students are asking big questions:

“Will A.I. take my job?”
“What’s real and what’s not?”
“Is using A.I. to study considered cheating?”

This is where schools have a choice: ignore it and risk falling behind. Or lean in and lead with clarity, confidence, and character. With The Social Institute’s positive and proactive approach, innovative schools are doing just that and supporting educators, students, and families with A.I. Literacy.

A.I. Resources for Educators

Because teaching with A.I. is the new high-impact teaching.

As of Jan 2025, 60% of educators reported using A.I. in the classroom—and that number is only continuing to skyrocket. But here’s the gap: while students are using A.I. daily, many educators haven’t had meaningful PD on how to guide students through using it positively.

That’s where we come in. Our professional development courses give educators practical, hands-on strategies to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday instruction. The PD Course, Mastering A.I. for Differentiating Instruction and Meeting Diverse Needs, teaches educators how to:

  • Use A.I. to differentiate instruction and personalize feedback
  • Create meaningful, data-driven learning experiences
  • Meet diverse student needs in less time
  • Lead classroom conversations on digital ethics, bias, and A.I. responsibility

Pro tip: Plug this into your next PD day. No extra lift, big impact. Preview the A.I. Course Now >>

A.I. Lessons for Students

What students are really thinking—and how we can respond.

39% of students are worried A.I. is going to take their jobs. And 42% of students reported their school has unclear policies around A.I. use. 

Scaring students or banning A.I. tools won’t prepare them for the future. Empowering them will, with topics that include:

As technology continues to evolve, schools that embrace a positive, student-respected approach will not only clarify expectations but also equip students to make the most of A.I., both in and beyond the classroom.

A.I. Playbooks for Families

Bridge the school-to-home gap on one of the biggest tech shifts ever.

Just this past fall, 83% of parents reported that their schools had not communicated with families about generative A.I. Through Platform Playbooks, we make it easy for families to stay informed, support learning at home, and keep up with the latest developments in A.I.—so everyone’s speaking the same language.

A.I. Playbooks now available:

  • Airchat: An app where users record voice notes that are automatically transcribed into a written message
  • Buddy.ai: An educational app that aims to help young students learn English and strengthen their language skills
  • Character.ai: An app allows users to create and customize A.I. characters, have conversations with them, and come up with their own personas
  • ChatGPT: A.I. tool and chatbot that students can use to answer any question, get suggestions on creating and organizing content. The sky’s the limit!
  • Google Gemini: A.I. model and chatbot that can understand and respond to text from users by creating content or generating text of its own
  • Unstuck A.I.: Educational chatbot that makes education more accessible and provides cited answers to questions or organized study guides
  • Zoe A.I.: Marketed as the “Safe A.I. Chatbot for Kids,” this app is described as being designed to help young students experience A.I. in a safe and fun way

When families are informed and included in the conversation around A.I., students are more confident, supported, and prepared to navigate technology both in and out of the classroom. 

Final Take: The Schools Leading the Way on A.I.

A.I. isn’t coming. It’s already here. And students are using it—with or without school guidance. The most forward-thinking schools are stepping up, not to control or fear it—but to equip students, support educators, and build future-ready communities.

Want to join them? Let’s get ahead of the curve—together.

Book a demo to explore A.I. resources that support your entire school community, from students and parents to teachers and admin. 

The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.