In many districts, knowledge lives in silos—especially between technology teams and the rest of K-12 administration. But as we previously explored in our research “Common Ground,” strong school leadership means deconstructing these silos to collaborate more effectively. Amid the rise of artificial intelligence, this has only become more true. As AI permeates every part of school life, knowledge about it has to extend beyond the technology department.
So we asked district technology leaders from all over the country: What do you wish communications professionals, superintendents or other administrators understood about AI and its implementation in your district? Here’s what they had to say.
Think of AI like a calculator: a tool to enhance learning, not replace it.
“To me, AI is similar to how we once viewed calculators. While students still need to understand the underlying concepts and do the work by hand, AI provides a tool that can make tasks easier, faster and sometimes even more effective. AI isn’t going away, and I wish educators would embrace it, use it and understand how it can benefit our lives, our jobs and student learning. When used appropriately, AI can enhance learning, explain complex problems, help brainstorm ideas and prompt higher-level thinking.
In education, it’s important that students are taught how to use AI responsibly, rather than simply being told ‘no.’ Similarly, as a district, we must understand AI ourselves—recognizing what’s real, what’s misleading and how to help students critically evaluate information. By doing this, we equip our students with the skills they need to navigate and thrive in today’s AI-driven world.”
—Instructional Technologist Lindsay Franklin, Thorndale ISD, TX
AI is here to stay—so comprehensive training is a must.
“I wish educational leaders understood that AI is here to stay—our role is to harness it responsibly. As co-leader of our district’s AI governance policy development, I’ve seen that comprehensive training is critical. Educators need hands-on experience to understand AI’s capabilities and limitations. Without this foundation, we risk underutilizing these tools or implementing them in ways that perpetuate bias or compromise student data privacy. Effective AI integration requires clear policies and community dialogue to ensure we’re advancing equity and excellence for all students.”
—Technology Integration Facilitator Tambra Clark, Birmingham City Schools, AL
If at first you don’t succeed, prompt, prompt again.
“There's a fear of humanizing AI—but I think the real power comes when you look at it as an assistant, and give it feedback when it doesn’t provide what you’re looking for. If I gave an assistant a task and they didn't do it how I expected, I would clarify my expectations and ask them to redo this part or that part. But with AI, people start at the prompt and then give up if it doesn’t deliver exactly what they wanted. They don’t realize they can get more specific and continue the conversation.”
—Director of Technology Mike Arsenault, Yarmouth School Department, ME
AI isn’t just about tools; it’s about teamwork.
“AI isn’t just a technology initiative or rollout; it’s a chance to rethink how we work together for real impact. Too often, we’ve rushed to deploy tools without the structures to support safe, meaningful use. (Remember the early one-to-one laptop days or the scramble to manage social media?) Our students and families are learning AI right alongside us, but they’re also looking to us for guidance on how to use it responsibly and well.
If we want AI to empower teaching and learning rather than overwhelm it, we need more than devices and logins. We need shared leadership: instructional teams, communications pros, technology leaders and administrators sitting at the same table to plan. That means building solid infrastructure (secure networks, interoperability, reliable data), clear policies (on privacy, ethics, responsible use), and intentional change management and communications plans that help staff and families understand both the ‘why’ and the ‘how.’
When we get this right, AI becomes less about hype and more about human impact, freeing teachers’ time, personalizing learning and building trust with families. But that only happens when we slow down enough to do the hard, collaborative work up front.”
—Director of Technology Dr. Chantell Manahan, CETL, MSD of Steuben County, IN