At Tech & Learning’s EdExec Summit, Amanda Bickerstaff—CEO of AI for Education and founder of the Women in AI Education Community—delivered a compelling call to action for school systems: AI adoption is no longer optional. With students and jobs demanding AI fluency, educational leaders must act now to build capacity with strategy, equity, and inclusion front and centre
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A New Urgency Around AI in Education
Bickerstaff’s address resonated with urgency. Not only is AI rapidly reshaping industries, but she highlighted the risk of lagging behind. Without proactive planning, educators could resort to piecemeal, unsupported adoption, leading to misuse or missed opportunities.
Central to her message was the expansion of AI literacy—not just for teachers, but for students, families, and entire communities. To support this, she shared four thoughtful, actionable strategies to guide districts seeking responsible and effective AI integration.
Tip 1: Establish Responsible AI Guidelines Aligned to Vision
Bickerstaff encouraged districts to begin by crafting a set of responsible AI policies tailored to the district’s mission and values. These guidelines should:
- Provide guardrails around how and when AI is used—including ethical boundaries and integrity standards.
- Create safe spaces for experimentation, questions, and early adoption, especially in pilot settings.
- Ensure transparency and trust by clarifying acceptable purposes and processes in AI use.
Guidelines rooted in a clear, well‑communicated vision prevent uncoordinated or ineffective AI use, helping district personnel feel confident that innovation supports, rather than undermines, educational goals.
Tip 2: Design a Comprehensive AI Literacy Plan for All
Rather than limiting AI skills to specialists, Bickerstaff emphasised the need for a district-wide AI literacy strategy that reaches:
- Administrators and school leaders,
- All teaching staff,
- Students at various grade levels,
- Families and broader community stakeholders.
She described working with districts like Catawba County, where plans were invested in long-term, grant‑supported teaching and learning programs accessible to all groups.
By thoughtfully mapping out knowledge, attitudes, and skills at each stakeholder level, districts can ensure meaningful engagement, not just token training.
Tip 3: Form Inclusive, Cross‑Functional AI Committees
Bickerstaff’s third recommendation: build an AI steering committee that reflects the full diversity of the district. Committees should cross departments, experience levels, and stakeholder groups, from early adopters to sceptics.
This broad representation helps ensure:
- Shared ownership and buy‑in across organisational groups,
- Balanced perspectives, especially around ethics, bias, and unintended consequences,
- Capacity‑building opportunities for emerging leaders to champion AI-informed change.
Rather than isolating AI into an IT silo or pilot program, committee‑led planning embeds innovation in the organisational structure and culture.
Tip 4: Focus Training on Foundational Literacy for Educators & Learners
While many districts offer general tech training, Bickerstaff stressed the importance of targeted, foundational AI training for both staff and students. This includes:
- Structured professional learning pathways for teachers, with certification options,
- Dedicated AI literacy courses in high school programs (as seen in Houston high schools),
- Accessible, free tools and resources curated for educators and young learners.
By combining structured coursework, mentoring, and external partnerships, districts can move from awareness to competence—and eventually innovation.
Building Representation and Equity in AI Adoption
A major theme of Bickerstaff’s presentation was representation, particularly gender equity. Her Women in AI Education Community, dating back to 2023, now supports 2,000+ women across 23 time zones, helping combat gender gaps in AI adoption.
This matters because:
- Research shows up to a 20 % adoption disparity between male and female professionals in education.
- Negative rhetoric around generative AI in schools can discourage young women—who perceive it as “cheating”—from engaging with the tools.
By offering visible role models and community space, Bickerstaff and her organisation support young women feeling ownership over AI and its possibilities.
Examples in Action: Real Models to Learn From
Bickerstaff referenced several school districts leading the way:
- Chicago Public Schools: Developed robust teacher professional learning around AI integration.
- Houston ISD: Launched dedicated AI literacy courses for high school students.
- Catawba County Schools: Engaged in a multi‑year grant partnership to bring equitable AI access to students and teachers alike.
These models illustrate how districts of diverse sizes can scale adoption thoughtfully, balancing innovation with integrity and learning outcomes.
Why the Time to Act Is Now
AI is no longer an abstract skill. Bickerstaff pointed to 2024 data from Cengage showing AI literacy is the fastest-growing skill in job postings.
Trying to delay adoption until formal policy arrives is no longer feasible. Colleges expect students to use AI tools; employers demand fluency—and schools risk falling behind by placing barriers instead of embracing responsible instruction.
Takeaways for Education Leaders
For district and school leaders attending the EdExec Summit, Bickerstaff’s strategy offers an urgent roadmap:
- Policy: Develop responsible, values-aligned AI guidelines that are transparent and adaptive.
- Literacy Strategy: Equip everyone from teachers to families with AI knowledge and skill.
- Inclusive Governance: Form committees that represent every stakeholder group through influence and lived experience.
- Training: Deliver focused AI education, building deep foundational understanding rather than superficial awareness.
By putting these four pillars in place, leaders position their districts not only to adopt AI—but to do so in a way that’s grounded, equitable, and transformative.
Conclusion
Amanda Bickerstaff’s session at the EdExec Summit made one thing clear: AI adoption in schools isn’t a future discussion—it’s happening now, and the districts that lead are those that treat it as a strategic initiative.
With smart policy, literacy-building, inclusive governance, and focused training, school leaders can transform uncertainty into empowerment. And by tackling gender gaps and equity head‑on, they ensure AI is a tool for all, not the few.
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