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The Philadelphia school district and University of Pennsylvania are preparing to launch an artificial intelligence professional development program for school staff that they hope will serve as a transformative national model.
Beginning in March 2025, the Pioneering AI in School Systems or PASS program will be rolled out to select schools across the district with plans to expand to other regional schools and across the country, according to a joint statement from the Philadelphia school district and Penn’s Graduate School of Education Tuesday.
“Our goal is to leverage AI to foster creativity and critical thinking among students and develop policies to ensure this technology is used effectively and responsibly – while preparing both educators and students for a future where AI and technology will play increasingly central roles,” said Katharine O. Strunk, dean of Penn’s Graduate School of Education in a statement.
Since the arrival of generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, educators and school leaders have been grappling with the implications of using the technology in their classrooms. Proponents herald the AI revolution as an inevitable boon that will improve academic progress tracking, save teachers time, and allow for more tutoring and curriculum personalization. According to one survey of 1,020 teachers, by the end of the 2023-2024 school year, some 60% of districts said they planned to train teachers about AI use. Notably, the report found that urban districts like Philadelphia were reportedly the least likely to deliver such training.
But AI skeptics have raised significant concerns about inherent bias, inequity, and inaccurate information embedded within the technology along with questions about where students’ and teachers’ sensitive data is being fed, stored, and handled.
Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington praised the PASS program in his statement Tuesday, saying it will “help advance academic achievement for our students by equipping our educators, school leaders, and district administrators with tools needed to make sure our students graduate college or career-ready.”
According to the press release, the program will have three tiers.
- Tier 1 for district administrators: Will focus on strategic planning, governance, and policy development to allow administrators to build “a solid framework for AI integration that aligns with educational standards and goals.”
- Tier 2 for school leaders: Will focus on implementing AI tools in schools and aligning the tools with already existing goals for classroom instruction and student support.
- Tier 3 for educators: Classroom teachers will get practical training on AI tools to “personalize learning, enhance instruction, and use AI-driven data to monitor student progress and provide timely support.”
The PASS pilot won’t carry any costs for the school district and is being developed in partnership with Penn’s Catalyst education center, according to the joint statement. The program is funded in part by the Philly-based Marrazzo Family Foundation.
Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.
