As state education agencies develop new guidance and policies to help states navigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 classrooms, sharing best practices and addressing emerging challenges has never been more urgent. To meet this need, the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and SETDA (State Educational Technology Directors Association) are leading a new initiative to shape how states prepare for and implement AI in education.  

Titled “AI Across State Lines: Advancing State K-12 Education Leadership & Policy,” this one-year planning project brings together state education leaders, AI researchers and practitioners to build a foundation for interstate collaboration. This foundation will enable the exchange of knowledge, promising strategies and the co-design of tools and frameworks that prioritize student opportunity and safety while being responsive to states’ needs.

This initiative is funded by The Spencer Foundation through a Vision Grant, a competitive award supporting interdisciplinary research teams working to advance systemic change in education.

“‘AI Across State Lines” aims to coordinate the varied approaches and policies governing AI in K-12 education and co-create with state education leaders responsible, ethical and evidence-informed AI guidance that is accessible to all teachers and students,” said Krista Glazewski, executive director at the Friday Institute and associate dean for translational research in the NC State College of Education.

The project is led at the Friday Institute by principal investigator (PI) Glazewski, along with co-PI Emma Braaten, director of digital learning at the Friday Institute. The Friday Institute and SETDA bring the strategic leadership and networks necessary to guide states in building collaborative capacity and implementing transformative AI policies. The organizations offer deep experience in AI in education, educational transformation, policy governance and reform.

“SETDA exists to help state education leaders move faster and smarter by learning across state lines,” said Julia Fallon, executive director of SETDA. “This initiative puts that directly into practice–giving states a structured way to share AI policy approaches, identify gaps and build resources that no single state could develop alone. We’re excited to do that alongside the Friday Institute.”

In the short term, the project is co-designing a K-12 AI policy and practice report and a research-informed toolkit states can adapt for their varied educational contexts. Together, these resources will equip state leaders with the knowledge and tools to develop, implement and evaluate strategies to integrate AI-enabled technologies in teaching and learning.

About SETDA

SETDA is the principal nonprofit membership association representing U.S. state and territory educational technology and digital learning leaders. Through a broad array of programs and advocacy, SETDA builds member capacity and engages partners to empower the education community in leveraging technology for learning, teaching and school operations. 

About the Friday Institute

For over two decades, the Friday Institute has brought together students, teachers, researchers, policymakers and educational professionals to foster collaborations that improve education. With a national reputation for leading multi-partner engagement and educator professional development programs, the Friday Institute is recognized as a pioneering leader in educational innovation, research translation and large-scale capacity-building initiatives. The Friday Institute has a proven track record of convening state and national leaders, facilitating high-impact collaborations and designing research-driven frameworks that shape policy and practice.