# data[].attributes.headline
Gemini Chatbot: Create AI Generated Images

# data[].attributes.subject
Gemini Chatbot: Create AI Generated Images

# data[].attributes.body
A free resource that requires explicit prompting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
‎Gemini - chat to supercharge your ideas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bard is now Gemini. Get help with writing, planning, learning, and more from Google AI.

# data[].attributes.body
Both educator and student standards to guide you as you adapt instruction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The widely adopted ISTE Standards provide a framework for educators to create high-impact, sustainable and scalable learning experiences for all students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Almanack: Differentiated Lesson Plans & Instructional Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Almanack: Differentiated Lesson Plans & Instructional Tools

# data[].attributes.body
Another comprehensive K-12 tool that aligns to state standards. The majority of tools are free for teachers.

# data[].attributes.body
An AI companion designed to chat with you and provide emotional support and personal growth guidance

# data[].attributes.headline
Twee: Comprehensive Lesson Planner with Differentiation Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Twee: Comprehensive Lesson Planner with Differentiation Tools

# data[].attributes.body
Also allows for multiple ways to present lessons such as video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Twee – Tweak your lessons with the power of AI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
🤯 Create questions for any YouTube video in just a few seconds😲 Generate dialogues, stories, letters or articles on any topic and for any level😱 Quickly create multiple choice questions, open questions, and True/False statements🤭 Find interesting discussion questions, facts, and quotes by famous people related to the topic🤩 Brainstorm vocabulary related to the topic and create fill-in-the-gap and open-the-brackets exercisesAnd much more!

# data[].attributes.headline
Balancing Teaching of  "Deep Reading"  of Print and Digital Media

# data[].attributes.subject
Balancing Teaching of  "Deep Reading"  of Print and Digital Media

# data[].attributes.body
An interview with Maryanne Wolf on the importance of deep reading and the implications of AI and digital media on reading.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best Of: This Is Your Brain on Deep Reading. It’s Pretty Magnificent.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Review of Guidance from Seven States on AI in Education (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

1: Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and general algorithmic tools have played a role in teaching and learning for decades, albeit generally an invisible one. From tools that students engage with to deepen and personalize learning to organizational and decision-support systems that teachers and administrators leverage, technology has become ubiquitous in all aspects of learning.

More recently, AI tools have taken on a prominent role in discussions concerning the future of education, for several important reasons:

Access: The public - including students, teachers, and parents - now have easy access to tools that leverage AI, such as ChatGPT from OpenAI, Claude from Anthropic, and other forms of large language models (LLMs). Such applications have enabled anyone to use and understand the power of AI for learning and many other aspects of life.

Integration: In addition to obvious uses of AI, such as standalone tools, software for general and educational use now has AI components that speed and personalize user experiences and inform decision making.

Acceleration: Unprecedented investments in AI and the rapid acceleration of new forms of these tools have spurred a sense of urgency to understand and apply them thoughtfully to teaching and learning.

Now more than ever, innovations in technology remain critical to education as both enablers as well as sources of potential risk. This set of guidance and resources should help to equip educators, leaders, and anyone engaged in the education community to learn more about AI and its role in education, explore and implement approaches to safe and effective integration, and establish consistent frameworks for ongoing innovation and decision-making. This work should continue as new technologies emerge with different potential roles within and risks to teaching and learning. Toward that end, the Commission sees as a common goal that all students would have a baseline understanding of AI in the context of broader digital literacy, a core component of any "portrait of the graduate" in preparation for college and careers.

2: Types and Applications

The term "AI" appears broadly in conversations about emerging technology, often with little context. Use cases can include the generative AI serving as an "assistant" with student writing, all the way to automated robotic systems. As noted above, AI remains a broad and rapidly accelerating area of research and applications. To ground this set of guidance and resources, the following categories of AI may be helpful:

Automated Planning and Scheduling

Computer Vision

Knowledge-Based Systems

Machine Learning

Natural Language Processing

Robotics

For a more detailed schematic of AI definitions and types, see page 15 of the US Department of Education's Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning, referencing the work of Regona et al. The Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences (CIRCLS) has an excellent and often-updated Glossary of Artificial Intelligence Terms for Educators.

In the context of education, especially K - 12 education, AI already has a place in the following arenas (listed alphabetically):

Accessibility and Student Accommodation

Assessment and Reporting

Classroom Instruction

Decision-Support Systems

Facility Management

Finance

Human Resources and Recruitment

Operational Systems

Professional Development

Strategic Planning

Student Services (Special Education)

Teacher Evaluation

Technology Management

3: Instructional and Decision-Making Best Practices

The marketplace of educational tools that leverage AI continues to expand. As individual teachers and leadership teams consider the use of AI-powered apps, the following best practices in software use may provide assistance.

Platform Selection: Use of any software to support student learning or school operations should follow the same, repeatable processes. A set of stakeholders should identify the need (e.g., increase numeracy skills among fourth-grade students) and consider any shortcomings in the tools and approaches currently in use to address that need. With those specific objectives documented, peer recommendations and research can bring to light potential applications that educators may wish to adopt at the classroom, school, or district level.

Privacy and Data Collection: As part of the selection process and in ongoing use, schools should assess the breadth and type of data that AI-powered tools collect. Public schools must adhere to Connecticut's data privacy laws, with guidance on doing so available through the Commission's Student Data Privacy Web page. The Connecticut Educational Software Hub, powered by LearnPlatform, offers details on thousands of instructional apps to assist with this process.

Training and Support: Teachers will need a baseline understanding of AI technology and how it applies to their particular subject area and grade levels. This professional development applies to the use of AI tools for instruction, planning, and other activities as well as how to model and support effective use by teachers. See the training resources below for ways to begin supporting educators and leaders in the use of AI.

Community Engagement and Input: Many parents and other stakeholders are learning about AI in their personal and professional lives and may have questions about its use in their children's schools. Leaders may consider forming an advisory around the use of technology generally and AI tools specifically to encourage a culture of learning and transparency, as well as to tap the expertise that community experts may offer. The ILO Group has sound guidance on community engagement in its Artificial Intelligence Framework for District Leaders.

Incident Reporting: Considering appropriate and ethical use of AI tools, schools should consider broadening existing incident-reporting protocols to include misuse of technology. For example, AI tools can be used to create so-called "deep fakes," highly realistic but unauthorized images, audio, or other content.

The above best practices point to a number of potential risks when teachers and school leaders leverage AI-powered tools:

Bias: Machine learning systems improve through the process of interpreting and making predictions off of data sets. For example, a decision-support system may look at inputs such as grades, attendance, and discipline history and predict at-risk students. But the "training" data sets used to hone such tools may have bias incorporated into them. In the above case, human teachers may have been more inclined to discipline students in specific subgroups, leading to increased frequency of detentions, etc. A computer will look at these trends and "predict" that all students in that subgroup are more likely "at risk." The same goes for the formulas or algorithms that run such systems. They may look at hiring trends, for example, for certain jobs and conclude that specific genders or life experiences make candidates more qualified, even if the existing employee set has been chosen through human bias toward one group or another. Generally, AI does not impose lenses of equity and inclusion on the systems we use.

>> Steps to Consider: Especially for high-stakes systems that manage large swaths of student or sensitive employee data, and which leaders use to make decisions about instruction, advancement, etc., districts should engage with providers of such systems to get additional details on training data and algorithms. Educational software developers should already be attuned to these issues and be prepared to address ethical considerations such as bias in the development of their products.

Inaccuracy: The concept of a "human in the middle" is essential in using AI-powered software. Such tools are extremely good at predicting the logical sequence of words, numbers, or code, but at the time of this writing are still not "sentient" and capable of interpreting results through a human-like lens. The content that systems collect and use as the basis for predictions include accurate as well as inaccurate writing, calculations, etc. To use the concept of "quality control," a certain amount of inaccurate or even harmful and biased content inevitably becomes part of the data on which AI systems function.

>> Steps to Consider: Always interpret AI-driven results, content, and recommendations with discernment. They can accelerate and inform decision-making and content creation, but they can also include errors.

Intellectual Property and Plagiarism: One of the most common use cases in schools today on the use of AI is students using tools to write papers, complete math homework, or code projects for computer science or data analytics courses. Current AI tools are quite good at this work, and the temptation can be strong to use shortcuts in this regard.

>> Steps to Consider: Equip teachers with relevant and timely professional development to understand how current AI tools can be used appropriately for designing prompts and interpreting results. Educators should in turn model effective and responsible use of such tools. Engaging in a "dialog" with a large language model, for example, may help students identify errors in their work or hone language for an essay. They will use these tools in their future education and work lives, and schools should model effective use starting now.

Legal: Closely tied to the points above regarding intellectual property and plagiarism, use of AI tools still falls under existing legal frameworks concerning the misappropriation and misuse of content. At the time of this writing, Connecticut had considered but not yet put in place specific laws concerning issues such as the creation of likenesses (see CT House Bill 24-5421, "An Act Concerning Unlawful Dissemination of Intimate Images That Are Digitally Altered or Created through the Use of Artificial Intelligence"). During the 2024 legislative session, the General Assembly did put in place provisions for a pilot of "AI tools" in a limited number of schools as well as a call for teacher professional development (see Public Act 24-151).

>> Steps to Consider: Misuse of any type of content still falls under existing statute, so maintaining a solid understanding of existing general school law will help leaders frame current and future considerations regarding the legal ramifications of unlawful creation and dissemination of content.

Social and Emotional: The above example of "deep fake" image creation has already had significantly damaging impacts, especially on female students. The rapid acceleration of AI capabilities points to the likely increase and complexity of issues concerning student access to harmful digital content. Even less damaging scenarios may further isolate young people and negatively impact emotional well-being. The trajectory of digital "companions" is steep, with people of all ages already engaged in chatting with AI-powered bots that simulate behaviors of human companionship. Increased use of such tools may further isolate students, taking the place of authentic relationships.

>> Steps to Consider: For those leading efforts to support the social and emotional wellbeing of students, become familiar with common AI tools and potential applications. This work can take place through existing professional development in this area, leveraging the resources provided from the Connecticut State Department of Education's SEL page. Honest discussions with and support of students addressing the use of these tools will help identify and address potential risks of new technologies that leverage AI.

Equity of Access: The enormous potential of AI tools to accelerate and personalize learning also comes with a potential to broaden existing digital divides. Students with computers and home broadband connections, as well as strong teacher support to model AI tools, will have an opportunity to learn how to use such apps effectively. In the same vein, learners without access to technology will fall farther behind in understanding and mastering the use of emerging tools.

>> Steps to Consider: State and school leaders have taken great strides, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure equitable access to technology for all students. Laptop programs where students have a computer to take home are nearly ubiquitous at higher grade levels, and leaders should commit to establishing and maintaining such programs. Schools should assess student access to broadband at home as well, a relatively easy exercise by assessing student online activities after hours (e.g., submission of homework). All major Internet carriers offer low-cost Internet options that schools can promote to disconnected families, and many districts address short- and long-term connectivity issues by offering cellular hotspots for student use or partnering with local Internet service providers to offer volume purchasing. The Commission is actively leading statewide efforts in this area, addressing the needs of residents broadly, through its Digital Equity Program (CT.gov/DigitalEquity).

5: Policy and Guidance

Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies often disrupt education environments and school climates. Each of the above risks provides an opportunity to learn, grow, and address the needs of students and staff.

In this regard, the creation of new school policies that address specific technologies can prove inefficient and burdensome to maintain. District administrators and school board members should consider whether AI truly "breaks'' existing policy (that is, requires separate and new guidance), or whether existing frameworks can adapt to and address emerging technologies. Ways of addressing plagiarism and cheating, harassment, bullying, and data privacy should remain consistent, even if new technologies may introduce new challenges of understanding and application.

The Commission has encouraged school boards to consider language that encourages responsible use of technology in its policy manuals (see Policy Guidance to Promote Digital Learning). Other benchmarks to consider, both within the K - 12 environment and more generally, include the following:

6: Resources

The nature of emerging technologies and innovations in education mean that any set of references and resources will remain fluid, a list at a point in time. The Commission intends the following to equip district leaders, educators, and families to explore and make effective use of AI for learning at all levels.

General Reference

Policy and Frameworks

U.S. Department of Education

Teaching Resources

7: Acknowledgements

The Commission for Educational Technology thanks the members of its Digital Learning Advisory Council for their guidance and input on this report:

Nick Caruso (Chair) - Senior Staff Associate for Field Service, CABE*

Jonathan Costa - Assistant Executive Director, EdAdvance

Larry Covino - Executive Director, Connecticut Association for Adult and Continuing Education

Andy DePalma - Director of Technology, EASTCONN

Josh Elliott - Associate Dean, Fairfield University School of Education and Human Development

Shaune Gilbert - Data Manager, ReadyCT

Jody Goeler - Senior Staff Associate for Policy Services, CABE

Barbara Johnson - Library Media Specialist, Colchester Public Schools

Jim Mindek - Information Technology, Connecticut Technical High School System

Josh Smith - Superintendent, Region 15 Public Schools

Karen Skudlarek - Educational Technologist, University of Connecticut

Chinma Uche - Computer Science Teacher, CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, and President, CT Computer Science Teachers Association

Scott Zak* - Senior Director of Learning Technologies, CT State Colleges and Universities

*Also serves as a Commission member

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Guidance on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

# data[].attributes.headline
Diffit: Comprehensive Lesson Planning & Instructional Tools 

# data[].attributes.subject
Diffit: Comprehensive Lesson Planning & Instructional Tools 

# data[].attributes.body
Free for teachers with differentiated student work and graphic organizer options. It also offers strong vocabulary supports as well as translation services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Use existing curriculum, or generate standards-aligned content with real, cited sources.

Choose a grade level and language, and watch Diffit create complete, differentiated resources. ✅

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use existing curriculum, or generate standards-aligned content with real, cited sources. Choose a grade level and language, and watch Diffit create complete, differentiated resources. ✅

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cheating or Learning? Walking the AI tightrope in education | Erik Winerö | TEDxGöteborg

# data[].attributes.body
Podcast with Sal Khan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EDUCATION 4o: How AI Will Revolutionize the Way We Learn by The Next Big Idea

# data[].attributes.body
A great resource students can use when using AI to complete work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
​This student-facing checklist allows students to self-monitor their use of AI to complete assignments.

# data[].attributes.body
Another free comprehensive program for educators K-12 that is more teacher tool focused

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meet Khanmigo: Khan Academy’s AI-powered teaching assistant & tutor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Khanmigo, built by nonprofit Khan Academy, is a top-rated AI for education. Save time on prep, tackle homework challenges, and get personalized tutoring.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AI In Education Guide 2023: Everything You Need To Know | ClassPoint

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this guide, you will learn all you need to know about AI in Education, including buzzwords, history, trends, future predictions, the best AI tools, tips and more.

# data[].attributes.body
This tool allows teachers to generate decodable texts for students to read aloud and its AI allows for personalized feedback

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sign up to access all features

Please log in or sign up to enable all features Project Read AI has to offer. Creating an account is free and only takes a minute.
Continue with Google
Already have an account? Log in

Weekly Limit Reached (3/3 Stories Generated)

To unlock unlimited decodables each week, please Share with your friends or colleagues!

We are covering expenses out of pocket to make our tools free this year, and would appreciate your help in spreading the word to others.

Aligned to the UFLI scope and sequence . Please note that UFLI does not endorse any third-party providers of decodables, including Project Read AI.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project Read, your AI Co-Teacher for the Science of Reading

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Science of Reading decodables generated for each student and an AI tutor which gives students feedback as they read.

# data[].attributes.body
Another fluency coach that provides individualized feedback and practice based on student wrrors.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading Coach is a practice tool for anyone looking to build their literacy skills. With the power to generate stories with AI and a library of leveled passages from ReadWorks, learners can practice reading with content that matches their abilities and interests.

# data[].attributes.body
Another fluency assessment that allows students to read aloud and receive personalized feedback from an AI tutor.

# data[].attributes.body
Upper Elementary/Secondary tool for engaging formative assessments, which may be created using AI.

# data[].attributes.body
For those who seek clarification on what AI is and how the types differ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Artificial Intelligence is probably the most complex and astounding creations of humanity yet. And that is disregarding the fact that the field remains largely unexplored, which means that every amazing AI application that we see today represents merely the tip of the AI iceberg, as it were. While this fact may have been stated and restated numerous times, it is still hard to comprehensively gain perspective on the potential impact of AI in the future. The reason for this is the revolutionary impact that AI is having on society, even at such a relatively early stage in its evolution.

AI's rapid growth and powerful capabilities have made people paranoid about the inevitability and proximity of an AI takeover. Also, the transformation brought about by AI in different industries has made business leaders and the mainstream public think that we are close to achieving the peak of AI research and maxing out AI's potential. However, understanding the types of AI that are possible and the types that exist now will give a clearer picture of existing AI capabilities and the long road ahead for AI research.

Understanding the types of AI classification

Since AI research purports to make machines emulate human-like functioning, the degree to which an AI system can replicate human capabilities is used as the criterion for determining the types of AI. Thus, depending on how a machine compares to humans in terms of versatility and performance, AI can be classified under one, among the multiple types of AI. Under such a system, an AI that can perform more human-like functions with equivalent levels of proficiency will be considered as a more evolved type of AI, while an AI that has limited functionality and performance would be considered a simpler and less evolved type.

Based on this criterion, there are two ways in which AI is generally classified. One type is based on classifying AI and AI-enabled machines based on their likeness to the human mind, and their ability to "think" and perhaps even "feel" like humans. According to this system of classification, there are four types of AI or AI-based systems: reactive machines, limited memory machines, theory of mind, and self-aware AI.

1. Reactive Machines

These are the oldest forms of AI systems that have extremely limited capability. They emulate the human mind's ability to respond to different kinds of stimuli. These machines do not have memory-based functionality. This means such machines cannot use previously gained experiences to inform their present actions, i.e., these machines do not have the ability to "learn." These machines could only be used for automatically responding to a limited set or combination of inputs. They cannot be used to rely on memory to improve their operations based on the same. A popular example of a reactive AI machine is IBM's Deep Blue, a machine that beat chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov in 1997.

Limited memory machines are machines that, in addition to having the capabilities of purely reactive machines, are also capable of learning from historical data to make decisions. Nearly all existing applications that we know of come under this category of AI. All present-day AI systems, such as those using deep learning, are trained by large volumes of training data that they store in their memory to form a reference model for solving future problems. For instance, an image recognition AI is trained using thousands of pictures and their labels to teach it to name objects it scans. When an image is scanned by such an AI, it uses the training images as references to understand the contents of the image presented to it, and based on its "learning experience" it labels new images with increasing accuracy.

Almost all present-day AI applications, from chatbots and virtual assistants to self-driving vehicles are all driven by limited memory AI.

While the previous two types of AI have been and are found in abundance, the next two types of AI exist, for now, either as a concept or a work in progress. Theory of mind AI is the next level of AI systems that researchers are currently engaged in innovating. A theory of mind level AI will be able to better understand the entities it is interacting with by discerning their needs, emotions, beliefs, and thought processes. While artificial emotional intelligence is already a budding industry and an area of interest for leading AI researchers, achieving Theory of mind level of AI will require development in other branches of AI as well. This is because to truly understand human needs, AI machines will have to perceive humans as individuals whose minds can be shaped by multiple factors, essentially "understanding" humans.

This is the final stage of AI development which currently exists only hypothetically. Self-aware AI, which, self explanatorily, is an AI that has evolved to be so akin to the human brain that it has developed self-awareness. Creating this type of Ai, which is decades, if not centuries away from materializing, is and will always be the ultimate objective of all AI research. This type of AI will not only be able to understand and evoke emotions in those it interacts with, but also have emotions, needs, beliefs, and potentially desires of its own. And this is the type of AI that doomsayers of the technology are wary of. Although the development of self-aware can potentially boost our progress as a civilization by leaps and bounds, it can also potentially lead to catastrophe. This is because once self-aware, the AI would be capable of having ideas like self-preservation which may directly or indirectly spell the end for humanity, as such an entity could easily outmaneuver the intellect of any human being and plot elaborate schemes to take over humanity.

The alternate system of classification that is more generally used in tech parlance is the classification of the technology into Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI), Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI).

5. Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)

This type of artificial intelligence represents all the existing AI, including even the most complicated and capable AI that has ever been created to date. Artificial narrow intelligence refers to AI systems that can only perform a specific task autonomously using human-like capabilities. These machines can do nothing more than what they are programmed to do, and thus have a very limited or narrow range of competencies. According to the aforementioned system of classification, these systems correspond to all the reactive and limited memory AI. Even the most complex AI that uses machine learning and deep learning to teach itself falls under ANI.

6. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

Artificial General Intelligence is the ability of an AI agent to learn, perceive, understand, and function completely like a human being. These systems will be able to independently build multiple competencies and form connections and generalizations across domains, massively cutting down on time needed for training. This will make AI systems just as capable as humans by replicating our multi-functional capabilities.

7. Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)

The development of Artificial Superintelligence will probably mark the pinnacle of AI research, as AGI will become by far the most capable forms of intelligence on earth. ASI, in addition to replicating the multi-faceted intelligence of human beings, will be exceedingly better at everything they do because of overwhelmingly greater memory, faster data processing and analysis, and decision-making capabilities. The development of AGI and ASI will lead to a scenario most popularly referred to as the singularity. And while the potential of having such powerful machines at our disposal seems appealing, these machines may also threaten our existence or at the very least, our way of life.

At this point, it is hard to picture the state of our world when more advanced types of AI come into being. However, it is clear that there is a long way to get there as the current state of AI development compared to where it is projected to go is still in its rudimentary stage. For those holding a negative outlook for the future of AI, this means that now is a little too soon to be worrying about the singularity, and there's still time to ensure AI safety. And for those who are optimistic about the future of AI, the fact that we've merely scratched the surface of AI development makes the future even more exciting.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While artificial intelligence (AI) has become a commonly used and understood term, there is still a degree of obscurity regarding the different types of AI that exist and can exist in the future. Understanding the types of AI can help in better understanding the scope of present-day AI research.

# data[].attributes.body
You can generate 25 images free each month

# data[].attributes.headline
Exemplar Rules for AI Use in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Exemplar Rules for AI Use in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Acceptable Use Policy for AI in the ELA Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teachers of ELA classes will need to provide an Acceptable Use Policy for AI in the ELA Classroom. When school starts back up this is going to be essential for every ELA teacher to provide.

# data[].attributes.body
A!4K12's mission is creating national guidelines for how to use AI in the k-12 classroom

# data[].attributes.body
Scroll down the page to find elementary and secondary downloadable guides.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ISTE offers free resources and guides for educators who are interested in learning about how artificial intelligence can empower learners at every level.

# data[].attributes.headline
Video: Watch How Florida Schools are Incorporating AI in Schools

# data[].attributes.subject
Video: Watch How Florida Schools are Incorporating AI in Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Florida school districts across the state are now embracing artificial intelligence in the classroom. In fact, some schools are now teaching students how to harness its power and use it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Florida schools teach students how to use AI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Florida school districts across the state are now embracing artificial intelligence in the classroom. In fact, some schools are now teaching students how to harness its power and use it.

# data[].attributes.headline
Video: How Georgia is Brining AI into Classrooms

# data[].attributes.subject
Video: How Georgia is Brining AI into Classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Georgia school district brings AI into K-12 classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A school district in Gwinnett County, Georgia, is pioneering an AI-driven curriculum, integrating artificial intelligence into all subjects from social studies to art. CBS News' Christina Ruffini looks at how teachers and students are embracing the technology in the classroom - and how teachers are addressing skepticism.

# data[].attributes.body
Free comprehensive toolkits for both teachers and students that can be used K-12

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Scroll through the list below to see all 60+ of the incredible AI tools for educators in MagicSchool!

# data[].attributes.body
We modeled using this Chatbot to create word lists and decodables but it has a lot of capabilities. It is free but all information generated should be carefully reviewed for accuracy and bias.

# data[].attributes.body
A tool to create informal assessments where students can respond in a variety of ways including creating visuals and responding orally.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Snorkl | Voice-enabled Assignments Powered by AI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With Snorkl, students record and share their reasoning then receive instant AI-powered feedback to drive deep and meaningful learning.

# data[].attributes.headline
Ideas for Best Utilizing AI Tools for MLLs

# data[].attributes.subject
Ideas for Best Utilizing AI Tools for MLLs

# data[].attributes.body
This article links some additional tools we did not cover today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
BridgeUniverse - TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When it comes to AI, there are mixed opinions in educational circles. While ethical concerns should certainly be considered and addressed, there are also incredible ways these tools can be used by teachers to improve instruction and student learning. Understanding AI tools and identifying ways to leverage them as instructional aids, as well as instructing students on the ethical uses of AI, can provide you and your students with some amazing opportunities.

For ESL teachers, AI can become a powerful aid for planning lessons and generating activities, thus saving precious time that can be invested in more fruitful pursuits. To be sure, there are a few AI-powered educational resources, such as Diffit, Eduaid, or Magic School, that provide an array of features to help teachers in lesson planning and design. Let's look at some ways ESL teachers can leverage AI tools to promote students' reading skills in particular.
Teaching English virtually? Read about some of the best digital tools for teaching English online.
1. Modify reading materials to adapt them to different language levels.

As an ESL teacher, you can use any open-source AI system, like ChatGPT, to accomplish this task. All that is needed is to copy and paste the selected text into the AI assistant and instruct the latter to rewrite the text for the desired English language level. For example, Magic School has a "Text Rewriter" function that does just that. As a measure of caution, always reread and, if necessary, edit the modified material, especially if you are modifying a complex text to make it accessible to a beginner level. Some AI-powered educational sites, like Diffit, will automatically produce a list of keywords with definitions as well as writing prompts in the form of short-answer questions and open-ended questions.

2. Extract vocabulary from readings and produce a glossary with native-language translations.

While most AI-powered educational sites don't offer a specific feature for vocabulary extraction, you can accomplish this by simply instructing an open-source AI chatbot to extract all the vocabulary from a text and then translate it into your student's native language(s). Vocabulary translation can be easily accomplished by using any automatic translator. Before the advent of AI, vocabulary extraction used to be a much more complex task. All in all, this is an extremely useful feature that encourages learners to read in the target language and possibly removes the temptation to copy and paste the text into a computer translator.
Learn about the top methods for introducing new words when teaching ESL vocabulary.
3. Identify high-frequency and low-frequency words.

Prompt an AI chatbot to identify high-frequency words in a selected text. This helps create vocabulary lists and decide which words to concentrate on. You want your students to be as familiar as possible with high-frequency words, as their knowledge helps increase fluency. However, identifying low-frequency words is also important. If the selected text has too many low-frequency words, it may not be suitable for some students. On the other hand, you may want to select some low-frequency words and focus on them for vocabulary enrichment.
Looking for fun ways to teach vocab? Read about 8 engaging ESL vocabulary games for teaching in person or online.
4. Personalize news articles using AI.

You can easily generate readings in your student's area of interest by prompting an AI system to write an article on a given topic. Students will be much more likely to engage in the reading process if they know they will gain knowledge about something they are passionate about.

A good way to go about this is to have your learners complete a questionnaire. You can, for example, ask them to tell you about three topics they are interested in, three hobbies they engage in, three places they would like to visit, three things they love to eat (two from their native cuisine and one foreign food), and three things they would like to know more about. The answers to the questionnaire will generate an adequate amount of topics you can use to create reading material. You can then cross-reference the information received since some students will share the same interests and assign your learners readings based on topic and language level.

It's important to remember that you must check and edit all AI-generated content carefully before presenting it to students. If a prompt is unclear or simply misunderstood, AI tools will generate a response that may not be relevant or correct. You can minimize incorrect information and improve generated responses by asking AI systems to give sources and links for the information provided and by working to provide prompts that are as specific and detailed as possible. It takes some practice, but with the proper precautions and attention to detail, AI assistants can be a fantastic asset in the ESL classroom.
Read about 7 effective strategies to personalize your English lessons.
5. Ask AI tools to write a short story about a topic your students are interested in.

Some learners prefer reading stories rather than articles, and if you teach young students, storytelling can be a powerful tool for ESL learners. Using the same steps outlined in the previous section, you can ask an AI assistant to write a story on any given topic. You could also instruct students on how to write prompts and query the AI assistant themselves. Make this a teachable moment, and take some time to explain to your students how to write a good prompt and how to assess and revise the AI-generated results.

For example, point out that prompts must be specific. Instead of simply asking the AI system to write a story about cats, students should specify the desired English language level and provide a list of words to be used in the story, i.e., words they need to learn or practice, etc. Let your students know that they should always read what the AI tool produces with a critical eye and ask for teacher feedback when necessary.
Read about ways to leverage storytelling through the Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) strategy.

6. Generate reading comprehension drills.

One excellent feature of AI-powered educational sites is the ability to produce reading comprehension exercises in the form of multiple-choice questions, short answers, and open-ended questions. This feature drastically shortens the time teachers would normally have to invest in creating reading-related activities. It allows them to get immediate feedback on their students' understanding of the reading and their ability to reflect on the topics presented. In addition, the open-ended questions can be modified to spur and enhance critical thinking skills.
Learn more about effective ways to check for comprehension using CCQs.
7. Ask AI tools to analyze the grammatical and syntactical structures in the reading.

This feature is ostensibly absent in most AI-powered educational sites. However, with open-source AI assistants like ChatGPT, teachers can obtain a reasonably well-crafted text analysis by breaking the task down to specific questions. For instance, in the example below, asking ChatGPT to analyze the syntactical structure of a short text yielded a list of simple sentences, complex sentences, compound sentences, clauses (dependent and independent), and phrases present in the text. Asking it to provide a list of all the verbs with tense specification similarly produced a list of verbs subdivided by tense (present tense, simple past, past perfect, gerund).

Such an analysis can help students identify the different parts of speech and better understand their roles in a sentence.
Read about top strategies for teaching grammar to English language learners.
8. Generate stories and drills to practice specific vocabulary and grammar.

If there are specific lexical areas you want your students to learn and practice, you can instruct an AI assistant to write a story based on a vocabulary list. For example, if you are teaching students the vocabulary needed to order at a restaurant, you could ask AI to write a three-paragraph story using words such as restaurant, waiter, order, eat, drink, soda, water, coffee, food, main course, side dish, meat, fish, beef, chicken, salmon, salad, appetizer, dessert, delicious, expensive, etc. Alternatively, you could focus on grammar structures. For example, for an ESL beginner level, you could ask an AI assistant to write a short story to practice the following grammar structures: personal pronouns and present tense.

Your prompt should be as specific as possible, preferably providing a few details for the story. Here is an example of a prompt you could submit to an AI tool:

Write a short story (200-400 words) for young ESL students at a beginner's level to practice the following grammar structures: personal pronouns and present tense forms of to be, to have, to want, to go, and to say. The story should be about a boy who wants a pet cat but doesn't have one. He tries three different tactics to convince his parents that he should be allowed to get a cat. In the end, he is allowed to get a pet cat. All verbs should be in the present tense. Provide plenty of repetition.

This type of prompt will provide you with a skeleton story that you can then edit by adding, removing, or replacing words. For example, below you can see the story that ChatGPT created from the above prompt. It would need a little editing but is a great start.

For those interested in comprehensible input and TPRS teaching strategies, this method can also be used to create TPRS-style stories.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly integrating into daily life and, like most technological innovations, will remain for the foreseeable future. There will be a time when people won't remember the pre-AI era. Thus, it is incumbent on educators to familiarize themselves with this tool and teach students how to use it productively and ethically. From the ability to modify texts and adapt them to students' language level to the ability to generate articles and stories on any topic, AI tools provide an array of useful resources to help facilitate the job of ESL teachers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Ways to Use AI to Teach ESL Reading - BridgeUniverse - TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AI is a powerful aid for planning lessons and generating activities. Explore the ways ESL teachers can leverage AI tools to promote students' reading skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Personalized reading comprehension exercises for K-12 and MLL students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ReadTheory | Reading Comprehension Exercises

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading comprehension exercises — online, free, & adaptive. Fits K-12, ESL and adult students. Easily track progress for the entire class.

# data[].attributes.body
Provides metacognitive support when reading.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While reading comes with a huge series of benefits, we sometimes struggle to stay motivated to power through reading slumps or tough times when we simply cannot find the energy or time throughout the day to keep doing it. Perhaps some divine intervention could help? What does the Bible say about reading? Here at Basmo,...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Heroes have swords and magic wands, readers have Basmo. Track your reading time, journal your emotions, and save exciting book ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
Provides templates to gamify instruction.

# data[].attributes.body
An informal assessment tool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Formative gives you the teaching tools to engage, instruct, and assess

of US school districts have teachers who use Formative

student responses leading to insights and learning moments

Why do teachers and school leaders love Formative so much?

As a Teacher, I will be able to...

Transform a PDF or Google Doc into an auto-graded quiz

Present slides with built-in questions for a paced lesson

Enhance a reading passage with questions

Activate student agency and metacognition using Strikethroughs

Add a YouTube video with timestamped questions
Learn More

Unleash student creativity with audio and video responses
Learn More

Give feedback to students faster than ever
Learn More

We're an official launch partner for the new Google Classroom add-on!
Learn More

As a School Leader, I will be able to...

Share data among PLCs

Give Admin access to a team of teachers in Formative. This setting will allow teachers to collectively see all shared data.

Integrate with SSO and SIS providers

Formative connects directly with SIS providers for nightly syncs of student data. Formative can also run reports on any demographic or other data that the SIS shares.

Learn More

Trusted by schools and districts around the world

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Formative helps teachers unlock additional superpowers, improve student engagement and accelerate learning. Start seeing real-time student responses today.

# data[].attributes.body
Creates interactive lessons

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join the growing movement of teachers using Curipod to make interactive lessons filled with creativity, reflection and critical thinking

# data[].attributes.body
A K-3 read aloud companion

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ello is your child's read-along companion who listens, teaches, and transforms them into an enthusiastic reader. For Kindergarten to 3rd Grade.

Meet Ello, your child's reading buddy

Powered by Adaptive Learn™ technology

Meet Ello, your child's reading buddy

Powered by Adaptive Learn™ technology

Go fully digital, or add a monthly physical book set

Ello with E-books

The Ello reading coach app

Exclusive, decodable e-books

Adaptive Learn™ system

7-day free trial, then $14.99/mo

Ello with Paperbacks

Everything in Ello with E-books plus:

A monthly box of 5 curated books, activities and prizes

$39.99/mo, plus free shipping

Ello with E-books

The Ello reading coach app

Exclusive, decodable e-books

Adaptive Learn™ system

7-day free trial, then $14.99/mo

Ello with Paperbacks

Everything in Ello with E-books plus:

A monthly box of 5 curated books, activities and prizes

$39.99/mo, plus free shipping

Ello is powered by Adaptive Learn™, our proprietary AI engine that understands, adapts and responds to your child like a 1:1 instructor.

Recommended by experts, loved by parents

Books proven to build skills and a love of reading

Perfectly tailored to your child

Ello books are adapted to your child's reading level and interests so that they learn more and love more.

Ello books are written using the Science of Reading

Unlike most children's books out there, Ello books are 'decodable' - a type of writing that is proven to be best for children learning to read.

Every child deserves to maximize their unique potential

#ReadWithEllo

The love is real

With Ello...

of 4th graders in the US are behind grade level in reading

of children read more than before

of children became more confident readers

of children improved their reading skills

As seen in

"Ello stands out for the design of its AI reading tutor, the selection of diverse and engaging books, and the positive ways the AI tutor motivates young, struggling readers."

"Ello aims to eradicate childhood illiteracy"

"Ello can understand a child in a way technology has been unable to before."

Designed by experts to maximize your child's reading potential

We did all the research so you don't have to. Ello is designed by a team of experts, academics, researchers, and child psychologists to make sure it is exactly what your child needs and loves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ello is your child's read-along companion who listens, teaches, and transforms them into an enthusiastic reader. For Kindergarten to 3rd Grade.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A.I. Reading Tutor for Kids 5-9 | Amira & The Storycraft

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Amira is an interactive online reading tutor that helps struggling readers with early literacy and reading comprehension through gameplay and storytelling. Learn more about the Amira Reading app

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WordStumble - Voice Verified Reading | AI Assisted Reading

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
WordStumble offers a unique AI-assisted and voice-verified reading experience. Elevate your child's learning with interactive reading sessions.

# data[].attributes.headline
AI Meets the Science of Reading & Writing Skill Development

# data[].attributes.subject
AI Meets the Science of Reading & Writing Skill Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AI Meets the Science of Reading and Writing Skill Development - Computer Science Teachers Association

# data[].attributes.headline
AI Learning Tools in K-12 in Education: A Scoping Review

# data[].attributes.subject
AI Learning Tools in K-12 in Education: A Scoping Review

# data[].attributes.headline
Evaluation of Automated Reading Tutors that Listens-

# data[].attributes.subject
Evaluation of Automated Reading Tutors that Listens-

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Evaluations of an Automated Reading Tutor that Listens- Comparison to Human Tutoring & Classroom Instruction-pdf

# data[].attributes.headline
Effectiveness of AI- Personalized Reading Platforms

# data[].attributes.subject
Effectiveness of AI- Personalized Reading Platforms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Effectiveness of AI-Based Personalised Reading Platforms 

# data[].attributes.headline
Can an AI Tutor Teach Your Child to Read?

# data[].attributes.subject
Can an AI Tutor Teach Your Child to Read?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Can an AI tutor teach your child to read_

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is AI? | Artificial Intelligence | What is Artificial Intelligence? | AI In 5 Mins |Simplilearn

# data[].attributes.headline
How Technology Transforms a Child's Reading Journey

# data[].attributes.subject
How Technology Transforms a Child's Reading Journey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Technology Transforms a Child’s Reading Journey | Patricia Scanlon | TEDxUniversityofLimerick

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"A timely masterclass for anyone interested in the future of learning in the AI era." bestselling author, Salman Khan, the visionary behind Khan Academy, explores how artificial intelligence and GPT technology will transform learning, and offers a road map for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting (and sometimes intimidating) new world.
-Bill Gates

"This book is required reading for everyone who cares about education."
-Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again , and host of the podcast Re:Thinking New York Times

"Read this book. It's the most fascinating and important account of how AI will transform the way we learn."
-Walter Isaacson, #1 Brave New Words

From the founder of Khan Academy, the first book on the AI revolution in education, its implications for parenting, and how we can best harness its power for good.

Whether we like it or not, the AI revolution is coming to education. In Brave New Words

A pioneer in the field of education technology, Khan examines the ins and outs of these cutting-edge tools and how they will revolutionize the way we learn and teach. For parents concerned about their children's success, Khan illustrates how AI can personalize learning by adapting to each student's individual pace and style, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and offering tailored support and feedback to complement traditional classroom instruction. Khan emphasizes that embracing AI in education is not about replacing human interaction but enhancing it with customized and accessible learning tools that encourage creative problem-solving skills and prepare students for an increasingly digital world.

But is not just about technology-it's about what this technology means for our society, and the practical implications for administrators, guidance counselors, and hiring managers who can harness the power of AI in education and the workplace. Khan also delves into the ethical and social implications of AI and large language models, offering thoughtful insights into how we can use these tools to build a more accessible education system for students around the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing) [Khan, Salman] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ReadTheory | Reading Comprehension Exercises

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading comprehension exercises — online, free, & adaptive. Fits K-12, ESL and adult students. Easily track progress for the entire class.

# data[].attributes.body
Webinar on Project Read-August 14th

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IMSE | institute for multi-sensory education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Orton-Gillingham is a sequential, multi-sensory approach to teach literacy. Our program breaks reading and writing into smaller skills, and builds on them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Official AI Reading Presentation.pptx (1).pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As an educator, Vivek Ramakrishnan is familiar with the shocking statistics on literacy gaps in the United States: Eight out of 10 children who cannot read proficiently by third grade will never catch up. However, he has also seen the problems firsthand at the school he co-founded in Madison, Wisconsin, when he was 19. "The statistics are eye-popping - but when you see what that really means in person, it's devastating," he says.

Helping change this is Ramakrishnan's mission. Driven by a desire to create a fairer distribution of opportunity for young people, he believes the most effective way to do this is by closing early literacy gaps. While it is known that one-to-one tutoring is the most effective way to help children learn, it is often unaffordable for the families and children who need it most. However, in scaling up the impact of tutoring, Ramakrishnan sees recent advances in artificial intelligence as game-changing.

Through their venture, Project Read, he and his cofounder John Danner - both of whom have been teachers - are turning to generative AI to design a new kind of AI reading tutor. The tutor will combine the conversational style of a human with personalized stories in decodable text (which uses phonics, words, and concepts students already understand) that are tailored to the precise level and previous reading mistakes of each child.

For Ramakrishnan, however, designing an app that is able to spark children's excitement and imagination is critical. "The focus now is on building something kids love using," he explains. "Because in ed-tech, even if you have the best instructional intervention, if kids aren't engaged with it, it won't matter."

The Problem

In working to close the literacy gap, Ramakrishnan is taking on a daunting challenge: Some 65% of students in the US - including 83% of low-income students - cannot read proficiently. In fact, recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals that only 33% of all fourth graders and only 19% of low-income fourth graders can do so.

If not addressed, these students are significantly less likely than others to graduate from high school or to build successful careers, says Ramakrishnan, which means that tackling the problem early is critical.

By the time children are in third or fourth grade, he explains, most of the curriculum requires baseline proficiency in reading to access the content in social studies and science and all the other disciplines. "So if a child cannot read proficiently by this point," he says, "the learning gaps widen in both reading and other subjects."

For students who do not read at grade level, falling behind on their studies is only part of the problem. "If you're lacking fundamental academic skills, you start acting out because, for example, you don't want to read out loud in class," he says. "You start doing all these other things to cope, and it just compounds the problem."

Since the school literacy crisis is most acute in low-income communities, the first challenge is finding a solution that can reach sufficient scale at an affordable price. The second is ensuring external tutors are aligned with classroom instruction and the progress of different students. "You have a cost problem and a logistics problem," says Ramakrishnan.

Ramakrishnan believes Project Read can help solve both. "I want to move the needle towards the world we all want for our kids, where the zip code or family you're born into is not necessarily indicative of what your opportunities or life outcomes will be," he says. "I want to decouple opportunity from circumstance."

The Solution

While the cofounders had initially included parents among their target customers for the Project Read app, they recently decided to fully focus on teachers and schools in order to ensure Project Read reaches students of all economic backgrounds. Now, they are building Project Read as an "AI co-teacher" for the Science of Reading to support elementary school teachers in Science of Reading-aligned curricula.

Specifically, Project Read's AI co-teacher generates "decodable" stories exactly at the child's level, based on the specific phonics skill they are learning. As the child reads the generated decodable story out loud, the AI co-teacher listens and provides feedback and encouragement in the moment to the child. It tracks their progress and their errors and generates a next story on the fly based on the child's previous mistakes to provide more practice and feedback for the child to master that specific skill.

Many schools have recently pivoted to Science of Reading-aligned curricula, which place a heavier emphasis on explicitly teaching phonics and decoding. The successful implementation of such curricula places a higher load on teachers, who have enthusiastically welcomed the AI co-teacher help in their classrooms.

Ramakrishnan believes the key to Project Read's success will be in the level of customization that the technology enables and the ability of generative AI to create a virtual tutor that can interact conversationally with students and encourage them as they work through the content.

Ultimately, the co-founders aim for AI-powered tutors to engage with students when they reach stumbling points and encourage them to keep working through difficulty. "The prototype we've built does that. It can say: 'You did an awesome job, but you missed one word. I highlighted it in yellow. Can you try that again?"

Advances in artificial intelligence have made this conversational interface possible. "That's an inflection point relative to the natural language processing we've had up to now," says Ramakrishnan.

However, Ramakrishnan knows what will ultimately make Project Read succeed both as a business and as a solution to the school literacy crisis: "You need to find something that kids and teachers love using, and that is instructionally effective," he says.

The Innovator

If Ramakrishnan has seen the value of education in his work as a teacher, he has also seen it through the eyes of his parents, Indian immigrants who met in Wisconsin when his mother was doing a PhD in electrical engineering and his father was a professor of computer science.

While they placed a high value on education, his parents also wanted their children to follow their passions. For Ramakrishnan, that meant going into education. "I didn't take the traditional path of sons and daughters of the Indian diaspora," he says. "I'm a schools guy."

Being a "schools guy" has served him well in his role as an ed-tech entrepreneur working to improve early childhood literacy. "I can see around corners that might take longer for someone who has not been in the space," he says. "And I have networks of teachers - that's super helpful."

Additionally, his years working as a teacher, as well as his own experience going to a very diverse public high school, are powerful motivators as he builds Project Read.

Through both his school friends and his students, Ramakrishnan has seen how access to education and opportunity shapes outcomes later in life. "It felt like where you came from was a bigger predictor than who you were as a person," he says. "Seeing friends sink or swim because of factors beyond their control just struck me as profoundly unfair," he says. "That was what lit the spark and what still makes me tick."

Ramakrishnan's determination to help transform access to opportunity means he is committed to developing Project Read, even if his startup does not ultimately succeed. "Project Read could be a game changer for millions of students. That's the dream," he says. "But if we aren't the people who crack solving the literacy gap at scale, maybe we move the needle far enough for another company or nonprofit to pick up the baton and solve it - to me, even that feels very worth doing."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Vivek Ramakrishnan, MBA '23: How AI Could Help Solve the School Literacy Crisis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As an educator, Vivek Ramakrishnan is familiar with the shocking statistics on literacy gaps in the United States: Eight out of 10 children who cannot read proficiently by third grade will never catch up. However, he has also seen the problems firsthand at the school he co-founded in Madison, Wisconsin, when he was 19.