14 hours Ago
At a time when national conversations around education are dominated by stories of scarcity, from budget shortfalls and teacher shortages to learning gaps, I am proud to offer a different narrative from the Allentown School District. Ours is a story of abundance: of innovation, of knowledge and of bold investments in the future of our students.The Allentown School District is embracing the power of artificial intelligence not as a buzzword, but as a tool to expand opportunity, personalize learning and remove barriers for approximately 17,000 students, 90% of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and 21% of whom are learning English as a second language, and 19.
4% receive Special Education services.Our commitment to innovation is embedded in our new Strategic Plan, Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030. We are leveraging innovation, AI, and future-ready strategies to create meaningful progress.
We are focused on transformational opportunities powered by technology and grounded in the voices of our students and families.In partnership with Google for Education and Kiker Learning, we have launched a series of hands-on professional development sessions that are transforming how we lead, teach, and connect with families. From Google Workspace certifications to AI-enhanced instructional design, our educators are gaining the tools to prepare our students for 2030 and beyond.
Last year, I established a district-wide Innovation Committee comprised of educators, community members, families, and students. Together, we studied the promise and pitfalls of AI. We brought in legal and policy experts, surveyed families and staff, and mapped out a vision for how AI could help us communicate better, personalize learning and make education more accessible.
We did not rush, we researched, listened, and built a roadmap aligned with our values.This month, I presented on the national stage at the ASU+GSV AI Summit, where I was honored to represent Allentown as a 2024-2025 Google GSV Education Innovation Fellow. There I shared our vision to create more opportunities to create theme-based schools for our students.
We are working to reimagine one of our three high schools to an AI/ Computer Science and Allied Health Pathway school where students will learn machine learning, ethical AI use, data science, and digital content creation. With hands-on partnerships, internships, and dual enrollment opportunities, they will graduate career and college-ready and gain access to opportunities to become creators, not just consumers of technology.We have identified 25 Allentown educators and staff to send to Google’s New York City office for professional learning on AI tools.
They will receive immersive training, and work independently to secure AI certifications that they will incorporate into our classrooms and offices.Allentown was among the first school districts in the Lehigh Valley to pass a comprehensive AI policy focused on safe, ethical and impactful use of emerging technology. Our AI work is not just about access, it is about trust, responsibility and creating systems that serve our whole community.
Our guiding principle is simple: every student deserves access to a world-class education. That would include equipping our staff with the tools to learn, lead and leverage technology in a digital age to ensure our students and families have what they need to be true partners in their schooling experience.The time for incremental change is over, but cannot happen without the strength of our collective community.
Improving academic outcomes will take time, but together, we can personalize the academic experience for every student and create a world of endless possibilities for each child. This vision is within our grasp. Let us work together to create an education landscape that fosters curiosity, innovation and lifelong learning.
We get better together. All of our strengths are needed.This is a contributed opinion column.
Carol D. Birks is the superintendent of the Allentown School District and can be reached at [email protected].
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