Name: Making AI Work in Schools: From Experimentation to Purposeful Practice
Start: 2026-05-05T14:00:00ZEDT
End: 2026-05-05T15:00:00ZEDT

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The conversation around AI in schools has shifted.

Districts are no longer asking whether to use AI but instead wondering how to apply it to improve outcomes. Adoption is expanding, but often in uncoordinated ways, making it difficult to track where AI is used and its impact across teams.

In this session, we will explore how districts can move from early experimentation to purposeful, systemwide practice.

We will discuss:

Where AI is showing up in district workflows
What leaders are learning as adoption expands
Where variation in use is emerging— and what it means for oversight
How districts are supporting staff and setting expectations
How to align AI efforts with district priorities

Designed for district and school leaders, this session focuses on how to move beyond trying AI and begin using it in meaningful ways.

Amanda Bickerstaff

Co-Founder and CEO, AI for Education

Amanda is the Co-Founder and CEO of AI for Education. A former high school biology teacher and EdTech CEO, she brings over 20 years of experience in the education sector. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that AI can offer, she is a sought-after keynote speaker and leading authority on AI and education. Through her work, Amanda has reached hundreds of schools and thousands of educators worldwide, committed to helping them maximize their potential through the responsible and equitable adoption of AI.

Alex Lamb, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Professor, University of Connecticut

Alexandra J. Lamb (Alex) is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Connecticut in the department of Educational Leadership. She is a former educator, leader, and technology integrator in K-12 schools. Her research uses organizational and institutional lenses to understand how schools and districts create the conditions for educational change. In her current work, she is examining AI integration in Connecticut schools, high dosage tutoring initiatives, advanced course taking, and plans for district change funded by ARP-ESSER. She has published in the Journal of Educational Administration, Journal of Educational Change, IJEMST, and the Middle Grades Review. Alex teaches courses in the Ed.D and Ph.D programs at Neag.

Dr. Susan Coleman

Superintendent, Golf School District 67

Dr. Susan Coleman is currently serving in her sixth year as the Superintendent of Golf School District 67. A lifelong advocate for inclusive education, Dr. Coleman began her career as an EL and special education teacher. She brings over 15 years of administrative experience across a diverse array of settings, including unit, high school, and elementary districts, as well as special education cooperatives.

Dedicated to ensuring every student reaches their full potential, Dr. Coleman specializes in special education audits and consulting. Her work helps districts enhance specialized programming while maintaining rigorous compliance with IDEA legislation. Beyond the district, she is a prominent voice in Illinois educational policy, serving as Vice-Chair of ED-RED and Vice-Chair of the Mandate Reduction Council for the Illinois State Board of Education.

David Norman, Ed.D.

Principal, Golf Middle School

David Norman is the principal of Golf Middle School, where he leads efforts to improve student outcomes and strengthen school operations. In this role, he oversees hiring, staff development, scheduling, and schoolwide planning, with a focus on building systems that better support both students and educators.

He has led initiatives to improve intervention time for students, strengthen support systems, expand the use of technology, and bring greater consistency to school practices. His work also includes partnering with curriculum leaders to support strong classroom instruction, expanding advanced learning opportunities, and developing programs to better serve multilingual learners.

Ellen Agnello, Ph.D.

Marketing Analyst, Frontline Education

Ellen Agnello leads research-informed content strategy at Frontline Education, where she analyzes and translates national K-12 Lens survey data into insights on staffing trends, retention, and operational sustainability. Prior to joining Frontline, she worked as a university instructor and researcher, teaching methods courses to preservice teachers. Before that, she taught English language arts at a public high school.

For all webinars broadcast by Education Week after August 1, 2019, Certificates of Completion are available to all registered live attendees who attend 53 minutes or more of this webinar. Educators can download a PDF certificate verifying 1 hour of Professional Development credit. As with all professional development hours delivered, Education Week recommends each educator verify ahead of the webinar broadcast that the content will qualify for professional development in your school, district, county, or state with your supervisor, human resources professional, and/or principal or superintendent’s office.

Education Week is serving only as the host for this presentation. The content was created by the sponsor. The opinions expressed in this webinar are those of the sponsor and do not reflect the opinion of or constitute an endorsement by Editorial Projects in Education or any of its publications.

A transcript will be available for download from the resource list within five business days after the event.

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Making AI Work in Schools: From Experimentation to Purposeful Practice

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