NSF Awards $11M to Expand AI Training for K-12 Teachers
NSF Awards $11M to Expand AI Training for K-12 Teachers
https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/nsf-awards-11m-to-expand-ai-training-for-k-12-teachers
Publish Date: 2026-03-19 19:28:00
Source Domain: www.govtech.com
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) $11 million for a multistate professional development initiative.
- The initiative, “Artificial Intelligence Professional Development Weeks: CS Foundations for Creating with AI,” aims to help K-12 educators integrate foundational computer science and artificial intelligence into their teaching.
- The effort covers Indiana, South Carolina, Minnesota, New Jersey, Iowa, Illinois, and at least three other states, with plans to serve 2,500 to 3,000 teachers and potentially influence computer science and AI education for 500,000 to 600,000 students.
- The initiative follows a scale-up model involving intensive summer professional learning and ongoing support in state and local educator networks.
- The program aims to bridge the gap between AI advancements and students’ understanding of AI, helping teachers to not just use AI but to understand and create with it.
- The NSF and CSTA emphasize the importance of providing students with AI literacy in preparation for AI transforming economic sectors.
- The project supports executive orders on artificial intelligence education and includes research on incorporating AI concepts, tools, and ethical considerations into classroom instruction.
- This initiative follows other NSF investments in AI education, reflecting a broader effort to standardize and enhance AI instruction in schools.
