NSF Pours $11M Into K–12 AI PD
The National Science Foundation awarded $11 million to expand AI and computer‑science training for K–12 teachers, funding large‑scale professional development and ethical AI literacy projects. The grant is explicitly framed to build teacher capacity — not automate classroom decision‑making. (edtechinnovationhub.com)
The award goes to the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) to run “Artificial Intelligence Professional Development (PD) Weeks: CS Foundations for Creating with AI.” (nsf.gov) PD Weeks will operate over the next two years in Indiana, South Carolina, Minnesota, New Jersey, Iowa, Illinois and at least three additional states and is designed to directly support roughly 2,500–3,000 teachers. (nsf.gov) NSF projects the program will expand enhanced AI and computer‑science learning opportunities to an estimated 500,000–600,000 students, using a conservative assumption of about 200 students per teacher reached. (nsf.gov) The delivery model pairs intensive, strand‑based summer professional development with sustained community support through established state and local networks to preserve instructional quality while scaling. (nsf.gov) A built‑in research component will study how teachers integrate AI concepts, tools and ethical considerations into classroom instruction following intensive PD and ongoing support. (nsf.gov) NSF performing‑the‑duties director Brian Stone framed the investment as preparing students “to understand it and create with it,” emphasizing educator tools and capacity building. (nsf.gov) CSTA, led by executive director Jake Baskin and already running year‑round PD and chapter networks, lists more than 20,000 members and routinely delivers professional learning that serves thousands of educators annually—capacity CSTA says will underpin the PD Weeks rollout. (csteachers.org)
