WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ISTE+ASCD announced that Google.org will invest $10 million to support ISTE+ASCD in its efforts to provide AI skills training to educators and students across the country. ISTE+ASCD will use the funding to equip teachers and students from K-12 with the skills and knowledge needed to use AI effectively, safely and responsibly in the classroom and workplace. The new commitment is part of Google's $75 million AI Opportunity Fund, which aims to help one million Americans access AI training in their local communities.
As the demand for AI skills surges, 72% of K-12 students want guidance on how to use generative AI responsibly, but 77% of K-12 educators report that they are not prepared to teach students AI skills. To help build AI literacy in the classroom and beyond, Google.org's $10 million investment will launch GenerationAI, which will provide educators with the training, tools, and communities of practice to support them in bringing AI to their classrooms and curriculum. Through collaboration with the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED), Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), Indigitize, Latinos for Education (L4E), National Education Association (NEA), and Playlab, ISTE+ASCD's Generation AI programming will reach over 200,000 educators across the country.
"Google's optimism about technology is rooted in our belief that it can benefit everyone. That's why we're dedicated to ensuring teachers and students have access to the tech skills needed to thrive in the classroom and beyond," said Maggie Johnson, Vice President, Google.org. "We're proud to support incredible education organizations across the country that are making a difference in their local communities, ensuring that teachers and students across the U.S. have access to AI skills to reach their full potential."
"To thrive in a digital world, it is essential that teachers and students know how to use AI responsibly. In collaboration with the Center for Black Educator Development, Computer Science Teachers Association, Indigitize, Latinos for Education, National Education Association, and Playlab, we will be providing educators with the training they need to model effective AI use at school," said Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE+ASCD. "This partnership with Google.org ensures that AI can become a powerful tool in the hands of teachers and their students to unlock new opportunities for growth and learning."
This announcement builds on the impact of Google.org's $75 million AI Opportunity Fund, which will help over one million Americans learn essential AI skills by providing funding to best-in-class workforce development and education organizations across the country. It also supports Google.org's longstanding work to address global education gaps alongside grantees and nonprofit organizations.
About ASCD
ASCD is where educators come to learn about new instructional strategies, grow as individuals and thrive as professionals. We are the preeminent global leader of professional learning resources for all classroom teachers, instructional leaders, principals, and superintendents. For over 80 years, educators and instructional leaders have used ASCD's educator-generated, evidence-based resources, digital tools, and solutions to build teaching and learning environments to elevate education and boost student achievement. In 2023, ASCD merged with ISTE, combining expertise in technology and innovation with research-based professional learning for educators and education leaders, to advance student outcomes.
About Google.org
Google.org, Google's philanthropy, supports nonprofits that address humanitarian issues worldwide and apply scalable, data-driven innovation to solving the world's biggest challenges. We accelerate their progress by connecting them with a unique blend of support that includes funding, products, and technical expertise from Google volunteers. We engage with these believers-turned-doers who make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change. We want a world that works for everyone—and we believe technology and innovation can move the needle in four key areas: education, economic opportunity, inclusion and crisis response.