Irvine Unified School District students will soon have greater access to personalized lessons and faster feedback under a new $200,000 grant to expand classroom artificial intelligence programs.
The innovation grant from the Irvine Public Schools Foundation will help pay for AI software such as Gemini, Snorkl and MagicSchool in local classrooms.
It follows major national recognition the district’s technology initiatives received earlier this year. Irvine Unified was named one of 12 educational institutions in the country to receive the AI K-12 Student Agency Award. The award recognized the district for involving students directly in shaping its AI policies, through shadowing programs and focus groups that gather feedback on how AI affects learning, well-being and career readiness.
Irvine Unified officials stressed that the technology won’t replace traditional teaching. Teachers will still decide how the software gets used in their classrooms, drawing on it to give students instant feedback and adjust lessons to different learning speeds.
“Our approach centers on a model where technology supports learning,” Superintendent Cassie Parham says. “And people are always at the heart of teaching and learning.” She adds that the tools are meant to build creativity and critical thinking while keeping access equitable.
Community donations and nonprofit partnerships, such as IPSF grants, help fund technology upgrades at Irvine Unified. The district is also investing in staff training, with professional learning days to help teachers integrate AI effectively. Its AI steering committee is building a K-12 AI literacy curriculum, set to launch this fall.
“As artificial intelligence continues to shape our world, it’s essential that we prepare students, and the adults who support them, to use these educational tools thoughtfully and responsibly,” Parham says.
