Episode

AI Is in Schools. Teachers Are Not Ready.

Podcast
This Week with EdSurge
Published
Jun 3, 2026
Duration seconds
1354
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://www.edsurge.com/podcasts
Audio
https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/f3cdf8e4-53e5-4b3f-afd9-392d2bd662b3.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/this-week-with-edsurge-392475/episodes/ai-is-in-schools-teachers-are-not-ready
Markdown
/podcast/this-week-with-edsurge-392475/ai-is-in-schools-teachers-are-not-ready.md

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Summary

Three-quarters of school districts now have AI guidelines, up sharply from just a year ago, yet 82 percent of teachers say they have never received formal guidance on how to use AI in their work. EdSurge reporter Lauren Coffey breaks down the 2026 CoSN State of Ed Tech report and what it reveals about AI adoption, cybersecurity gaps, and edtech vetting inside K-12 districts. Then host Ira Apfel talks with Joseph South , chief innovation officer at ISTE+ASCD, about why teachers say they feel unprepared to bring AI into their classrooms and what it would take to change that. What You'll Learn Why AI adoption in K-12 districts jumped from 54 percent in 2025 to 75 percent this year, and why most prefer local flexibility over state or federal mandates. Why cybersecurity remains many districts' top concern even as two-thirds lack the staff and budget to address it, and what the Canvas ransomware attack reveals about the real cost of that gap. What the Gallup and Walton Family Foundation data actually shows about the teacher guidance crisis: 82 percent of teachers have received no formal AI guidance, 34 percent have received no guidance at all, and 69 percent have received no guidance specifically on using AI for one-on-one instruction or tutoring. How districts in Long Beach, Gwinnett County, and Fairfax County are building transparency-first AI frameworks, and what the Lighthouse Schools model offers as a replicable path for districts that want to move without waiting for policy from above. Stories Mentioned in This Episode CoSN U.S. State of EdTech 2026 Report with coverage by Lauren Coffey Teachers Say Lack of AI Guidance Is a Major Problem from Education Week featuring Joseph South, Chief Innovation Officer, ISTE+ASCD Stay Connected Subscribe to EdSurge newsletters at ed…