CMS Implements Next Phase of AI Integration Plan
Students to receive AI literacy training, among other measures
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced its next phase of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation during the 2025-2026 school year last week.
The project is the latest stage in CMS’ phase-based approach to AI integration that the district hopes will “enhance student learning and improve operational efficiency while maintaining educator roles and human decision-making,” according to a release.
“CMS is laying the groundwork for responsible, future-ready learning environments,” stated Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill. “We’re balancing innovation with safety and clarity to make sure our students and staff benefit from the opportunities AI can provide.”
Beginning this school year, all CMS employees are required to complete foundational AI Literacy & Data Privacy training and all CMS students will receive grade-level-appropriate digital citizenship and AI literacy training.
CMS also launched its first cohort of AI Champion Schools, which will pilot new AI instructional and operational uses to share findings across the district throughout the year. The district trained more than 150 AI Champion facilitators over the summer to instruct staff on AI safety skills. All school principals and assistant principals, central office staff and AI Champion School teams will receive training by December.
The project expands on the input received from the CMS AI Vision Report, which included a districtwide survey of more than 10,000 families, educators, students and community members to gather their thoughts and concerns of AI use in schools.
The survey found that 79% of respondents have used AI at home and 49% at work, though usage for educational purposes was lower. The general feelings surrounding AI were curiosity and concern, with one-third of respondents saying they are unsure or have mixed feelings about the direction AI should take in education.
School-level educators were less optimistic and more skeptical about AI’s impact compared to district-level educators, citing concerns about academic integrity.
The University of Illinois’ College of Education found that AI can summarize existing materials, generate and reinforce lesson plans, and aid in administrative tasks.
Educators across the country are actively exploring how to implement AI tools in schools, including the opportunity to use AI’s capabilities to increase available support for students with disabilities, multilingual learners and others through speech recognition, the Department of Education (DOE) stated in its 2023 Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning report.
However, AI’s use could also introduce privacy and security concerns, bias toward non-native English speakers, reduced teacher-to-student interaction and potential academic misconduct, according to a 2024 report from University of Illinois.
“The process of developing an AI system may lead to bias in how patterns are detected and unfairness in how decisions are automated,” the DOE’s report said. “Thus, educational systems must govern their use of AI systems.”
The general consensus among those who took the CMS survey was that the best path forward is with incremental implementation of AI, a method the district is utilizing in its phased approach supported by its Generative AI Guiding Principles.
“This work reflects the insights we heard from students, families, educators and staff last year,” stated Rebecca Lehtinen, Educational Technology executive director with CMS, said in a press release. “We are building a foundation where everyone understands the basics of AI, while also empowering our AI Champions to go deeper and lead the way. This kind of tiered, proactive professional learning is how we prepare our schools for the future.”
