Enhancing Education with AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming school leadership and instructional coaching — boosting efficiency, streamlining processes, and improving instructional quality.

A recent K-12 Dive article explores how principals are incorporating AI into their daily work. Similarly, Education Week examines how AI is enhancing instructional coaching methods.

How Principals Are Using AI in Schools

A recent Rand Corp. survey found that nearly 60 percent of school principals are incorporating AI into their work. Some of the top uses include:

• Drafting and enhancing school communications
• Supporting administrative tasks
• Assisting with teacher hiring
• Facilitating evaluations and professional development
• Demonstrating AI use in instruction

Despite the increased use of AI in schools, only 18 percent of principals reported receiving guidance from their school or district on AI use. Low-poverty schools were almost twice as likely to receive AI guidance compared to high-poverty schools. This disparity extends to AI implementation, as higher-poverty schools face challenges such as limited broadband access, capacity constraints, and competing priorities.

To address these gaps, Rand recommends the following:

• Develop intentional AI strategies to improve instruction and student learning
• Identify AI tools with proven educational benefits
• Ensure equitable access to AI tools, particularly for high-poverty schools

AI offers opportunities to enhance efficiency and instructional support, but strategic planning and equitable access are key to maximizing its impact.

AI in Instructional Coaching

Instructional coaching is an effective strategy to support professional growth, but it requires time and resources to be implemented effectively. AI is emerging as a solution to supplement coaching cycles by providing teachers with additional support and feedback.

Schools piloting AI programs are leveraging these tools to transform observation notes into detailed feedback reports. Additionally, some districts are integrating AI into new teacher induction and evaluations through video-coaching platforms, helping teachers with self-assessment and instructional improvement.

Key benefits of AI in instructional coaching include:

• Assists teachers in self-reflection and goal setting
• Reduces administrative workload by summarizing notes, analyzing data, and automating feedback
• Increases efficiency and allows for more frequent coaching sessions

Future of AI in Education

The integration of AI into both school leadership and instructional coaching highlights its potential to transform education. Principals are using AI to streamline communication, hiring, and professional development, while instructional coaches leverage AI for more frequent and targeted teacher support. However, disparities in access and guidance must be addressed to ensure equitable implementation.

For school leaders, adopting AI requires thoughtful planning, clear policies, and ongoing evaluation. By strategically incorporating AI into both administrative and instructional functions, districts can improve efficiency, support professional growth, and ultimately enhance student learning outcomes.

Additional information can be found in the K-12 Dive article What Are Principals Using AI For? and in the Education Week article Can AI Effectively Coach Teachers?