AI x Education: Scaling Genius & Equity in Public Education

Event Location & Date/Time Details: First Tuesday of every month at Capital Factory on the 8th floor 7-9pm in the Captain America room. Free Parking Available!

Why we’re convening:

Public schools sit at the epicenter of two converging pressures: historic learning gaps and an explosion of accessible AI tools. This panel asks whether AI can become the “great equalizer”—amplifying human genius and expanding opportunity—rather than widening existing divides. Please join us for a panel discussion with Q&A tackling important questions and discussing insights at the intersection of Education Innovation and AI.

Panel Guests:

Laura Wilk — A veteran special education professional and ed-tech strategist, Laura leverages her experience to help both school districts and families navigate the special education journey with technology-driven tools.

Suzanne Newell, Ed.D. — Education leader specializing in curriculum development and instructional innovation with extensive K-12 experience.

Michael Peter — Managing Director, Office of the CTO at 66degrees, specializing in enterprise AI solutions and digital transformation.

Schedule:

7:00–7:30 PM: Arrivals + Open Networking

7:30–8:30 PM: Panel + Q&A

8:30–8:45 PM: Post Event Networking (can extend for overflow Q&A)

8:45–9:00 PM: Cleanup

Topics For Discussion:

Prompt 1: "What future public-school model is feasible in a post‑AI world, and what changes to state‑mandated curriculum, assessments, prescribed resources, and required in‑person minutes would be necessary to bridge the gap between pre‑GPT schooling and post‑GPT learning needs?"

Prompt 2:"When calculators arrived, we didn't stop teaching math—we raised the bar to higher-order problem-solving. How can we apply this 'calculator model' to AI? Which cognitive skills—critical analysis, original reasoning—must remain core, and which tasks—first-draft generation, rapid data synthesis—can we confidently hand off to an AI 'thinking partner'?"

Prompt 3:"How do we move from 'Write an essay about X' to assignments that are more rigorous and AI-integrated? Imagine students acting as city planners: using AI for research, modelling constraints, then publicly defending their strategies. This shift turns AI into a catalyst for deeper cognition rather than a shortcut around it."

Prompt 4:"What foundational abilities—prompt engineering, critical AI literacy, ethical decision-making—must public schools now cultivate? How do we build an agile ecosystem where AI bridges the gap between K-12, higher education, and the workforce, ensuring every student graduates prepared for an AI-augmented world?"

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