As AI reshapes classrooms, the question isn’t whether schools will use it—it’s how to ensure access for every student. That challenge was front and center during AI for All: Bridging the Digital Divide, a webinar hosted by MagicSchool and NYC Public Schools that drew educators from more than 69 countries.
The session featured Dr. Teneika Benn (Founding Principal, P.S. 938) and Principal Jabari Edwards (P.S. 346), who shared how Brooklyn’s District 19 is developing an approach to AI that’s accessible, sustainable, and culturally responsive. Led by Gerry Denza from MagicSchool, the conversation highlighted both the urgency of closing the digital divide and the steps schools can take to create equitable AI for all learners.
The challenge: equitable AI can’t wait
In District 19, nearly 17,000 K–12 students learn in a community where four out of five face economic disadvantage. As Dr. Benn shared during the webinar, Superintendent Dr. Tamra Collins often reminds her team:
“Our why is to eliminate the predictability of who succeeds and who does not.”
Without intentional inclusion, those with the least access risk falling further behind. That’s why the district has treated AI not as a privilege, but as a necessity for student opportunity and equity.
The solution: how District 19 is leading the charge
Through its partnership with MagicSchool, District 19 has taken a thoughtful, multi-layered approach to creating AI accessibility:
- Ethical guardrails: Before scaling, District 19 co-created ethical AI guidelines for administrators, teachers, students, and families to address concerns about bias, cheating, and over-reliance.
- Teachers as leaders: Dr. Benn highlighted the importance of keeping teachers at the center, noting, “Think about infusing feelings and emotions into teaching, because AI doesn’t express emotion or experience.” In District 19, early adopters piloted MagicSchool in their classrooms and became the first “STEM Innovators,” a network of educators committed to experimenting, questioning, and sharing their learnings.
- Professional learning: The STEM Innovators program offers monthly professional development, embedding AI literacy into teacher practice.
- Family engagement: The district launched the idea of AI Learning Labs, low-risk, jargon-free spaces for families to “fail up” while exploring AI tools and building confidence. As Principal Edwards shared, “The more educated families are, the stronger student acquisition of AI will be. In turn, this creates stronger family partnerships.”
Early results in classrooms and communities
District 19’s work shows that equitable AI integration is not only possible but replicable. Already, they’re seeing:
- Educator adoption supported by hands-on training and peer collaboration, AI-curious teachers now experiment with prompts, create materials, and share best practices through the STEM Innovators program.
- Greater student engagement, including special education students. One teacher described how the Rap Battle Tool gave previously quiet students the confidence to speak up and participate more fully.
- Multilingual learners building independence with AI translation and tutoring tools that help them practice new languages, follow step-by-step directions, and communicate with peers.
- Elementary classrooms scaffolding writing with tools, like P.S. 108’s Cinderella project, which gave struggling writers an entry point and freed teachers to focus on small-group support.
- Family-school partnerships strengthened through AI Learning Labs, where families explore translation tools, build simple chatbots, and learn prompt basics together.
Using MagicSchool helped this District 19 teacher encourage her students to find their voice as writers, and it gave her the ability to work with students who needed intensive support:
The message from District 19 is clear: start now, start small, and start together. With the right approach, AI can be a powerful equalizer, ensuring that no student, family, or community is left behind.
As Gerry closed the webinar, he summed it up best:
“You’ve shown us what it looks like to bring AI into classrooms thoughtfully, with a deep commitment to access, community, and student opportunity. That is true magic in education.”
What’s next?
The digital divide we see today is real, but it doesn’t have to define the future. With leaders like Dr. Benn and Principal Edwards showing the way—and with platforms like MagicSchool designed to scale equity and access—AI for all is already within reach.
Ready to explore how MagicSchool can support your district’s AI journey?
You can also:
- Learn more about MagicSchool Enterprise and how we work with school districts.
- Explore our AI Policy Blueprint to see how we support safe, responsible, and equitable AI adoption.
- Download our Back-to-School Guide for planning pages, prompts, and classroom-ready tools.
