District
Location
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Key Features
Background
Dublin City Schools began using MagicSchool in December 2023 with a soft pilot led by the Coordinator of Digital and Personalized Learning, Kathy Parker-Jones. From the start, their approach was intentional: focus on teacher AI literacy first, then gradually introduce student usage. Parker-Jones was initially drawn to MagicSchool for its secure, educator-focused design and the scaffolding it provided for teachers new to AI.
What stood out even more was the responsiveness of the MagicSchool team. After early conversations with CEO Adeel Khan, Parker-Jones saw her suggestions reflected in platform updates. This trust and flexibility made MagicSchool feel like a true educator-driven product. Even as other platforms were being explored, MagicSchool stood out as a team “that felt like teachers” building tools for real classroom needs.
The reason? MagicSchool CEO, Adeel Khan, is a former principal and educator, and over 50% of the MagicSchool team are former educators who are genuinely passionate about creating solutions that work exactly as teachers and students need them to.
By Spring 2025, over 90% of Dublin's educators—including paraprofessionals and administrators—were actively using the platform. PD efforts ramped up in Fall 2024, including a district-wide November PD day that led to a major spike in teacher adoption.
Challenges
Like many districts, Dublin faced the challenge of introducing AI without overwhelming staff already adapting to major changes, including a new student information system. There was also a broader cultural hurdle: educators needed clear guidance to feel confident that AI use was encouraged and safe.
Additionally, as student AI usage increased, so did concerns around academic integrity, equity, and whether AI would replace authentic learning. Teachers needed a path to build trust—not just in the tools themselves, but in how they could be used strategically to support instruction without undermining it.
[For more resources about maintaining academic integrity in a world of AI, see our blog post about AI resistant assignments.]
Solutions
Dublin’s success began with policy. The district had already adopted AI-inclusive Acceptable Use Policies for both staff and students. Teachers were encouraged to use AI responsibly, and students could use it with teacher permission. This clarity gave educators confidence to try tools like MagicSchool without fear of "getting in trouble."
Parker-Jones implemented a train-the-trainer model, building momentum through instructional coaches and media specialists. An AI Council composed of educators, administrators, and community members provided feedback and helped shape the district’s vision.
Strategic use of tools followed:
- Writing Feedback Generator: A 4th-grade student engaged in a back-and-forth dialogue with the tool, defending her voice while revising—a sign of deep engagement and learning.
- Research Assistant: High schoolers used MagicSchool alongside traditional sources in a social issues project, comparing outputs from AI and databases—developing strong digital literacy.
- Text Leveler: Teachers captured book pages on their phones, leveled them instantly for students with reading challenges, and printed them side-by-side. This transformed access for struggling readers.
- Custom AI Disclosure Chatbot: Students were empowered to explain how they used AI in their work—reinforcing transparency and ethical use over unreliable detection tools.
Dublin also supported students in intervention rooms, where MagicSchool tools helped break down assignments and reteach concepts, increasing equity for students needing extra support.
Looking ahead, the district's 2025–2026 focus will shift toward student AI literacy: helping students understand when to use AI, when not to, and how to disclose its use responsibly.
"Our success with AI in Dublin City Schools started with clear policies. Two years ago, our school board approved staff and student acceptable use policies that explicitly supported responsible AI use." — Kathy Parker-Jones, Coordinator of Digital and Personalized Learning, Dublin City Schools
