Education Department Prioritizing AI Advancement for Future Grants
Credit: Kindamorphic / E+ /Getty Images- Grant proposals may soon get preferential treatment if they advance AI in education.
- That includes programs that promise to train future K-12 teachers in AI usage.
- Federal funds may also be used to grow offerings of AI and computer science courses.
The Department of Education (ED) will soon prioritize college grant proposals that promise to advance artificial intelligence (AI) in education.
The department published a formal definition of this prioritization in the Federal Register on July 21, and the public has until Aug. 20 to comment on the proposal. By setting this priority, ED can more favorably consider proposals that advance AI in education when determining which institutions or organizations to award discretionary grants to.
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“This priority is designed to support efforts that expand student understanding of AI and its real-world applications,” the department wrote.
“The priority will also promote the appropriate integration of AI into education, providing AI training for educators, and fostering early exposure to AI concepts and technology to develop an AI-ready workforce and the next generation of American AI innovators.”
ED’s proposal stresses the importance of computer science education to “reinforce efforts to build meaningful AI literacy.”
Specifically, ED’s proposal would prioritize grants to colleges and universities that would help programs expand offerings of AI and computer science courses, especially as part of the institution’s general education curriculum. Similarly, it encourages institutions to include AI as part of teacher preparation programs.
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The department also wants to stimulate more AI usage in college classrooms.
According to the notice, priority will be given to grant proposals that use AI to support instruction in the classroom for the following groups of students:
- “Gifted” students in need of accelerated or advanced learning
- Students in need of remedial or developmental education
- Students with disabilities
Typically, when ED puts out requests for grant proposals, it lists different priorities for that specific grant. For example, it may prioritize proposals from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Now, the department may give preference to grant proposals that include promises to advance AI in education. All other things being equal, proposals with this component would be more likely to win approval for the grant.
Early research indicates that many college faculty and students are already embracing AI.
A BestColleges survey found that 73% of administrators say that AI is a beneficial innovation in online education. Meanwhile, more than half of students surveyed (56%) say they’ve used generative AI on assignments or exams.