Khan Academy

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, expressed concerns about AI in classrooms after visiting Park Elementary School in Newark, leading her to advocate for a ban on student-facing AI in elementary schools. Her visit highlighted quiet, screen-based learning with Khanmigo, an AI tool, while students showed more engagement during teacher-led activities. The district reported improved math scores with Khanmigo, but data remains unpublicized.

North Carolina's new budget retains funding for Khan Academy's AI platform Khanmigo but reduces the appropriation from $10 million to $500,000 over two years. The budget also includes broader AI initiatives for schools, such as policy development and educator training, while lawmakers previously faced criticism over the lack of competitive bidding and unproven educational value of Khanmigo.

New Jersey awarded Newark Public Schools $400,000 to expand high-impact tutoring programs using AI and small group sessions in the 2026-27 school year. The funding is part of a $7.5 million state grant targeting districts with low math and reading proficiency, with Newark also implementing Khanmigo, an AI tutoring tool supported by the Bill Gates Foundation.

North Carolina lawmakers revived a proposal to require schools to allow students to attend off-campus religious instruction during the school day as part of Senate Bill 1006. The amendment removes local school board discretion and strips academic credit for such programs. Separately, lawmakers defended a $10 million state funding earmark for Khan Academy's AI tutoring tool without competitive bidding.

A North Carolina Senate education bill proposes $10 million in recurring state funding for Khan Academy's AI tutoring tool, Khanmigo, without a competitive bidding process. Khan Academy's founder admitted the tool has not met classroom expectations, with limited student engagement. The bill also includes provisions for teacher apprenticeships, financial oversight, and chronic absenteeism reporting.

Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, reflects on the challenges of integrating AI into education and explains why the anticipated AI revolution in schools, particularly through Khanmigo, has not yet materialized. The article highlights ongoing obstacles in AI adoption within educational systems.