West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt will testify before the U.S. Committee on Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. The hearing, titled Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age, will address how educators and school systems are supporting student learning as artificial intelligence (AI) technology advances.
West Virginia was among the first states to develop guidance for generative AI use in instruction and the classroom. As early as 2019, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) used AI tools for survey analysis and data evaluation. That was followed by the WVDE’s classroom guidance in 2023 which the Department has updated each school year.
Superintendent Blatt will provide an overview of the state’s efforts to support instruction and student learning and well-being in the age of AI. She will offer insights on how the WVDE engages with educators and communities to broaden understanding of how AI is used in the classroom. Additionally, she will explain how the education community continues to address the changing technology landscape by implementing best practices, effective guidance and sound processes that support learning. Representatives from higher education and industry experts are also scheduled to appear.
The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education focuses on classroom practice, educator training, system-level implementation, accessibility for diverse learners, safety and privacy protections, and the practical realities of cost and sustainability.
Visit the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education’s webpage for a link to a livestream of the hearing.
