"The most effective guidelines encourage critical thinking, center the human decision-making and allow for nuance," says Ken Shelton, an edtech thought leader and featured speaker at the 2026 Future of Education Technology Conference.

AI fluency isn't about memorizing a set of tools. It's a mindset that blends four competencies: Awareness, application, critical thinking and adaptability.

While declining birth rates in the state were already affecting school enrollment trends, the sharp drop in students raises questions about where once-enrolled students have gone, especially without statewide enrollment tracking for students in other settings, like homeschool or private school.