Districts didn't just attend a few sessions and walk away. They moved through a full arc of work together:

In the early months, teams convened to set goals and get oriented, meeting as a cohort and then one-on-one with coaches to define what success would look like for their specific district.

From there, teams turned to the harder work of understanding: deepening their own knowledge of AI, drafting a district vision and guiding principles, and surveying staff, students, and families to ground that vision in real, authentic feedback rather than assumptions.

By the spring, districts were turning what they'd learned into action. Teams translated stakeholder input into instructional guidance, pressure-tested their plans with other districts in the cohort, and closed out the year by sharing what they'd built.

Throughout, no district did this alone. Monthly convenings, tailored coaching, and a peer network of other Massachusetts districts meant teams had support at every stage, not just a framework handed to them at the start.

Most districts don't lack the motivation to act on AI. They lack dedicated time.

12 of 14 district teams reported they'd moved beyond early exploration into active planning or classroom piloting with AI.

"Our PEA²K participation has provided the space and structure to identify a focused goal and construct actionable steps to lift AI learning and literacy for our staff and students."
— Jed Stefanowicz, Director of Digital Learning & Innovation, Nashoba Regional School District

No one has all the answers on AI. Tailored coaching and peer feedback helped teams build expertise together, rather than trying to figure it out in isolation.

+60% growth in teams reporting they felt confident or very confident leading AI planning.

"This initiative has empowered us to craft customized guidelines that align perfectly with our broader district goals."
— Greg Limperis, Director of Technology, Lowell Public Schools

Districts need structure, frameworks, and resources to move from good ideas to something real, and Year 1 proved that the right support turns intention into finished work.

100% of participants agreed PEA²K was relevant and valuable, and every team left with foundational documents to share their learning across their district.

"PEA²K kept us at a pace we never would have maintained on our own. We have a vision, results from staff surveys, a guidance document that is out for feedback, and a professional learning plan. That's way beyond where I thought we'd be."
— Bryce Harper, Executive Director of Technology, Barnstable Public Schools

Additionally, four of our PEA2K teams generously opened up their process so we could share it — the thinking behind their guidance, their resources, and how they're finding and empowering their own catalysts. These educators chose to share what they were building mid-process, so other districts wouldn't have to start from scratch. Click on the school below to read their case study. 

The Partnership for Educators Advancing AI Knowledge (PEAK) Cohort is a collaboration with MassCUE and Throughline Learning.

Research support from UMass Lowell’s AI Teach Co-Design Lab.