Project ACCESS: AI Literacy opportunity for MS/HS teachers

Project ACCESS (AI Content Collaborative for Equitable School Success) is a regional initiative led by ARIN Intermediate Unit 28, in partnership with CodeJoy, supported by funding fro The Grable Foundation to support 20 educators from at least 10 different school districts in Southwestern Pennsylvania as they integrate artificial intelligence into classroom learning. Teachers can join solo, or apply as a team of 2 with another teacher from your district.

The project responds to growing pressure on schools to “use AI” without clear, unbiased guidance on what effective, developmentally appropriate instruction looks like. Rather than focusing on vendor tools, subscription services, or building AI efficiency skills, Project ACCESS aims to engage students and teachers in playful AI learning activities together during shared learning, then further engages classroom teachers through reflective professional development to refine activities.

Participating districts will engage in a four-cycle Collaborative model. In each cycle, students take part in a virtual Creative AI learning session connected to core content areas, facilitated by CodeJoy educators. Teachers attend these sessions alongside their students and then participate in follow-up professional learning focused on pedagogy, classroom application, and reflection. Teachers are compensated for after-hours participation.

Over the course of the project, the Collaborative will produce a set of classroom-ready Creative AI lesson modules grounded in teacher feedback and real classroom use. ARIN IU28 will support district participation, coordination, and dissemination, with the goal of sharing effective practices across Intermediate Unit and regional networks.

Project ACCESS is designed to be practical, equitable, and scalable—ensuring rural students and educators are not left behind as new technologies shape teaching and learning.