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NEA receives Microsoft grant to expand AI literacy and leadership
NEA receives Microsoft grant to expand AI literacy and leadership
About this update from Microsoft Corp.
[{"type":"text","content":"NEA president: This technology will continue to fundamentally change the way we teach and learn\nWASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NEA, the largest provider of education micro-credentials in the United States, announced on Wednesday that it has received an initial $325,000 grant from Microsoft Elevate to expand its ongoing efforts to support educators as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The partnership will also provide opportunities for educators to inform the development of Microsoft AI tools.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n\"Understanding AI goes far beyond tools and apps. This technology will continue to fundamentally change the way we teach and learn, and the ways we interact with the world and each other,\" said NEA President Becky Pringle. \"Our students and educators cannot be passive users; they must have agency with this technology and an appreciation for the uniquely human assets we bring to learning and to our professions.\"\n\"Educators prepare every generation to meet the future — and today, they're shaping how AI becomes a tool for confidence, creativity and critical thinking,\" said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft. \"Our partnership with NEA is rooted in a simple truth: Technology is only as valuable as the people empowered to use it. Through Microsoft Elevate, we're investing in AI literacy and leadership, so educators and students stay at the center of AI in the classroom.\"\nLast year, NEA partnered with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to deliver an AI learning series that reached thousands of members. Building on that success, the new Microsoft grant will enable NEA to engage an additional 10,000 members with fresh content and micro-credentials, further strengthening the knowledge and fluency of both educators and leaders in this emerging field. The grant will also support a dedicated focus on policy and leadership development for NEA's state affiliates.\n\"By preparing educators and leaders with the knowledge to lead and innovate educational practices and policies, and by providing avenues of practitioner input into the design of AI tools, we strive to ensure AI technologies are used in human-centered ways that promote equity, mitigate potential harms, and enrich both teaching and learning,\" said P...