NSF invests $11M to expand AI professional development for K-12 teachers nationwide

NSF News NSF invests $11M to expand AI professional development for K-12 teachers nationwide March 19, 2026 The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced an $11 million award to the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) in furtherance of the executive order on "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth." The award will launch Artificial Intelligence Professional Development (PD) Weeks: CS Foundations for Creating with AI, a multistate initiative that will prepare thousands of K-12 educators to teach foundational computer science (CS) and AI at scale, strengthening educator capacity and expanding high-quality AI learning opportunities nationwide."Artificial Intelligence is transforming every sector of our economy, and American students must be prepared not just to use AI, but to understand it and create with it," said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. "This investment will equip thousands of educators with the tools needed to bring AI and computer science into the classroom, turning the Executive Order into action and preparing the next generation to become innovators, builders and leaders. We are thinking beyond AI towards what the White House calls the 'Future of Intelligence.' "Over the next two years, AI PD Weeks will operate in Indiana, South Carolina, Minnesota, New Jersey, Iowa, Illinois and at least three additional states. The project will directly support approximately 2,500–3,000 teachers. Based on conserva...