AI Literacy for Innovation, Growth, and Networking

Preparing educators, schools, and communities for an AI-partnered future.

Building AI Literacy 

The ALIGN Project is a national initiative focused on helping educators, school systems, and communities thoughtfully navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in education.

Led by the Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC) team at the Texas Advanced Computing Center at The University of Texas at Austin, ALIGN works to ensure that AI literacy is accessible, ethical, and actionable for schools. 

Started in 2025 in Texas, ALIGN supports educators and leaders as they move from conversations about AI to meaningful implementation that centers teaching, learning, and student opportunity through professional learning, district planning, statewide collaboration, and community engagement.

Why AI Literacy Matters

Artificial intelligence is already influencing classrooms, workplaces, and daily life. From generative AI tools to predictive technologies, students are entering a world where understanding AI will be essential for civic participation, career readiness, and informed decision-making.

Yet many schools and communities are still determining how to approach AI responsibly and equitably.

ALIGN exists to help bridge that gap by:

  • building educator capacity,
  • supporting district implementation,
  • expanding access to high-quality AI learning opportunities,
  • and ensuring that conversations about AI remain grounded in equity, ethics, and student learning.

Leading the Way in K-12 Education
Recommendations of the Texas AI in Education Task Force

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly become integral in daily life, and Texas K-12 students and educators are navigating the opportunities and risks largely on their own. The Texas AI in Education Task Force, a coalition of educators, administrators, higher education professionals, industry leaders, parents, and nonprofit representatives, convened by the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin, produced this report to offer state policymakers a clear-eyed assessment of where Texas stands and a concrete path forward.

Read The White Paper

THINK. CREATE. QUESTION.
Our Emerging Framework for AI Literacy

ALIGN is grounded in the belief that AI literacy is not just about using tools. It is about understanding, creating, evaluating, and questioning the systems shaping our world.

Our work is guided by the idea that when working with AI, users should think, create, and question.

  • Think critically about the task at hand and brainstorm potential solutions before using AI tools.
  • Use AI tools as a partner to responsibly create artifacts that aim to provide answers to the specific questions you are exploring.
  • Question everything. Consider when, if, and how you use AI. Question the assumptions, biases, and ethical implications of the outputs that are given and edit them to ensure you are arriving at a relevant and appropriate solution.

This framework helps educators and students move beyond passive use of AI toward informed, reflective, and empowered participation.