Wichita Public Schools’ Innovative AI Integration: Transforming Education with Microsoft Copilot

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the landscape of education. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Wichita Public Schools (WPS) district, where the deliberate and innovative adoption of AI technology, particularly Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and its ecosystem, is shaping new norms for how schools operate, teach, and engage with communities. The district’s experience offers a revealing window into the practicalities, promised benefits, and critical challenges of AI integration—setting benchmarks for other organizations seeking to harness AI for both instruction and administration.

Setting the Stage: WPS Takes the AI Plunge​

Early in 2023, while many educational organizations were still debating the merits and risks of generative AI tools, WPS became one of the first major K-12 districts in the United States to roll out Microsoft Copilot Chat across its entire district. This was not a venture into technology for technology’s sake. Instead, WPS leadership, understanding the emerging power of large language models, sought to align this rollout with clearly defined instructional and operational goals.
The context cannot be understated. WPS has a diverse student population speaking over 100 languages, with pressing needs for accessible and differentiated instruction. The district also faces the administrative challenges common to large urban school systems, including complex communications, compliance burdens like those in special education, and a never-ending need to streamline workflows in both classrooms and central offices.
From the outset, technology leaders at WPS made it clear that the pursuit of AI was about amplifying human capacity—not replacing it. Quoting Katelyn Schoenhofer, WPS’s first AI specialist, the guiding principle has been “a human-centered approach, with human oversight.” This ethos informed decisions at every step: from pilot projects to professional learning, and from policy development to practical rollouts.

AI in the Classroom: Customization and Access for All​

One of the district’s first objectives was to harness AI to make learning more inclusive, engaging, and adapted to individual learning needs. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat quickly proved valuable for educators as a creative aid and instructional design partner. Teachers found Copilot useful for:

• Generating differentiated lesson plans that respond to individual student interests and learning profiles. In practice, this often meant infusing lessons with pop culture or context-specific examples—making abstract concepts, such as math ratios, more relatable.
• Translating classroom content and resources into scores of languages, dramatically enhancing accessibility for ELL (English Language Learner) students and their families.
• Supporting creative brainstorming and automating tedious planning tasks, freeing up educators’ time for more meaningful student engagement.

Perhaps most notably, the district focused on special education—a perennial challenge given its complexity and legal requirements. Here, WPS’s AI team developed custom Copilot agents tailored to support Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). These agents help translate IEP accommodation justifications into accessible, plain language for parents and caregivers, dissolving the jargon barrier and supporting transparency—a concrete example of how AI can foster inclusivity and understanding.
The district’s educators report that AI is not only streamlining paperwork but, crucially, providing scaffolds that enable more personalized teaching. “AI is going to enhance our lives. It’s going to change our lives,” Schoenhofer has said, highlighting both the excitement and responsibility surrounding these changes.

Beyond the Classroom: Operational Efficiency at Scale​

WPS’s AI adoption was not limited to teaching functions. Recognizing that school leaders, IT teams, and office staff all contend with paperwork, communication overload, and complex planning demands, the district expanded AI integrations into administrative realms.
Key operational benefits observed so far include:

• Marketing and Communication: Copilot is used for branding, press releases, internal newsletters, and storytelling—ensuring clarity, consistency, and improved engagement with school communities. AI-generated drafts and summaries help district staff scale their expertise and messaging.
• Email and Task Management: Principals and administrators enthusiastically adopted Copilot’s ability to read and summarize emails, extract action items, and automate responses. According to Dyane Smokorowski, WPS’s Coordinator of Digital Literacy, this feature alone has been a game-changer, saving significant time and reducing cognitive load.
• Data Insight and Process Automation: Copilot supports the merging of enrollment systems—critical for both IT and finance functions. Teams report accelerated app development timelines and smoother transitions between platforms, highlighting AI’s potential to bridge legacy systems.
• Policy and Event Planning: Custom Copilot agents now draft Board of Education agendas from rough notes or outlines, ensuring thoroughness and eliminating repetitive data entry.

This breadth of implementation shows how AI, when thoughtfully integrated, can touch every corner of the school district ecosystem. The operational efficiency gains are not hypothetical. WPS leaders cite significant time savings, process improvements, and the ability to refocus human resources on relationship-building and innovative problem-solving.

Fostering Community and Family Engagement​

Another frontier for WPS has been using AI to improve connections with families and the wider community. One principal, for example, leveraged Copilot to brainstorm creative engagement in a school talent show, using the tool’s ability to tap into data housed across OneDrive and Microsoft Teams for context-rich suggestions. Similarly, teams relied on Copilot Chat to rapidly design and coordinate family events, drawing upon AI-generated agendas, communication scripts, and even graphics for flyers.
On a system-wide level, WPS is developing custom agents tasked with responding to parent and caregiver questions about AI’s role in education, enrollment issues, or policy matters. This approach not only promises to lighten the communication burden on staff but also enhances transparency and builds trust—a critical asset in today’s complex educational landscape.

A Strategic, Human-Centered Rollout: Lessons and Leadership​

What truly sets WPS apart is a commitment to intentionality. For this district, AI integration is not about chasing technological fads or “easy buttons.” At every stage, district leaders have centered human well-being, professional learning, and inclusive design.

Professional Development and AI Literacy​

Access to Copilot and related tools is preceded by role-specific training. Staff are encouraged to experiment with supervised, sandboxed use—gradually building confidence and skill. Early successes, especially in special education and resource development, fueled broader adoption. This phased and mentorship-supported rollout maximizes buy-in and responsible use.
A robust professional development strategy lies at the heart of WPS’s approach. This includes not only practical “how-to” workshops, but also ongoing conversations around responsible use, data security, and the limits of AI. Staff learn to interrogate AI-generated outputs critically, avoiding overreliance while understanding both possibilities and pitfalls.

The Role of the AI Specialist​

The appointment of Katelyn Schoenhofer as the district’s inaugural AI specialist underscores the seriousness of this commitment. Her portfolio—training, policy support, data stewardship, and thought partnership—ensures every new AI project is accompanied by clear guidance and accountability. The creation of this role exemplifies a best-practice model that other districts now look to as a template.

Recognition and Broader Influence​

In May 2025, WPS’s AI journey was recognized nationally with the ISTE+ASCD Distinguished District Award, validating the district’s leadership and innovation. While accolades are important, the greater legacy may be WPS’s willingness to share practical lessons—failures and breakthroughs alike—with the broader education community.

Critical Analysis: Strengths, Challenges, and the Road Ahead​

As with any ambitious transformation, WPS’s AI journey surfaces complex questions alongside its successes. While the project offers an inspiring model, it is crucial to critically examine both strengths and risks.

Notable Strengths​

• Deliberate, Human-Centered Design: WPS continually grounds AI use in student and educator well-being, resisting the lure of automation for its own sake. Every technology decision proceeds from authentic needs, not vendor hype—a practice that helps contain unwanted consequences.
• Investment in People: The district’s emphasis on professional learning, mentorship, and upskilling at all roles (from teachers to central administrators) is both necessary and commendable. This ensures that AI does not widen existing equity gaps, but rather supports systemic improvement.
• Custom Solutions with Off-the-Shelf Tools: By building custom Copilot agents, WPS addresses specific challenges (like IEP documentation or BoE agenda planning) while leveraging the scalability and reliability of a cloud-native platform.
• Openness and Community Transparency: The district’s willingness to build AI literacy among parents, students, and the broader public may prove essential in counteracting skepticism, misunderstanding, or opposition to new technologies.

Cautionary Notes and Potential Risks​

• Reliability and Bias: Despite careful oversight, large language models—like those powering Copilot—are not immune to hallucinations, factual errors, or the reproduction of bias. WPS’s investments in AI literacy mitigate these risks but cannot eliminate them. Educators and policymakers must vigilantly monitor for unintended consequences or inaccuracies in both instructional and administrative contexts.
• Data Security and Privacy: The move toward AI-assisted data analysis, communication, and student record management raises new concerns about data exposure, especially given the sensitive nature of educational data. WPS’s stated commitments to data governance and security protocols are essential but must be revisited continually as technologies evolve and threats change.
• Equity and Access: While WPS has made notable strides in translation and accessibility features, the digital divide remains a persistent risk, both among staff (in terms of training differentials) and families (with access to devices or connectivity). Thoughtful, ongoing monitoring is necessary to ensure that AI tools do not inadvertently privilege some users over others.
• Sustainability and Vendor Dependence: Heavy reliance on a single AI platform raises strategic questions about vendor lock-in, cost escalation, and adaptability in the face of changing technologies or institutional needs. WPS’s balanced mix of off-the-shelf and custom-built solutions presents a good hedge, but this should remain a focus for future planning.
• Scalability Beyond Early Adopters: WPS’s thoughtful, phased approach is an exemplar, but scaling such a strategy to larger regions, or districts with fewer resources, poses its own set of challenges. Professional learning, change management, and infrastructure investments are not universally feasible, and careful attention must be paid to the resource constraints of other districts emulating this model.

A Blueprint for Other Schools? Practical Lessons from Wichita Public Schools​

For districts at the beginning of their AI journeys, WPS’s experience offers actionable guidance:

• Identify “Sticking Points”: Start with acute, persistent problems. Whether it’s tedious paperwork, compliance headaches, or language barriers, the best AI use cases arise from real-world challenges.
• Invest in Collective Expertise: Upskill your teams, embrace a learning culture, and build collaborative problem-solving routines. As CIO Rob Dickson notes, “AI gives you a perspective that you didn’t know before... you can constantly fail safely and learn.”
• Balance Simplicity with Depth: Harness the efficiency gains that AI tools provide, but accompany adoption with deep critical reflection on long-term impacts. Avoid the temptation to treat AI as a panacea; instead, focus on thoughtful, iterative improvement.
• Celebrate the Human Element: As digital literacy leader Dyane Smokorowski reminds us, tools like Copilot are at their best when they help educators design richer, more joyous learning experiences. Technology should never overshadow the profound satisfaction of helping students exceed their expectations.

The Verdict: AI as a Catalyst, Not a Replacement​

Wichita Public Schools stands out as a district unafraid to innovate, but equally unwilling to trade caution and intentionality for unchecked speed. Its experience with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and its AI ecosystem is instructive: with sound strategy, persistent professional development, and an unwavering focus on human connection, AI can become an ally in the quest for more equitable, efficient, and creative education.
Yet, as WPS itself acknowledges, this is only the beginning. The district’s roadmap for the future includes smartly expanding custom AI tools, deepening insights into student learning, and confronting the next wave of ethical and operational questions that technology inevitably brings. For the broader education sector, the Wichita story is both blueprint and warning: when harnessed wisely, AI can transform schooling—but only when humans remain firmly in the driver’s seat, charting the course with clarity, humility, and care.

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Source: Microsoft How Wichita Public Schools embraces the use of AI in education | Microsoft Education Blog