By Sandra Rodriguez, Executive Director, Texas

Across Texas, school districts are moving quickly from talking about artificial intelligence to figuring out how to use it. 

Over the past several months, I’ve had a front-row seat to conversations happening across the state as educators, families, and community leaders wrestle with what AI could mean for education. What has struck me most is that the conversation is no longer about whether AI will influence education. That reality is already here.  

The more important question is whether our communities will have the opportunity to understand AI and help shape how it is used. As districts begin exploring AI tools and considering how these technologies fit into teaching and learning, important decisions are already being made. Those decisions will influence students, educators, and families alike. 

Across many of these conversations, a common theme emerged: AI will amplify whatever we already are. 

I keep returning to that idea because it captures both the opportunity and the responsibility facing our schools. If schools are grounded in strong teaching, trust, and meaningful family engagement, AI has the potential to strengthen those foundations. But if gaps already exist between schools and communities, technology alone will not close them. 

These conversations also pushed me to think differently about AI literacy. AI literacy cannot stop at simply learning how to use tools. 

Yes, that matters. Students, families, and educators should understand how these technologies work and how they can be used responsibly. But stopping there is not enough. We also need to understand AI as a topic worthy of discussion and critical thinking. We need to ask how these systems may influence learning, opportunity, and the future of work. Understanding how to prompt a chatbot is one thing. Understanding how AI may shape the world our students will inherit is something much bigger.

That distinction became clear to me during a recent session of Familias Latinas Por La Educación, where Spanish-speaking parents were introduced to AI tools designed to support student learning and career exploration. For many participants, it was their first experience using this technology and what we saw was not hesitation, but excitement. 

One parent responded, “Es que me emociona.” This really excites me. 

Another immediately said, “Necesito ser experta.” I need to become an expert. 

Those reactions challenged assumptions I often hear about emerging technologies. The families I met were not intimidated by AI. They were energized by the opportunity to learn more about it. As parents explored the tools, the conversation quickly moved beyond the technology itself. They wanted to understand what AI might mean for their children’s futures and how they could help them navigate a rapidly changing world. 

In other words, they were already doing exactly what we should be encouraging more people to do: thinking about AI not simply as a tool, but as a topic that deserves engagement and discussion. 

That same curiosity is showing up in conversations with educators and district leaders throughout Texas. People are asking thoughtful questions about how AI should be implemented and what impact it may have on students and communities. The future of AI in education can not be shaped solely by technology companies or policy decisions. It must also be shaped by the questions families ask and the choices communities make about how these tools are used. 

Texas has an opportunity to approach this moment differently. As districts continue exploring AI, they should create meaningful opportunities for Latino families to learn, ask questions, and contribute their perspectives. Those conversations should happen early, while implementation is still taking shape, not after decisions have already been made. 

From what I have seen across our state, our families are ready for that conversation. 

Now it is up to all of us to make sure they are invited into it. 

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 Sandra Rodriguez is a dedicated advocate for Latino leadership in education. As Executive Director, Texas at Latinos for Education, she strengthens educator pipelines, mobilizes communities, and influences policy for greater equity. A proud Mexican American and first-generation college graduate, she understands firsthand the systemic barriers Latino students face and has worked to dismantle them through advocacy, leadership development, and policy change. Sandra’s experience in community development, transportation equity, and environmental justice informs her holistic approach to education leadership. As President of the Gulfton Super Neighborhood Council, she ensures community voices shape policies that create lasting impact for students and families.