NSF AI grant $1M: "AI for All," a classroom-to-workforce AI education pipeline (University of Virginia, EO 14277)

The NSF awarded about $1,000,000 to the University of Virginia's "AI for All: Building the Nationwide Pipeline from Classroom to Workforce" (NSF Award 2603854; program: ExLENT; June 2026 – May 2029).

Per the abstract, the U.S. faces a growing gap between demand for AI literacy and K-12's capacity to deliver it. Despite AI's rapid spread across industries, most high school educators lack training to teach AI concepts and most students graduate without meaningful exposure. The project integrates AI education into high school classrooms, empowers teachers, engages students in hands-on learning, and connects students to real workforce opportunities. It advances priorities in Executive Order 14277, "Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth," and contributes to U.S. competitiveness in the AI economy.

It uses a train-the-trainer model with four objectives. First, 20 high school teachers are trained over three years through "AI on Saturdays," a 14-week professional development program in Python, machine learning, and AI application development, followed by curriculum design studios producing standards-aligned modules. Second, teachers deliver a 14-week AI skills program to grade 11–12 students. Third, students develop professional competencies through feedback activities, an industry speaker series, and a Make-a-Thon. Fourth, 20 students per year (60 total) complete 8-week paid internships with partner technology companies and university labs. All materials are freely available online and findings are disseminated publicly.