Reclaiming Thinking in the Age of Generative AI

Eric Levels, Executive Director of Digital Learning and Emerging Technology, Tomball ISD

Eric Levels, Executive Director of Digital Learning and Emerging Technology, Tomball ISD

Dr. Eric Ryan Levels advances student-centered innovation by embedding AI and emerging technologies into classroom practice, equipping educators with practical frameworks that strengthen agency and future readiness. He develops rigorous expository preaching skills, translating deep scholarship into transformative teaching that bridges academic excellence and real-world impact.

As the Executive Director of Digital Learning and Emerging Technology for Tomball Independent School District (TISD), I am proud to share our journey in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence. Our approach has been one of proactive leadership, grounded in the belief that our students must be prepared for an increasingly digital future.

The following responses provide insight into the principles, strategies and lessons that define TISD's commitment to excellence in AI integration.

Proactive Governance: Principles of the TISD AI Policy

Tomball ISD chose to adopt the Texas Association of School Board’s (TASB) recommended policy following the 89th Texas Legislature regarding AI. TISD recognizes AI as an emerging technology that, when used responsibly and ethically, can significantly enhance educational experiences. TISD has enhanced the operation of the local policy by creating clear and consistent district regulations that will assist students, teachers and all staff in embracing AI. Our primary goal was to create a coherent framework that balances innovation with academic integrity and excellence.

Several core principles guided this development:

● Responsible Innovation: We support using technology to enhance teaching and learning while focusing on teaching students to use AI ethically.

● Empowerment through Choice: While we encourage exploration, teachers have the autonomy to decide whether to allow AI for instructional purposes in their classrooms.

● Equitable Access: We are committed to providing all students with access to district-approved, grade-level appropriate AI tools that support their specific learning objectives.

● Student Protection: Safeguarding student privacy and data security remains a non-negotiable cornerstone of our policy.

The HUMAN Framework: Balancing Safety and Innovation

Introducing generative AI required a robust strategy to mitigate risks like over-reliance while promoting creativity. We use the HUMAN Framework for AI Implementation to guide this balance:

● Hone the Goal: Every AI interaction must align with core standards and have a measurable impact on learning.

● Understand Limitations: Users must evaluate if the AI can consistently provide factual information or meaningful mediation for the task.

● Mitigate Risks: This involves using only vetted, district-approved tools and teaching students to maintain original thought.

● Assess the Interaction: Students are encouraged to critique AI responses and reflect on how the tool assisted their process.

● Nurture Human Connection: We ensure that AI deepens, rather than replaces, human interaction and community.

Cultivating AI Literacy for All Stakeholders

Our AI literacy courses are designed for students, staff and parents to ensure a shared understanding across the district. These courses emphasize:

● The VERIFY Method: A critical skill where users learn to Verify with multiple sources, examine source quality, research recency, investigate unusual claims, find primary sources and yield to expert consensus.

● Digital Citizenship: We provide explicit lessons on the impact, capabilities and ethical considerations of AI.

“TISD has enhanced the operation of the local policy by creating clear and consistent district regulations that will assist students, teachers and all staff in embracing AI. Our primary goal was to create a coherent framework that balances innovation with academic integrity and excellence.”

● Academic Integrity: A major focus is placed on using AI as a supplementary tool and properly attributing AI-assisted work to maintain honesty.

AI in Action: Specialized Learning Outcomes

In practice, AI supports learning differently depending on the discipline. In Reading Language Arts (RLA), we utilize specialized tools to meet students at their specific developmental stages:

● 7th and 8th Grade (NoRedInk): At the middle school level, we leverage NoRedInk for its adaptive curriculum. Its advantages include personalized interest-based content that increases engagement while providing immediate, scaffolded feedback on grammar and writing.

● 5th and 6th Grade Intervention (Amira Learning): For our intervention efforts, Amira Learning serves as an AI-powered reading tutor. Its benefits include real-time oral reading fluency assessment and personalized practice, allowing for precise support in decoding and comprehension.

In Math, we emphasize personalized pathways and robust instructional support:

● 5th and 6th Grade (Kiddom): We use Kiddom to support our math curriculum. The benefits include providing teachers with high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) that can be easily personalized for students, alongside actionable data insights to drive small-group instruction.

Fostering Community and Excellence through TRAINS

A key pillar of our strategy is TRAINS (Tomball’s Roundtable for Artificial Intelligence and Networking Symposium). This one-day conference serves as a vital platform for exploring the integration of AI in education, specifically focusing on the student utility of AI within the educational setting. TRAINS allows us to:

● Network and Collaborate: We bring together educational leaders, industry experts and workforce partners to share insights.

● Advance Practices: The symposium provides a space to refine educational strategies and ensure our use of AI remains at the forefront of pedagogical excellence.

Early Lessons for Districts Beginning Their Journey

For districts just starting, I would offer these insights:

1. Prioritize Policy Early: Don't wait for external mandates. Establishing a foundation that defines responsible use protects data privacy and prevents a culture of “flat denial” or reliance on ineffective AI detectors.

2. Focus on Literacy, Not Just Tools: The technology will change in shifting from simple chatbots to autonomous “agents” that perform actions rather than just holding dialogues. The ability to critically evaluate information (like our VERIFY method) is a lifelong skill.

3. Outsource the Doing, Guard the Thinking: We need to emphasize to students that although AI can manage “doing” tasks like coding or formatting, human judgment remains essential for “thinking.” This approach removes the “grunt work” from teaching, allowing educators more time for impactful human interaction.

4. Engage All Stakeholders: Our rollout includes dedicated phases for staff, parents and students because AI literacy is a community-wide necessity.

5. Build Institutional Muscle Memory: Start small with “AI sandboxes” where teachers can discover safely and intentional professional learning communities to surface real classroom needs.

6. Embrace Exploration: View AI as a strategic tool to empower students to lead in creating the future.

At Tomball ISD, we remain dedicated to being a “Destination District” where students responsibly leverage global technology as a tool for their lifelong success.