Yakima School District Experiments With AI for Lesson Planning and Instruction
The Yakima School District has spent three years testing AI tools to help teachers plan lessons and create instructional materials. District leaders say the experiment is working: 412 of roughly 1,031 teachers have used the platform, averaging 14 sessions and nearly five hours each.
Maria Lucero, the district's director of teaching and learning, initially resisted the shift toward AI. She changed her mind as the technology became unavoidable. "Like with any business, they're always evolving," she said. "There are different forces that cause us to evolve, so we have to evolve."
How Teachers Are Using AI
The district partnered with Colleague AI, a platform developed through the University of Washington that provides workflow tools for educators and learning tools for students. Teachers primarily used it to create slide decks, visuals, handouts and resources aligned with state standards.
Melanie Olivares Bustamante, a second-grade dual-language teacher at Barge-Lincoln Elementary, integrated AI into her classroom in February. She writes descriptions of what she needs, and the platform generates posters, visuals and songs for her multilingual learners. "My students really love the images that I can create," she said.
Andy Gonzalez, the district's executive director of technology, emphasized that AI doesn't replace teacher work. It makes planning more efficient while staying aligned with district frameworks.
Cost Creates Uncertainty
The district's three-year agreement with Colleague AI is ending. The platform was free under the original deal, but continuing would require payment at a time when Yakima County schools face budget pressure.
Gonzalez said the district is negotiating with Colleague AI on pricing. "There is value in the areas of lesson planning and being able to create aligned outputs based on our district's focus," he said. Any decision will depend on whether they can reach a workable price and how they want to use the tools strategically.
Broader AI Adoption in Washington Schools
Yakima isn't alone. In October, Microsoft announced its Elevate program, offering AI tools free to selected school districts and community colleges for up to three years. Ten Washington districts received funding, including Walla Walla, Seattle, Bellevue, Kennewick and Puyallup.
The state's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction published guidance on ethical AI use in schools. The agency recognizes that students need to understand and work with these tools to prepare for their futures.
The Yakima district applied for a Gates Foundation grant focused on innovative AI use in teaching and data systems. Lucero said the possibilities are expanding daily. "The possibilities are unknown, because things are becoming available daily that weren't available even just yesterday," she said.
For educators interested in understanding AI's role in instruction, resources like AI for Education and an AI Learning Path for Teachers offer structured guidance on implementation and best practices.
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