The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has awarded two grants to foster the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in school districts and county vocational schools throughout the state.
The grants are authorized as part of N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget. The budget appropriated a total of $1.5 million across two grants to fund AI education in K-12 classrooms and develop new Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs targeted to AI tech.
“In New Jersey, we are committed to building up our innovation economy and investing in the next generation of tech leaders,” said Gov. Murphy. “By giving our students the tools necessary to engage with AI, we are ensuring our state will remain a national leader in cutting-edge technological advancements and innovations for years to come. I look forward to seeing what these grant recipients are able to accomplish.”
According to NJDOE, the Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Education Grant will support initiatives in 10 school districts to advance the role of AI in the classroom, and the Expanding Career Pathways in Artificial Intelligence Grant will support two county vocational school districts in expanding students’ knowledge and skills about how computers and software mimic human learning, reasoning, and motor skills.
“The school districts receiving these grants are at the forefront of the future of education,” said Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “By embracing AI, they are preparing students to excel in a workforce that increasingly requires a deep understanding of how to leverage this technology. These programs are an important step toward ensuring that our classrooms not only integrate the latest technologies but also nurture the critical thinking and ethical understanding needed to thrive in the age of AI.”
The Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Education Grant will focus on the development of new programs under two key areas: teaching with AI and teaching about AI. The grant was open to New Jersey local educational agencies with at least one high school with grades 9-12 and an existing advisory committee overseeing AI integration in the curriculum.
The teaching with AI component will support initiatives such as pilot programs using generative AI tools to enhance instructional practices, including the development of individualized tutoring, data analysis to improve instruction, and teacher training in AI integration.
The teaching about AI component will focus on creating curricula to promote AI literacy among students, including lessons on AI ethics and societal impacts, as well as establishing AI-focused makerspaces to allow students to work together on projects and share ideas and fostering AI-driven project-based learning opportunities.
The Expanding Career Pathways in Artificial Intelligence Grant will be used by the vocational-technical school districts to create, develop, and publish cutting-edge AI and robotics CTE curriculum based on innovative principles for teaching and learning AI.
NJDOE said that both grants run until Jan. 31, 2026.
