Putting Student Voice at the Heart of AI Integration with North Shore School District 112

By: Kendell Hunter

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, where he is nationally recognized for his leadership in student voice, global service learning, and innovative educational practices. A frequent speaker and published author, his work has earned multiple state and national awards, including recognition as one of the Top 100 Influencers in Education and selection to the 2025 ISTE-ASCD Generation AI and Google-GSV Fellowships.

What happens when students help design the future of AI in schools? In North Shore School District 112, learners aren’t just passive users of the technology; they’re active researchers, co-designers, and evaluators of how AI supports authentic learning. At a recent Education Week K-12 Essentials Forum, Superintendent Dr. Michael Lubelfeld took the “stage” to share how the district is flipping the traditional top-down adoption model through its student-centered AI research plan.

Watch the webinar:

Explore Otus AI

What K-12 Leaders Should Take From This Conversation

Real AI impact starts with student voice, not tech

AI tools are most effective when they’re designed with students, not simply deployed to them. If anyone understands this, it’s Dr. Lubelfeld. His work shows that when learners act as co-researchers and evaluators, districts avoid top-down decisions that reinforce existing inequities and ensure that AI serves student-defined learning goals.

“What I'm asking you to challenge yourselves and your organization is to think about: are you involving students? How are you involving students? If you are, is it really maximizing student voice agency and input as partners? And if you're not, can you maybe think of why or how you could?”

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld

Superintendent
,
North Shore School District 112 (IL)

AI literacy is now essential to preparing students for a changing world

Access alone doesn’t prepare students for an AI-driven world. Dr. Lubelfeld’s research underscores the need to teach technical understanding, ethical awareness, and digital citizenship as part of everyday learning. When students learn how AI works, where it falls short, and how to question it responsibly, they’re far better equipped to use the technology with confidence and care.

“Ultimately, enhanced student agency will allow for students to take ownership of their learning, not just technology, but take ownership of their learning. Improved AI literacy and fluency are going to allow for critical understanding across diverse student populations.”

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld

Superintendent
,
North Shore School District 112 (IL)

Frameworks like ASK’EM make student-centered AI adoption practical and scalable

Student voice can’t be a one-off initiative; it needs structure. Dr. Lubelfeld’s work with the ASK’EM framework shows how schools can create repeatable conditions for asking, supporting, knowing, and empowering students while monitoring progress along the way. With a clear framework in place, districts can design AI practices that strengthen rigor, differentiation, engagement, and student agency across classrooms.

“If you want to know what students are thinking, just ask them. Ask the students. Create conditions where asking them and listening to them is something that you stand for. Support them. Not every ask can be given into or can be realized, so support them. Know the students. Know your teachers. Build those culture, climate, inclusive relationships, empower the students to lead, and then monitor the progress and pivot and adapt as you can.”

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld

Superintendent
,
North Shore School District 112 (IL)

See What Otus AI Can Do

Kendell Hunter

Director of Marketing

Otus

Kendell Hunter is a former special education teacher and reading specialist with a master’s degree in education and more than a decade of experience in K-12 schools and edtech.