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.
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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.
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.
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.