This month, Family Engagement Lab contributed to a national conversation: the U.S. Department of Education’s call for public comment on AI in education. Our message was clear: AI should deepen, not diminish, the connections between families and schools. At this pivotal moment, we have the chance to design AI that expands equity, transparency, and trust by ensuring families are central partners.
For too long, educational innovations have overlooked the essential role of families. We’ve seen how new technologies, while well-intentioned, can unintentionally sideline parents - leaving them in the dark about what their children are learning and how to help. As leaders in the family engagement space, we believe this moment is different. With thoughtful design and clear expectations, AI can open doors for families rather than close them.
That’s why our comment urges the Department to put families at the center of this transformation. At Family Engagement Lab, we know from research and experience that when families are equipped and empowered, students thrive. With the rapid rise of AI in education, we must ensure that empowerment - not exclusion - is the default.
Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O’Bryon
Family Engagement Lab Co-founders
What we're sharing
The U.S. Department of Education recently released guidance on the use of AI in schools and opened a call for public comment on proposed priorities. We saw this as a critical opportunity to lift up the voices of families, whose perspectives are too often absent from these national conversations.
In our comment, we urged the Department to:
Require family engagement in all federally funded AI initiatives - partnership with families should not be optional or “nice to have.”
Prioritize inclusive design by investing in tools and processes that reflect families’ lived experiences, including those navigating language barriers, poverty, or systemic exclusion.
Ensure equity and accessibility by requiring AI tools to work across devices, in multiple languages, and in low-bandwidth environments so that digital divides do not become learning divides.
Research shows family engagement predicts student success more than income or parent education level. AI has the potential to democratize this advantage by bringing timely insights, actionable guidance, and personalized supports directly to parents - but only if designed with empathy and inclusion.
We believe every family deserves to be seen, supported, and equipped to help their child thrive. This is the moment to get it right.
Our comment to the Department wasn’t theoretical - it reflects the lessons we’ve learned and the solutions we’ve built. FASTalk AI is a living example of what it looks like when innovation is paired with inclusion.
Family engagement as a requirement: From its earliest stages, FASTalk AI has been built around the principle that families deserve a clear, consistent window into classroom learning.
Inclusive design: FASTalk AI was developed with families and educators. Parents helped us shape the routines, language, and content so that the tool reflects their realities - whether that’s practicing math in the grocery store or playing with words at bedtime.
Equity and accessibility: Every FASTalk AI activity is short, practical, and available in families’ home languages. Our goal is not to overwhelm parents with data but to empower them with simple, joyful actions that build confidence and connection.
This fall, schools and districts can pilot FASTalk AI to give families a strong start to the year. Weekly messages help parents:
Stay aligned with classroom instruction through grade-level, standards-based activities.
Practice in ways that fit their lives by tailoring suggestions to family routines and children’s interests.
Build momentum and confidence through small, consistent nudges that reinforce the idea: “I can help my child learn.”
District and school leaders can bring these benefits to families now — our team is offering fall pilots to get started!
This article argues that generative AI can do more than deliver static information to parents—it can act as a personalized coach that helps families overcome the everyday “behavioral bottlenecks” that get in the way of learning at home. By giving parents real-time prompts and support, AI can make engagement easier, more consistent, and more joyful. This idea mirrors the heart of FASTalk AI: a guide that turns good intentions into meaningful action.
Brookings warns of a looming “third digital divide”: students may have access to AI-powered tools, but without the right people-centered support, those tools may not translate into meaningful learning. This divide risks leaving families without the context they need to help their children succeed. FASTalk AI is designed to close that gap—not just by delivering content, but by offering context, in-language support, and family-centered coaching that makes technology strengthen, rather than weaken, connection.
Where we'll be
This fall, we’re looking forward to joining national gatherings that bring together educators, researchers, policymakers, and innovators who share our commitment to family engagement and inclusive approaches to learning. These events offer inspiring spaces to connect with others who are advancing equity, rethinking the role of technology, and ensuring families remain central to education.
National Assembly for Family Engagement in Education (NAFSCE) — New Orleans, October 6–10, 2025 National convening on family-school-community partnerships.Learn more →
57th NCSM Annual Conference — Atlanta, October 13–15, 2025 Conference for math education leaders advancing equity and innovation.Learn more →
EdTech Week — New York City, October 20–22, 2025 Festival of ideas shaping the future of learning technology.Learn more →
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