MSDE previews statewide AI guidance, hub and pilots; two-year Khanmigo pilot to expand classroom use

Maryland State Department of Education staff on Tuesday previewed a statewide approach to classroom artificial intelligence that pairs guidance and cybersecurity protocols with professional learning, an AI resource hub, and multi-year pilots of AI tutoring tools.

Richard Kinkade, assistant state superintendent for college and career pathways, said MSDE has participated in regional and national groups and is developing K–12 guidance that draws on the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Teach AI resources, and state stakeholder input. "The Maryland State Department of Education has demonstrated unwavering commitment to ensure that our AI guidance will reflect the highest standards of current research, workforce readiness, and educational best practices," Kinkade said.

MSDE described three main strands of work: (1) governance and cybersecurity, (2) resources and professional learning, and (3) pilots and local implementation. The Office of Information Technology has released a version 1 AI cybersecurity guidance, and an updated version is under final review for distribution to chief information officers.

AI Hub and training: MSDE staff described a public AI Hub the department is building as a centralized resource with curated articles, policy documents, an AI glossary and audience-specific modules for educators, students and families. Staff said the agency has published a free interactive module called "A Beginner's Guide to AI for Educators" and plans modules for families and students. Kinkade told the committee the hub is intended as "Maryland's definitive one-stop information center for all AI-related educational resources."

Pilots and partners: MSDE said it supported a two-year pilot of Khan Academy’s Khanmigo tutoring tool (referred to in local reports during the pilot as "Khanmigo") funded in part by a philanthropic donor. MSDE staff described two distinct district approaches: Baltimore County deployed Khanmigo licenses selectively in eighth-grade math classrooms to measure longitudinal effects when students move into Algebra I in ninth grade; Dorchester County provided countywide licenses for students and teachers, reporting high early qualitative uptake among special educators and multilingual learners. MSDE staff said year one emphasized professional learning and coaching and that more detailed quantitative usage and outcome data will be collected year two; staff said Khan Academy will report usage metrics at the end of the second pilot year.

Stakeholder work and next steps: MSDE participates in the SREB Commission on AI in Education and an SREB K–12 instructional subcommittee, and staff are contributing to state AI strategy work through the governor’s AI subcabinet and stakeholder groups convened by the Maryland Legislature. Morgan State University is drafting targeted educational surveys to capture classroom educator and central-office leader perspectives; MSDE staff said Morgan State will compile and analyze results for policy recommendations and public transparency.

Board members asked about early pilot findings, cross-state lessons and preservice teacher preparation. On equity, Kinkade and Aaron Senior, MSDE’s director of digital learning and school library media, said MSDE is planning guidance and resources to support mixed-ability classrooms, multilingual learners and students with disabilities, and acknowledged that funding and resourcing will affect district choices.

Ending: MSDE staff said more guidance will be released this fall and additional modules and training will roll out in 2026, including a train-the-trainer network with partners such as Morgan State University and the Maryland Center for Computing Education.