Teachers and parents were surveyed separately this fall, and on one issue, both groups landed on the same number: 78%. Teachers see what social media does to focus in the classroom. Parents want phones to have a ‘school mode’ that turns distractions off while keeping phones with the kids. Find out what else parents want at ParentsonAI.org.

Where should a laptop live during school hours? This question splits households and classrooms. A majority of parents in our September poll want laptops on a cart and handed out for specific lessons, while more than a third would keep them at desks all day. What do you think? Check out the rest of the poll at NPUonAI.org, then tell us in the comments if you’re Team Cart or Team Desk.

Most teachers were already using AI before anyone trained them. Those who use it weekly report saving time, and that adds up across a school year. TeachersonAI.org gives teachers free, practical training on using AI safely and appropriately. Share this with the teachers in your life. #TeachersOnAI #AIinSchools

Schools keep our kids’ records, health information, and disability services data. A new federal cybersecurity alert shows how vulnerable those systems can be. NPU President Keri Rodrigues is calling on federal and state leaders to help districts prevent attacks before they happen. Read the full statement here: tinyurl.com/4b722tyc

Brian Donahue didn’t set out to start a statewide movement. But what began with inviting neighbors into a conversation grew into Not Just Us, an organization that connects parents, schools, faith leaders and community organizations across CT. Brian shares more about its origins in our latest Parent Voice blog: tinyurl.com/4rzkcxc4

Have you heard? NPU has joined @EdPwrOrg to work with state and federal leaders to improve the public school experience for every child in America. Read the Ten Commitments to Public Education at EdPwr.org.

What started as the simple idea that parents deserve a say in the decisions that shape their kid’s lives has grown into a movement that represents 2.15 million families in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. We don’t wait for a seat at the table. We bring our own chairs. Membership is free. Come join us: nationalparentsunion.org

Parents have downloaded the toolkit at MyKidMyData.org more than 10,000 times, because they want to know the right questions to ask their kids’ schools about AI and student data. Start with: Does the school have a written, public AI policy for staff, and where can parents get a copy? MyKidMyData.org is free and includes a letter builder to help parents put their questions in writing for their kid’s school. #MyKidMyData #AIinSchools #StudentPrivacy #ParentsVsEverybody #ParentAdvocacy

Parents want kids taught to use AI safely, and 85% support making AI safety part of K-12 instruction. That job lands on teachers and too many of them are being handed powerful new tools without the training to support them. Investing in teachers is how schools protect kids while preparing them for the future. Learn more at NPUonAI.org

Election season keeps handing parents attack ads and mailers. NPU President @radiokeri and @Ed4Excellence CEO @EvanRStone handed candidates a to-do list instead: 10 commitments to improve schools, built by 60+ parent and teacher organizations. Read it in @The74: tinyurl.com/4pdakdav

The READ Act cleared the Senate HELP Committee in July and has waited for a full Senate vote ever since. Parents have ranked reading as a top priority in their kid’s education and it’s time for the Senate to do the same. Take 60 seconds, call your senators, and tell them to vote for the READ Act.

Parents know that banning technology from classrooms is only setting kids up to be unprepared for the future. What they want are clear limits, explanations about how screens support learning, and to be part of the conversation before the policies get written. See what else parents have to say: NPUonAI.org

What should every family count on from their public schools? NPU has joined @edpwrorg, a coalition of groups who believe that the status quo in public education isn’t good enough and are committed to change, to answer that question. Learn more at edpwr.org

Chicago families - the NPU Parent Listening Tour goes virtual on Thursday, 10/29 at 6PM CT. Join NPU and Brookings Institution’s Rebecca Winthrop to talk about AI and tech in our kids’ classrooms. Scan the QR code or click here to register: forms.gle/7hGXtCM9WYvr7MgH6 #NPUisEPIC #ParentPower

Keep parents in the loop. That’s not asking a lot. 83% of parents want to be able to see their kid’s conversations with AI chatbots. Families want to know when a child is in trouble, and lawmakers writing chatbot rules this year can build that in from the start. See the full results at parentsonAI.org

We’ve added more stops to our EPIC Parent Listening Tour! In 2027, we’re coming to San Juan, Birmingham, Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Boston, Seattle, NYC, Denver, Chicago and Billings, MT. Families have a lot to say and NPU wants to hear from you. Stay updated with where we’re going and let us know if you want us to come to your city. Let us know here: npuisepic.org

Two cities, three days, dozens of parents and caregivers talking about AI and technology, and sharing their hopes and fears for their kid. We listened to their challenges, celebrated their wins, and heard what parents want lawmakers to do. Chicago families, you’re up next! Join us October 29th for a virtual listening session. #NPUisEPIC #ParentPower #Detroit #Providence @engageddet_hsc @stopthewaitri

Every student deserves a safe learning environment where they can thrive. Our kids need to be safe, welcomed, and supported in order to learn and thrive. The Ten Commitments spell out what families should be able to count on from their public schools. Learn more: edpwr.org/home

Parents, teachers and leaders want to know what schools are doing with AI. The NPU Center for AI and Technology brings you every free tool we’ve built on kids and AI, all in one place. No fees, no accounts, no passwords. NPUonAI.org

ICYMI: Former U.S. Secretaries of Education Margaret Spellings and Arne Duncan argue in @educationweek that every state should treat third grade reading proficiency, grounded in the science of reading, as a nonnegotiable priority. NPU parents have pushed for that commitment through the READ Act, and we welcome the company. tinyurl.com/2anc3mn8