NEA receives Microsoft grant for expanding educator training on artificial intelligence

The National Education Association (NEA) announced it has received a $325,000 grant from Microsoft Elevate to further its work in supporting educators as they address the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. The funding will help NEA expand its outreach, provide new resources, and involve educators in the development of Microsoft AI tools.

“Understanding AI goes far beyond tools and apps. This technology will continue to fundamentally change the way we teach and learn, and the ways we interact with the world and each other," said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Our students and educators cannot be passive users; they must have agency with this technology and an appreciation for the uniquely human assets we bring to learning and to our professions.”

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said, “Educators prepare every generation to meet the future—and today, they’re shaping how AI becomes a tool for confidence, creativity, and critical thinking. Our partnership with NEA is rooted in a simple truth: technology is only as valuable as the people empowered to use it. Through Microsoft Elevate, we’re investing in AI literacy and leadership, so educators and students stay at the center of AI in the classroom.”

Building on a previous collaboration with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), which delivered an AI learning series to thousands of NEA members last year, this new grant aims to reach an additional 10,000 members. The initiative will offer updated content and micro-credentials focused on improving understanding of AI among educators. It will also support policy discussions and leadership training within NEA’s state affiliates.

“By preparing educators and leaders with the knowledge to lead and innovate educational practices and policies, and by providing avenues of practitioner input into the design of AI tools, we strive to ensure AI technologies are used in human-centered ways that promote equity, mitigate potential harms, and enrich both teaching and learning,” said Pringle.

The NEA says this partnership reinforces its commitment to professional excellence among educators while seeking to ensure equitable access to high-quality learning during technological change.

In July 2025, nearly 7,000 educator delegates attended NEA’s 103rd Representative Assembly at Philadelphia Convention Center where they approved a policy statement on addressing AI’s impact on public schools. Central to this policy is maintaining student-educator relationships as a key element in all education decisions.

“Decades of research tell us that student success relies on our ability to build healthy and effective relationships with students. Their sense of feeling supported and valued predicts their success and their love of learning,” said Pringle. “The work we will do together with Microsoft is intended to enhance—not diminish—that relationship by giving educators the tools and voice they need to use AI in ways that deepen learning, foster trust, and keep students at the heart of everything we do.”

More information about NEA’s policies on AI can be found through their Policy Statement on AI in education page. Guidance for navigating artificial intelligence in classrooms is available at NEA’s dedicated online hub.