Keyport Schools Get $75K Grant To Experiment With AI In Education

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the grant was $75 million for Keyport Schools. It has since been corrected to $75,000.

KEYPORT, NJ — The Keyport School District has received a $75,000 grant to foster the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their schools, the NJ Department of Education announced on Wednesday.

The district is just one of 10 throughout New Jersey that have received the “Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Education Grant,” which aims to support initiatives advancing the role of AI in the classroom.

According to department officials, the grant will enable the development of new programs under two key areas: “Teaching with AI” and “Teaching about AI.”

The “Teaching with AI” component will support initiatives such as pilot programs using generative AI tools to enhance instructional practices, officials said.

This includes the development of individualized tutoring, data analysis to improve instruction and teacher training in AI integration.

The “Teaching with AI” component, on the other hand, will focus on creating innovative curricula to promote AI literacy among students, officials said.

This will include lessons on AI ethics and societal impacts, establishing AI-focused maker spaces to allow students to work together on projects and share ideas, and fostering AI-driven project-based learning opportunities.

“The school districts receiving these grants are at the forefront of the future of education,” said Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “By embracing AI, they are preparing students to excel in a workforce that increasingly requires a deep understanding of how to leverage this technology.”

“These programs are an important step toward ensuring that our classrooms not only integrate the latest technologies but also nurture the critical thinking and ethical understanding needed to thrive in the age of AI,” Dehmer continued.

In addition to the “Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Education Grant,” the department is also awarding two school districts the “Expanding Career Pathways in Artificial Intelligence Grant.”

This grant is designed to expand students’ knowledge and skills on how computers and software mimic human learning, reasoning and motor skills, officials said.

The two vocational-technical school districts chosen (Mercer County Vocational School District and Middlesex County Vocational School District) will create, develop and publish an AI and robots career and technical education curriculum based on innovative principles for teaching and learning AI.

Beth Simone Noveck, NJ's chief AI strategist, said the state’s public schools have long set the standard for educational excellence and that these AI Innovation grants represent the next step forward.

“By thoughtfully integrating AI literacy and tools into our classrooms, we're democratizing access to these transformative technologies while preparing our next generation of leaders,” Noveck said.

“Together, these grant programs will help us navigate technological AI advancements and support the development of best practices for responsible AI use in education that can benefit schools across our state,” Noveck continued. “Ensuring every New Jersey student has the opportunity to shape our AI-enabled future.”

By giving students the tools needed to engage with AI, Governor Phil Murphy said the department is ensuring NJ will remain a national leader in technological advancements and innovations.

“In New Jersey, we are committed to building up our innovation economy and investing in the next generation of tech leaders,” Murphy said.

“By giving our students the tools necessary to engage with AI, we are ensuring our state will remain a national leader in cutting-edge technological advancements and innovations for years to come," Murphy continued. "I look forward to seeing what these grant recipients are able to accomplish.”

Both grants will run until January 31, 2026.

To learn more, you can visit the NJ Department of Education’s Office of Innovation website.