The AI Certification Program Built By Educators, For Educators

AI is already in your classrooms. It arrived through students' phones, through parents' questions, and through the tools your teachers are quietly experimenting with on their own.

The problem isn't whether to adopt AI. That decision has been made for you. The problem is that your educators don't have a shared foundation. No common language, no agreed-upon ethics framework, no practical training on the tools reshaping how students learn and how teachers teach.

The AI-Ready Educator Certification was developed by Dr. Heidi Baynes and the Riverside County Office of Education in partnership with Alludo to solve exactly this. It's a self-paced, evidence-based certification program that trains your entire staff — teachers, administrators, and classified employees — in 15 minutes a day, without pulling anyone out of a classroom.

331 activities. 90+ hours of curriculum. 40 topics across 4 core modules. Up to 6 CEUs through Fresno Pacific University. And most districts have their teams learning within 48 hours of purchase.

This is not a webinar series. It's not a binder of PDFs. It's a comprehensive, role-specific AI certification your educators will actually complete and your board will actually respect.

Why Now? Why This Program?

AI literacy is no longer optional. It's an operational requirement.

Every month you wait, the gap between what your students know about AI and what your staff knows about AI gets wider. Teachers are making individual decisions. Some embrace AI, some ban it, most are unsure because nobody has given them a framework.

That inconsistency is a liability. For student outcomes, for parent trust, and for your district's reputation.

Here's what we've seen districts get wrong, and how this program was built to get it right.

"We'll figure it out with a few PD days."

No. You won't.

Sorry, to be blunt but we hear this all the time and when we check in months later, districts are still figuring it out.

A one-day workshop on AI gives teachers a surface-level overview that's outdated within weeks. AI tools change constantly.

New platforms launch, existing ones add features, best practices evolve. Your staff needs ongoing, structured training, not a single event they'll forget by the following Monday.

The AI-Ready Educator delivers 90+ hours of curriculum in micro-sessions (most activities are 15 minutes). Educators learn at their own pace, on their own schedule, and stay current through weekly live Q&A sessions with AI educators and industry experts.

"We just need to train our teachers."

Teachers are only part of the equation.

Your front office staff are fielding parent questions about AI. Your administrators need policy frameworks. Your classified employees encounter AI in their daily workflows. A program that only targets classroom teachers leaves the rest of your organization unprepared.

The AI-Ready Educator includes role-specific tracks for elementary, middle, and high school teachers, but also dedicated topics for clerical and operational staff, district professionals, and administrators. Everyone gets training relevant to their actual work.

"Our teachers don't have time for another training program."

We know. That's why this program was designed around the reality of a school day, not the fantasy of unlimited professional development time.

Every activity is 5–30 minutes. The vast majority are 15 minutes. Educators complete them during a prep period, over lunch, or before the morning bell. No weekend workshops. No after-school sessions. No substitute coverage required.

And because it's self-paced and choice-driven, teachers engage with the content that matters to their grade level, subject area, and comfort level — not a one-size-fits-all sequence that wastes half their time on irrelevant material.

"We can find free AI resources online."

You can spend your time looking for fragments.

A YouTube video here, a blog post there, a free trial of a tool that expires in two weeks. What you can't find is a coherent, structured program that moves educators from AI-anxious to AI-competent with evidence-based mastery, university-backed credentials, and a live support community.

Free resources also can't tell you which of your 200 teachers actually completed the training, what they learned, or whether they can apply it. The AI-Ready Educator tracks all of it.

"AI will look different in a year. Why invest now?"

The tools will change. The foundations won't. Bias awareness, ethical use, student data privacy, prompt engineering, critical evaluation of AI outputs. These skills transfer across every tool and every update. The AI-Ready Educator was built on durable competencies, not a single platform that might not exist next year.

And the program itself evolves. New tool topics are added as platforms emerge (we currently cover 21 AI tools). Weekly live sessions address whatever is happening right now. Your investment doesn't expire when the next AI tool launches.

 

What's Inside the AI-Ready Educator Certification

Module 1: AI Foundations (50 activities · 12+ hours)

This is where every educator starts, regardless of role or comfort level. Five topics build a shared foundation your entire staff can operate from.

• What AI is, how it works, and why it matters in education — vocabulary, daily-life applications, myth-busting, and critical analysis of AI in the news
• Bias, ethics, and responsible AI — student safety, algorithmic bias, facial recognition fairness, data privacy, and building an ethics action plan
• Safety and law — FERPA compliance, copyright, age verification, platform policies, incident response, and a legal compliance checklist
• Centering student learning — aligning AI with learning objectives, differentiation, student agency, metacognition, and measuring student success
• Teaching AI literacy at every level — grade-band strategies, scaffolding, vocabulary leveling, cross-curricular connections, and building a literacy progression map

Module 2: AI for Your Role (64 activities · 17+ hours)

Not every educator needs the same training. This module branches into seven role-specific topics so each person gets exactly what's relevant to their work.

• Elementary (K-5) — age-appropriate AI concepts through sorting, patterns, storytelling, simple coding, voice assistants, and future thinking
• Middle School (6-8) — hypothesis testing, fairness debates, algorithm design, bias analysis, research skills, and innovation pitches
• High School (9-12) — inquiry design, prompt engineering, ethics deep dives, career connections, peer teaching, and capstone projects
• Clerical and operational support — communication tools, scheduling, behavior tracking, process automation, and resource management
• District leadership — policy frameworks, acceptable use policies, TeachAI principles, operational efficiencies, and implementation guidance
• Skills for any district professional — AI-powered writing, proofreading, resume building, flyer creation, spreadsheet formulas, meeting notes, and effective prompting
• Leading the shift — vision-casting, change management, policy development, training programs, sustainability planning, and success metrics

Module 3: AI for Your Content Area (62 activities · 15+ hours)

Subject-specific topics built for the way each discipline actually uses AI.

• Humanities and social studies — fact-checking, civic applications, cultural perspectives, debate enhancement, document analysis, and social justice
• Science and math — predictions, pattern detection, simulations, data science, formula generation, concept visualization, and research
• English language arts — AI editing, ethics of AI-generated text, essay grading, character development, poetry, research writing, multimedia storytelling, and proper citation (MLA and APA)
• Visual and performing arts — AI-generated art galleries, scene comparison, music remixing, digital art creation, cultural exploration, and animation
• Mathematics (dedicated track) — strategy comparison, pattern hunting, proof partnerships, data visualization, error analysis, and mathematical modeling
• Physical education — lesson planning, fitness tracking, form analysis, performance prediction, adaptive activities, nutrition, and wellness

Module 4: AI Tools for Educators (149 activities · 49+ hours)

Hands-on training across 21 AI platforms. Not overviews — real, task-based activities where educators use each tool and submit evidence of what they built.

• ChatGPT and Generative AI (11 activities) — prompting, tutoring, Excel, PowerPoint, NoRedInk integration, and exploring multiple chatbots
• Brisk Teaching (10) — reading levels, quiz creation from video, essay feedback, slide decks, writing replay, lesson plans, rubrics, and certification
• MagicSchool AI (9) — rubric generator, image generator, and full four-level certification plus MagicStudent certification
• SchoolAI (10) — assistants, spaces, standards alignment, performance tasks, and Level 1 educator certification
• Diffit (9) — leveled resources, YouTube adaptation, text resources, regeneration, sharing, and educator certification
• Curipod (12) — lesson creation, exit tickets, brain breaks, subject-specific use, ELL support, student insights, AI feedback, and certification
• Eduaide.AI (7) — content generator, teaching assistant, feedback bot, chat, and assessment builder
• Adobe Firefly (6) — custom images, generative fill, structure reference, style matching, and prompt writing
• Gemini (7) — prompt engineering, classroom integration, lesson plans, multimodal learning, differentiation, and Gems
• Khanmigo (9) — lesson plans, math, science, ELA, social studies, class snapshots, AI tutoring, and certification
• Perplexity AI (7) — lesson planning, critical thinking, collaborative research, differentiated instruction, and inquiry-based learning
• Microsoft Copilot (6) — prompting, lesson planning, assessment, ethics, and student AI literacy
• NotebookLM (8) — notebooks, audio overviews, study materials, mind maps, lesson planning, video overviews, and collaboration
• Snorkl (9) — activity creation, AI feedback customization, assignments, student collaboration, data insights, and accessibility
• Gemini Storybook (6) — creation, personalization, art styles, narration, and classroom sharing
• Plus Kami, Wayground (Quizizz), Canva, and Padlet

How Educators Learn

Every activity follows the same evidence-based model. Educators read, watch, or explore a resource and then submit evidence of real application. Screenshots, written reflections, lesson artifacts, or links to work they've created. The Alludo team reviews every submission.

No multiple-choice shortcuts. No auto-pass completion. No checking boxes.

Most activities take 15 minutes. Educators complete them on any device, during any free moment in their day.

What Keeps the Learning Current

AI changes weekly. The course does too.

• Weekly live Q&A sessions with AI educators. Real questions, real answers, real-time tool demonstrations
• Regular sessions with industry experts covering the latest developments in AI and education
• A private educator community for daily collaboration, resource sharing, and peer support with educators across the country
• New tool topics added as platforms emerge and evolve

Credentials That Count

For every 15 hours of completed coursework, educators can earn 1 CEU through Fresno Pacific University, an accredited four-year institution. With 90+ hours of curriculum, that's up to 6 CEUs — applicable toward license renewal and salary schedule advancement in most districts.

Completers also earn a verified Open Badge for professional portfolios, LinkedIn profiles, and documentation.

What Our Educators Say

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can our educators start?

Most districts have educators active on the platform within 48 hours of purchase. Setup is handled by the Alludo team — no IT department involvement required.

How long do educators have access?

Licenses are annual. Educators can work through the curriculum at their own pace throughout the year.

What if some educators are more advanced than others?

The program is self-paced and choice-driven. Educators select the topics relevant to their role, grade level, and comfort level. A teacher who already uses ChatGPT daily can skip the foundations and go straight to advanced tool training. A teacher who's never touched AI starts at the beginning.

Do we need a purchase order?

Most districts use a standard PO process. We also accept credit card payment for individual enrollments and smaller purchases.

How do CEUs work?

For every 15 hours of completed coursework, educators can purchase 1 CEU through Fresno Pacific University. With 90+ hours of available curriculum, an educator who completes the full program can earn up to 6 CEUs.

What about educators who don't finish?

District administrators get access to progress analytics showing who's engaged, who's completed topics, and where support might be needed.

Is this just for teachers?

No. The program includes dedicated tracks for classified staff, office personnel, administrators, and any district professional. Everyone who encounters AI in their work — which is everyone — has a relevant learning path.

Developed in Partnership with RCOE

The Riverside County Office of Education supports 23 school districts, 500+ schools, and nearly 430,000 students. Dr. Heidi Baynes and her team at RCOE shaped every aspect of this curriculum because they know what educators need. Not what vendors think they need.

Your Lead Instructor: Dr. Heidi Baynes

25 years in education, from classroom teacher to district and county leadership. Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Educational Technology. Developer of the AI-Ready Educator curriculum at RCOE. CUE Making IT Happen Award recipient. She leads the weekly live sessions and shaped every module in the program.

Your Educators Are Ready to Learn. Give Them the Right Program.

Most districts implement within 48 hours. Let's talk about yours.

Looking to Join the Course as an Individual Learner?

We welcome individual educators too! While this page is designed for district purchases, you can enroll directly with a credit card.