AI, Equity, and the Urgency to Personalize K–12 Learning

Hi, I’m Damien Howard—educator, community builder, and founder of SELvie.
I’ve spent the last two decades working alongside students and mentors, especially in under-resourced schools. And let me tell you plainly: our current system is not built to personalize learning at scale.

The Problem
Students are falling through the cracks.
✅ 40% of Black students in Illinois are chronically absent.
✅ Less than 1 in 4 are reading at grade level.
✅ And our student-to-counselor ratio? It’s 376 to 1.

Educators are overwhelmed.
But AI is giving us a real chance to change that.

What AI Can Do
At SELvie, we’re using artificial intelligence to help mentors create individualized SEL plans—because no two students have the same story.
With embedded training, real-time tracking, and a responsive support system, mentors can now meet the emotional, academic, and social needs of each student, without burning out.

The Global Reality – America Is Falling Behind
While we’re debating if AI belongs in classrooms…
🌏 China is using AI tutors to personalize every lesson.
🌏 South Korea has national plans for AI-integrated classrooms.
🌏 The UAE is investing millions in AI teacher assistants for every school.

Meanwhile, many U.S. schools are still using 20th-century systems for 21st-century challenges.

Equity Lens – The Urgent Truth
This isn’t about gadgets or gimmicks.
It’s about equity.
If we want to support Black and Brown students with the care and excellence they deserve, we must leverage the tools that let us reach them deeply and personally.

Call to Action
Want to explore this further with others who care?
Join our Facebook group: “It Takes the Village to Save Our Children.”
It’s a space to share ideas, ask questions, and build community around what really works for youth.
AI is just a tool. But in the hands of a loving village, it becomes transformation.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ittakesthevillage

Let’s do the work—together!