Knoxville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – A Knoxville middle school is among a select group of Tennessee education programs receiving state support to explore how artificial intelligence can improve student learning outcomes.
Vine Middle Magnet School and PIVOT: School Improvement Leaders have been awarded a $50,000 grant through SCORE’s new AI Innovation Fund. The funding will support the development of an AI-powered instructional tool designed to help teachers provide remediation support for students who are performing below grade level in math and English language arts.
The project is one of nine selected statewide after SCORE received approximately 70 applications from educators proposing innovative ways to use artificial intelligence in schools.
Supporting Teachers, Not Replacing Them
According to SCORE leaders, the project is intended to complement existing classroom instruction rather than replace it.
Mary Cypress Metz, SCORE’s senior vice president of strategy, said the goal is to give educators resources to explore how AI can strengthen teaching and learning.
“What we wanted to create through our AI Innovation Fund is really the opportunity, supports and resources for educators to think about how might AI help them be able to advance teaching and learning in their classrooms,” Metz said.
The tool is still in the development phase and does not yet exist. Over the next year, PIVOT and Vine Middle School will work together to design, test and implement the system.
Educators say the technology will be aligned with existing curriculum materials and will help teachers quickly develop interventions for students who need additional support.
Rather than creating new lessons from scratch, the AI tool is expected to identify learning gaps and generate remediation activities tied directly to classroom instruction.
Helping Students Catch Up
Metz said the project is aimed at improving support for students who are academically behind while allowing them to continue participating in grade-level coursework.
“Each day teachers are using their curriculum and high-quality instructional materials to deliver grade-level instruction,” Metz explained. “This tool would complement that instruction and help develop aligned remediation supports that teachers could then use to help students who are further behind.”
SCORE officials said the project’s broader objective is to improve outcomes for students who have traditionally struggled academically.
Changes Already Happening in the Classroom
At Vine Middle School, teacher Amelia Wright says instructional practices connected to the initiative are already producing positive results.
Students now begin class with a consistent bell-ringer activity focused on foundational literacy skills. The exercises help students practice decoding words, identifying syllable patterns and recognizing reading rules that can be applied throughout the day.
“Every day the kids know exactly what to expect when they come in the room,” Wright said.
She explained that students regularly practice skills such as identifying syllable types, sounding out unfamiliar words and recognizing vowel patterns before applying those strategies to more complex reading assignments.
When students encounter difficult words during class, teachers can reference the skills practiced earlier in the day, helping students build confidence and independence as readers.
Saving Teachers Valuable Time
One of the biggest advantages of the developing AI system is its potential to reduce teacher planning time.
Wright said the program has streamlined a process that previously required significant independent research and preparation.
“It has taken off a whole section of planning for us,” Wright said. “It’s there for us, so we can really take what PIVOT’s created and plug it into our PowerPoints.”
In the past, teachers often had to spend additional time identifying specific skill deficits and researching strategies to address them.
Wright said the new system allows educators to begin targeted intervention work much more quickly.
“Now, with it given to us, it’s saving us a lot of time and we’re able to hit the ground running with those students,” she said.
Positive Response from Students and Families
According to Wright, student reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.
She said the daily routine gives students an opportunity to experience success early in the class period, helping build confidence and improve attitudes toward reading.
“They come in, and they get to start their day with something they feel confident in,” Wright said.
The activities are focused on growth rather than grades, which educators believe reduces anxiety and encourages participation.
Parents also have access to the strategies students learn in class, giving families practical tools they can use to reinforce reading skills at home.
Wright said she has not received concerns from parents and believes many appreciate having structured approaches they can use to help their children work through challenging words independently.
Looking Ahead
Over the next year, SCORE, PIVOT and Vine Middle School will continue developing and refining the AI-powered tool as part of the statewide innovation initiative.
Education leaders hope the project will demonstrate how artificial intelligence can serve as a practical classroom support, helping teachers spend less time on preparation and more time providing individualized instruction to students who need it most.
