Driving Student Achievement with AI: Proven Playbooks
Too often, AI in K–12 is positioned as a tool for teacher efficiency, yet its greatest power lies in driving measurable student growth.
In this fast‐paced, session, a panel of forward-thinking charter school leaders will share practical playbooks and real-world case studies on how they’ve turned AI from a novelty into a catalyst for improved outcomes on the California school dashboard.
Topics will include:
- Activating Teacher Champions and Pilot Schools
- Elevating Student Voice and Agency
- Defining Success Metrics
- Measuring Efficacy
- Sharing student growth data on proven outcomes
Participants will walk away with proven playbooks with implementation tips and pitfalls to avoid—so they can accelerate student outcomes with AI in their own charter schools.
Presented by
Leilani Abulon
Chief Academic Officer
Green Dot Public Schools
Leilani currently serves as the Chief Academic Officer for Green Dot Public Schools California. Prior to that she served in the roles of Vice President of Curriculum and Programs and Area Superintendent. Leilani began her career with Green Dot as a founding teacher of one of our highest performing high schools, Animo Inglewood. She served the Inglewood community for 11 years, as a teacher, assistant principal and principal before taking on the role of Area Superintendent in 2013. Leilani earned her Masters of Education from Loyola Marymount University in 2005 and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2002.
Sarah Todd
Director of Instruction
REAL Journey Academies
Sarah Todd is the Director of Instruction at REAL Journey Academies, where she leads with a deep passion for student achievement and community impact. With over a decade of experience in education, she has served as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, and instructional leader. Sarah holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Education from Biola University, an M.S. in Education from California Baptist University, and a literacy authorization from the University of Southern California. A dedicated advocate for equity and opportunity, Sarah works closely with teachers, administrators, and staff to ensure every student is supported on their path to success. Her work is grounded in the belief that empowering educators and expanding student choice are key to transforming lives and communities.
Sebastian Cognetta
CEO
Allegiance STEAM Academy - Thrive
Sebastian Cognetta is the CEO of Allegiance STEAM Academy, a charter organization serving students in the Inland Empire. With over 15 years of leadership experience in public education, Sebastian is committed to creating systems that elevate stakeholder voice, expand school choice, and promote academic excellence through innovation and community engagement.
Vincent Zhang
Co-founder and CEO
Thinkverse
Vincent Zhang is a 3-time mission-driven EdTech founder, with a Harvard MBA. He is currently the Co-founder and CEO of Thinkverse, building an AI math tutor for every K12 student. With 14 years of experience in education, he has co-founded Canada's largest college tutoring service for international students and scaled a virtual language learning startup across 10 countries. His work is characterized by a deep commitment to personalized learning and democratizing education through technology.
