The White House's "Winning the AI Race: America's AI Action Plan" aims to accelerate data center expansion to support AI, but the move raises environmental and community concerns. While the placement of data centers near schools does not create school-specific problems, it brings broader community issues such as increased power and water use, noise, and environmental changes, but there is also a potential upside, as students may become interested in technology careers due to proximity.

A Stanford University SCALE study in partnership with SchoolAI finds that over 40% of K-12 teachers regularly use AI tools, primarily during weekday mornings for lesson planning and administrative tasks. The study, which tracked more than 9,000 teachers, finds teacher productivity tools are the most popular, followed by teacher chatbot assistants and student chatbots.

Educators in San Antonio are increasingly integrating AI into classrooms to enhance efficiency. Experts like Deepti Tagare from the University of Texas at San Antonio highlight its benefits for lesson planning, instructional material creation and tutoring. However, both Tagare and high-school teacher David Vela emphasize the importance of ethically using the technology as a tool and warning against overreliance and potential academic dishonesty.

Educators in New York have reported significant improvements in student engagement and social interaction since implementing cellphone bans in schools. A new statewide policy beginning in the fall will introduce one of the strictest bans in the US, requiring schools to provide storage for personal devices. While public support is widespread for restricting phone use in schools, researchers say the impact on mental health is unclear and suggest more comprehensive measures outside of school are needed.

Georgia Southern University has significantly improved student engagement and retention by integrating AI. The university's AI-powered virtual assistant, Gus, has evolved from a basic chatbot to a sophisticated tool that provides personalized support, answers common questions and connects with university systems. This has led to a 99% completion rate for academic improvement plans and a 48% decrease in students failing courses.

Water bottles have become a classroom staple, driven by trends and the popularity of brands such as Stanley and Hydro Flask. While most educators support allowing students to carry water bottles, some cite issues including spills, noise and potential misuse as weapons, and some teachers have devised strategies to manage these disruptions, such as designated storage areas.

"My students have class numbers. I have them taped to the counter near the class sink, and they place their water bottle on top of their number when they come in. When they need to get a drink, they go over, drink, and put it back in its place on the counter," reader Dr. Erica P says.