DUNKIRK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Dunkirk City Schools are turning to artificial intelligence technology to address educational challenges: chronic absenteeism and math support.
For the first time this year, the schools are using Edia AI, which allows them to send personalized messages to parents when their students are absent.
The new system replaces robocalls with interactive communication, which allows families to respond to the school.
"In the past, there used to be a robocall that went out," Superintendent Brian Swatland said. "Really one-way communication. Now with the use of the AI chat, families are able to communicate with us."
Parents can text photos of doctor's notes and also alert administrators to problems. The AI messaging system works similarly to online customer service used by retailers.
"So if you've ever done online shopping, and it's that text us or chat with us if you need help with something, it's essentially that's how it works," Swatland said.
The superintendent can check attendance data and parent responses in real-time through the system's dashboard.
"Chronic absenteeism is a struggle, not only for our students in Dunkirk, but nationally," Swatland said. "We need to be able to identify barriers in our students' lives and be able to support them."
District Attendance Officer, Tricia Green, noted that parents are responsive to the text-based system, particularly when providing documentation for absences.
"I believe the families are comfortable because it's texting. So we're getting a lot more response with excuses from doctors and things like that because they can take the picture, send it along and then we have it right away instead of depending on a student maybe to turn it in," Green said.
WATCH: Dunkirk Schools using AI to address absenteeism and math challenges
The district plans to expand its AI implementation to include math support, too. Edia AI will provide tutoring assistance to help with math problems.
"It may seem like a strange pairing. Math is probably the subject that students struggle the most with," Swatland said.
The AI math tutor will allow students to get immediate help without waiting for the teacher's availability.
"Instead of calling the teacher over, especially if the teacher is working with another student, they're able to put the question into the AI tutor, and the AI generates prompts just like the teacher would," Swatland said.
School officials emphasized that the AI technology supplements rather than replaces traditional instruction.
"This does not replace the first and best or tier one instruction. It does not replace that. It supports it," Swatland said.
Anna Alvira, a math teacher, explained how this system will enhance learning.
"It's going to allow us to differentiate instructions for the students, possibly engage with students at their level so that we can tier their learning and know where their starting level is and be able to build on that," she said.
Math teachers are scheduled to receive their first training on the technology this Friday.
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