Change Management and AI Tools in Literacy Instruction

This report examines a research-practice-industry partnership (RPIP) between Digital Promise, three school districts, and Coursemojo—an AI-powered English language arts (ELA) instructional assistant. Grounded in John Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change and the Digital Promise AI Literacy Framework, the study explores how change management and AI literacy support high-fidelity technology implementation in fifth through eighth grades. The report emphasizes a "human-in-the-loop" approach, demonstrating that AI tools must be mediated by educator expertise to amplify student voice, protect productive struggle, and support diverse learners. This partnership model provides a scalable roadmap for school districts leveraging emerging technologies to close persistent literacy gaps while keeping pedagogical priorities and human expertise at the center.