For schools and districts · Maywood, IL

AI Curriculum for Schools

Digital Alchemy runs a project-based AI curriculum for schools where students use AI as a creative building partner to design, prototype, test, and present real digital products, responsibly. Schools start with a 9-week pilot, with teacher training included, before committing to anything longer. If your school has been handed free AI lessons and no one to run them, this is the other option: a real program, a real instructor, and student work you can show at the end.

Taught by Desi Baker (Desmond Baker Jr), a Google Gemini Certified Educator who has taught AI through the Chicago Housing Authority and spoken at AI Tinkerers.

Book a free planning call

Who this is for

Principals and curriculum directors who need an AI program they can explain to a board
CTE directors who need AI inside an existing pathway, not a new department
Innovation and STEM leaders who want student portfolios, not just seat time
After-school and youth program leaders who want a build-and-present format

What students walk away with

AI literacy students can explain in their own words
A finished digital product in every student's portfolio
Practice in design, testing, and presentation
Career-connected skills: communication, problem solving, and digital product thinking

What students do

Students learn to use AI as a creative building partner, in six steps:

Learn what AI is, where it works, and where it fails
Learn responsible use: bias, privacy, verification, and credit for human work
Pick a real problem or idea worth building for
Design and prototype a digital product with AI tools
Test it, get feedback, and fix what does not work
Present the finished product and explain the choices behind it

How the pilot works

9-week pilot, one cohort of up to 30 students to start
Sessions inside the school day, a CTE block, or an after-school slot
Teacher training before and during the pilot, so your staff can run the next round with support
School-approved tools only, no student data sold or used to train models
Ends with a student showcase and a short evaluation summary for your leadership

Your real options, side by side

Free curricula like Code.org and Day of AI are solid lessons, and they are self-serve: no instructor, no training, no showcase, and no one to call. Downloadable curricula (about $180 for a full year) are print-first, so students do not build real digital products. Large pathway providers ask for annual fees and a long commitment before you have seen a single class. A Digital Alchemy pilot is the small, judged-first option: 9 weeks, an instructor in the room, and evidence at the end.

Standards alignment

This program supports alignment with ISTE standards for students and educators, and can be mapped to CSTA computer science concepts where a school wants that crosswalk. It covers the AI4K12 big ideas: perception, representation and reasoning, learning, natural interaction, and societal impact. It fits CTE and career-connected learning goals in information technology and media pathways, and it includes digital citizenship and responsible AI use in every unit. We do not claim certification or full mastery of any framework. A unit-by-unit crosswalk is available on request for your curriculum review.

Safety and privacy, in short

Only tools your school or district approves
Students learn verification: check AI output before they trust or submit it
Clear authorship rules: students disclose AI help and own their final work
No sale of student data, ever
A one-page safety and privacy summary is available for your review packet

Price

Prices as of November 2026.

From $7,500

Pilots start at $7,500 for one cohort. That is $250 per student at a full cohort of 30, for 9 weeks, instructor-led.

Founding pricing: the first 3 pilots booked for the 2026-27 school year are $5,000 flat. When those three are booked, founding pricing closes.

Every quote is given in writing after a free planning call. No quote is final until scope is final.

Book a free planning call

Questions schools ask

Do students need to know how to code?

No. Students start with ideas, words, and guided building tools. Students who want to go further into code can, but it is not the entry point.

Do teachers need an AI background?

No. Teacher training is part of the pilot. Teachers learn the tools, the rules, and the activities before students start, with support during the run.

What grades does this fit?

The pilot is built first for grades 6 to 12. High school and CTE fits are the strongest starting point. Talk to us about elementary formats before assuming a fit.

What do we get at the end?

Student products, a showcase, attendance and completion records, and a short evaluation summary your leadership can use for the next decision.

Can this run after school or with a nonprofit partner?

Yes. The same pilot format runs in after-school and youth program settings.

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Looking for team training instead? See AI training for teams and organizations.