AI & Cybersecurity — What District Leaders Need to Know

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the cybersecurity landscape in K–12 education—and district leaders are now navigating a reality where opportunity and risk are accelerating at the same time.In this episode, we break down key insights from the CoSN webinar featuring Michael Klein, Senior Director for Preparedness and Response at the Institute for Security and Technology and former Senior Advisor for Cybersecurity at the U.S. Department of Education.You’ll also hear perspectives from district technology leaders Chris Bailey and Chris Rowbotham, who share how these challenges are playing out in real school systems today.This conversation explores how AI is transforming both cyber threats and defensive strategies—and what district leaders should be doing right now to stay ahead.Key TakeawaysAI is accelerating cyber threatsAttackers are using AI to scale phishing, automate attacks, and lower the barrier to entry for cybercrime.Cybersecurity is now a leadership issue—not just ITCommunication, trust, and decision-making are just as critical as technical defenses.Third-party vendor risk is one of the biggest vulnerabilitiesDistricts rely on a small number of vendors, creating system-wide exposure when breaches occur.Schools are balancing access and riskStudents and staff are using AI tools daily, forcing districts to navigate a complex middle ground between innovation and protection.Procurement is changingDistrict leaders must now ask:Is our data being used to train AI models?What liability protections are in place?Tabletop exercises are essentialPracticing real-world scenarios helps leadership teams prepare for both technical and communication challenges during an incident.Why This Matters for District LeadersAI and cybersecurity are no longer separate conversations. They are now deeply connected—and how districts respond will directly impact:Student safety and learning continuityCommunity trust and transparencyFinancial stability and risk exposureLong-term technology strategyDistrict leaders who approach this as a shared leadership challenge, rather than a technical issue, will be better positioned to navigate what’s next.Watch the Full WebinarDive deeper into the full discussion and hear directly from the presenters:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNrOkdsSo4MThe Sessions Everyone Was Talking About Webinar SeriesMissed CoSN2025 in Seattle or couldn’t attend every session? Don’t worry—we’re bringing the most popular, standing-room-only presentations to you in a special webinar series. Learn from top EdTech leaders from across the country—no travel needed!Produced in partnership with⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠edCircuit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CoSN is vendor-neutral and does not endorse products or services. Any mention of a specific solution is for contextual purposes. This episode was generated in part using AI tools. All content was reviewed and approved by CoSN and the edCircuit editorial team before publication.