BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Florida Atlantic University is leading a three-year, $5.7 million push to raise reading and math scores in high-need schools and teach educators how to use artificial intelligence. The project, called LEAP-AI, pairs FAU with the Florida Department of Education, Broward County Public Schools and Miami Dade College.
The work zeroes in on 18 high-need Broward schools. The county already has a head start: 64% of Broward third graders scored at or above grade level on the FAST English Language Arts test in 2026, compared with 60% statewide. LEAP-AI goes after the remaining gaps in reading, ESOL, math and school leadership on three fronts — a two-year leadership pathway for assistant principals working toward Florida Level 2 Principal Certification, AI and literacy micro-credentials and coaching for classroom teachers, and a Registered Educator Apprenticeship that lets paraprofessionals and aspiring teachers earn credentials while they work.
“Teachers cannot improve what they are not equipped to teach,” said Daniel Reyes-Guerra, Ph.D., FAU professor of educational leadership and the project’s principal investigator. Education Commissioner Henry Mack said Florida is investing in educators so students get better opportunities, while FAU President Adam Hasner said the program gives the region’s teachers the tools and training Broward students need to succeed.
By the end, at least 100 educators are expected to finish the AI and literacy micro-credentials, 18 assistant principals will complete the leadership pathway and 18 apprentices will work toward certification. FAU will also build a toolkit other districts can use to copy the model. The money comes from the federal Supporting Effective Educator Development program, administered by the U.S. Department of Education through the U.S. Department of Labor.
