Scale launches free 12-hour AI course and microcredential for K-12 teachers

What the course offers

According to Scale, the course gives teachers practical training in using AI responsibly, strengthening classroom instruction and preparing students for a future in which AI plays a growing role. Teachers learn how to use AI ethically and effectively, find opportunities to personalize instruction, and help students build skills such as critical thinking, creativity and responsible technology use.

Participants also create a classroom-ready instructional artifact that integrates AI into a specific learning objective. Scale says this gives teachers a resource they can apply directly in their teaching. Educators who finish the course receive a certificate of completion and a microcredential with a digital badge that can be displayed on professional profiles.

Built in St. Louis, open nationwide

The program was developed in collaboration with Scale AI engineers and education experts, Lindbergh Schools and UMSL. Twenty Lindbergh teachers piloted the curriculum over the summer, which Scale says helped ground it in the practical needs of educators.

The launch was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at UMSL's Richter Family Welcome and Alumni Center. U.S. Congressman Wesley Bell joined leaders from the three partner organizations, and teachers who completed the pilot demonstrated the course and shared their experiences of using AI in their teaching.

Each partner has a defined role, according to Scale. Lindbergh contributes classroom experience and curriculum expertise, Scale provides technical knowledge and resources, and UMSL supplies the infrastructure to offer the training to educators nationwide.

"Teachers play an essential role in helping students understand and use AI, and they need access to practical training that reflects the realities of their classrooms," said AJ Segal, Head of Scale's STL AI Center. Dr. Tony Lake, Superintendent of Lindbergh Schools, said the district was grateful for the chance to partner with "a global leader in artificial intelligence." Reggie Hill, UMSL's Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Career Advancement, said the Advanced Workforce Center was created "to help bridge the gap between workforce demand and workforce readiness."

Part of a White House pledge

The course is part of Scale's AI Literacy Initiative. In June 2025, Scale joined the White House's Pledge to American Youth, committing to help train 1,000 teachers and equip 500,000 students with foundational AI skills by 2029. The company describes the partnership with Lindbergh Schools and UMSL as a model for advancing that commitment.

Scale's reasoning is that teachers guide new groups of learners year after year, so training them can extend AI skills across successive groups of students and school communities. The company says it will keep exploring partnerships with educators and institutions to widen access to practical AI learning as it works toward its 2029 goals.

What it means for teachers and schools

For teachers, the course is a no-cost option with a flexible, self-paced format and a credential they can show on professional profiles. Because it is offered through UMSL, educators outside Missouri can register as well. Scale also says St. Louis is an important center for its work with public sector partners, and that the collaboration builds on its existing investment in the region.

The source does not give enrollment figures or outcomes for the pilot, so the course's reach and effect on classrooms remain to be seen. Scale's stated goal is for a curriculum that began as a local pilot to serve teachers across the country.