Week in Edtech 12/10/25: OpenAI’s Teacher Certifications, Kids’ Online Safety Bills, Early Literacy Declines, College Admissions Shakeups, and More! Feat. Maya Bialik of QuestionWell, Peter Nilsson of Athena Lab & Emily Gill of LEVRA

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Dec 19, 2025

Guest

Emily Gill

Maya Bialik, founder of QuestionWell and former middle school science teacher, joins Peter Nilsson, founder of Athena Lab and education writer, along with Emily Gill, co-founder of LEVRA, an edtech company. They discuss OpenAI's new teacher certifications and the implications for K-12 education. The guests delve into early literacy declines, the challenges facing parent-education apps, and the evolving landscape of college admissions influenced by AI. They also highlight the importance of human connection and quality instruction amidst these technological changes.

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INSIGHT

OpenAI’s Certification Play

OpenAI launched teacher and ChatGPT foundation certifications to gain K–12 mindshare and train educators quickly.
The move mirrors Google’s long-standing teacher certifications and signals competition for the teacher market.

INSIGHT

Certifying AI Teaching Is Premature But Fast Matters

Critics worry certifying AI pedagogy is premature because we lack long-term evidence of what pedagogically works with AI.
Proponents argue speed matters: delaying risks falling behind while tools evolve rapidly.

INSIGHT

Big Tech Land Grab In Education

Google and OpenAI are engaged in a broad land grab across enterprises and education with certifications and major deals.
Teachers' existing familiarity with Google certifications likely prompted OpenAI's competing credential strategy.

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Join hosts Alex Sarlin, Ben Wallerstein, and Matt Tower for Week in Edtech, exploring OpenAI’s teacher certifications, kids’ online safety legislation, early literacy declines, college admissions pressures, and what remains irreplaceable in education as AI advances.

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:03:00] OpenAI launches teacher certifications, expanding into K–12
[00:05:00] Big Tech credentials raise control and gatekeeping concerns
[00:07:55] Doubts emerge around certifying AI pedagogy
[00:12:40] Google and OpenAI intensify competition for schools
[00:14:15] Congress advances online safety bills affecting edtech
[00:19:15] COPPA changes threaten AI personalization
[00:24:05] Parent reading declines deepen literacy gaps
[00:26:45] Early childhood remains underfunded despite high impact
[00:31:15] College admissions lean further into yield management
[00:33:10] AI reshapes admissions essay review
[00:36:20] Trust in higher education continues to fall
[00:40:40] Education systems face pressure to adapt

Plus, special guests:
[00:45:30] Maya Bialik, Founder of QuestionWell, and Peter Nilsson, Founder of Athena Lab, on their book Irreplaceable: How AI Changes Everything (and Nothing) in Teaching and Learning

[01:11:16] Emily Gill, Co-Founder & COO of LEVRA, on AI simulations for human skills development

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