Academic speaker flags adolescent literacy needs and raises concerns about AI's effect on student writing

Dr. Donald Bolger recapped milestone tutoring work at targeted elementary schools and described a 'Food for Thought' model that paired food deliveries with family-based literacy supports. He also emphasized the need to expand focus beyond K–3 to adolescent literacy, writing instruction, and supports across subjects.

Bolger raised concerns about the effects of AI tools on student writing and critical thinking: "we're looking at what are the impacts when you use AI and how that thought work doesn't happen," he said, noting ongoing research and brain‑imaging studies his group and others have used to examine differences between student-generated writing and AI-assisted outputs.

He recommended piloting adolescent-literacy interventions and exploring potential philanthropic or foundation support to scale family-engagement and adolescent literacy pilots in the county.