Senator Renee Burgess (D-28) this morning wanted to know how Lily Laux, Governor Mikie Sherrill's choice to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Education, would address integrating AI (artificial intelligence) into public education curriculum while protecting intellectual integrity and data privacy.

Addressing the state Senate Judiciary Committee at her confirmation hearing, Laux acknowledged missed opportunities by education experts in protecting youth from the public safety and mental health hazards of social media.

As for AI, "It is the future," said Laux. "We are currently in the process of working on revised standards and working closely with the state board of education. AI is already part of the conversation."

Laux said part of that conversation includes how AI will change the workforce and the reactive adjustments by educators in the classroom.

As she fielded questions from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Laux made several observations about the current educational climate by way of setting priorities:

students haven't recovered from COVID;

there are not enough teachers in the pipeline;

reading's not up to par.

Three principles will guide her, said the nominee.

"We know all students can learn," she said. "When we see failure we have to ask 'What am I [the educator] doing wrong?'" And finally - "support schools not burden them. Give what they need not slow them down."

Finally, Laux said, she intends to lead a department that will act with urgency, recognizing that "we have one chance to provide each child with best education possible."

Previously, according to the Governor's Office, Laux served as Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency, supporting over 1,200 school districts and nearly 5.5 million students. During her nearly seven years at TEA, she led the implementation of historic school finance reform and the agency's COVID-19 response, trained every K–3 Texas educator on the science of teaching reading, developed open-source instructional materials adopted by 600+ districts, and overhauled college and career pathways, resulting in a fourfold increase in students graduating with both a diploma and associate degree. Laux has also held positions as the Executive Director of Economic Mobility Systems, a nonprofit improving secondary and postsecondary outcomes for underserved students, and with Teach For America. She began her career as a middle school teacher in Memphis, Tennessee. Laux earned her bachelor's degree from Columbia University, her master's in teaching from the University of Memphis, and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Laux today received the backing of the Senate Judiciary Committee.