As the new school year begins, the real story isn’t just about raising test scores. It’s about rethinking what readiness should look like. Students will graduate into a job market profoundly different from the one they see now. States like mine are taking notice and rethinking how we prepare students for a future shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and data.

Today’s workforce increasingly demands professionals who can analyze, interpret and act on data. Some countries are already ahead of the curve. In the United States, now require data science or analytics skills. While many schools offer programs that recognize how essential these skills are, they are too often treated as electives. Many states have yet to incorporate data literacy into K-12 learning standards, and few teachers have the training or resources to teach it. The urgency is clear: According to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, their international peers in numeracy and problem-solving in technology-rich environments.

The United States remains largely unprepared by comparison. Although now require data science or analytics skills, they are still treated as an elective for students, if it’s offered in school at all. Most states have yet to incorporate data literacy into their K-12 learning standards, and few teachers have access to training or resources to teach it. The result is a fragmented approach that leaves students with vastly unequal opportunities to develop the skills they’ll need most.

Alabama is charting a different course. In 2022, the state passed the , a major policy effort aimed at strengthening math instruction through conceptual understanding, real-world applications and reasoning skills. The Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative has helped bring that vision to life, delivering hands-on professional development built around interactive problem solving to teachers across the state. To coordinate these efforts, the state established the , which implements evidence-based strategies and monitors progress. 

But Alabama didn’t stop at improving math scores. It recognized that numeracy alone isn’t enough in a world where data is driving decisions in everything from health care to criminal justice. Through a with Alabama-based AI and data literacy platform , the state has trained more than 1,400 teachers in data science, enabling them to provide instruction in topics such as data collection, analysis, visualization and AI literacy to 10,000 students in grades 6 to 12 across Alabama.

Students aren’t just learning basic numeracy or how to read charts or graphs. They’re gaining a full suite of critical skills, including statistical reasoning, data visualization and computer science. These are essential forms of civic and digital literacy in the 21st century, fostering the computational and critical thinking that allows students to be nimble problem-solvers. Alabama is one of a handful of states — including Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana and Nevada — leading the way on policies that to learn computer science. Last year, Alabama ranked for access, with 94% of its schools offering courses in the subject.

Outside the classroom, through the , high school juniors and seniors can gain paid, hands-on experience through internships that expose them to real-world applications of data work. This helps them build skills and confidence before they graduate.

The economic rationale for Alabama’s investments is clear. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in data science are projected to between 2022 and 2032. Starting salaries average more than $85,000, compared with Alabama’s overall average of $47,826. Preparing students for these jobs isn’t just good education policy. It’s a smart economic strategy.

Alabama’s progress has required legislative action; coordination among state agencies, school districts and postsecondary institutions; and a long-term commitment to providing teachers with resources, mentoring and professional learning. These strategies are not unique to our state — they can be adopted and implemented across the country. It takes treating data literacy as a foundational skill set, on par with reading and traditional mathematics. It also means building the systems to support that vision, from high-quality curriculum and robust teacher training to real-world learning opportunities for students.

Alabama’s recent success reflects a broader shift in how the country is preparing students for a future defined by data and technology. The state has demonstrated what’s possible with clear priorities and sustained, coordinated investment. We offer a model other states can build on to strengthen opportunities for all students in a rapidly changing world.

According to a 2023 Pew Research Center , U.S. teachers’ opinions on the use of AI tools in K-12 education remain divided, with 32% believing there’s an equal mix of benefit and harm, 35% indicating they’re not sure, and 25% citing more harm than benefit. Just last month, the federal government for K-12 schools to navigate the emerging technology.

Whether you support it, fear it, or just don’t quite understand it, AI is poised to fundamentally shape how we learn and consume information — and sooner than one might think. Students must be ready to meet this moment.

Understanding the basic processes that fuel AI require data literacy. That is as fundamental to navigating society as traditional reading and writing skills. Parents need to understand that this isn’t just a technological “wave of the future.” Equipping students with these skills now is critical for their future success and for maintaining a well-informed society.

A foundation in data literacy goes beyond preparing students for future jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which alone are to grow twice as fast as other careers over the next decade. We experience data literacy every day in many routine ways — from understanding our electric bill, to managing personal finances, or evaluating a nutrition label. 

Data literacy is everywhere, which means that everyone benefits from data science education. 

While data science refers to a subject that can be integrated into common curricula like math, science, and computer programming, data literacy refers to the collection of technical, critical thinking, and communication skills needed to make data useful and understood in the real world. 

Together, they give students the tools to comprehend data, think thoughtfully and analytically as they engage with AI technologies, and form their own informed perspectives on the world — all of which contribute to their lifelong learning potential.

In Ashley Hinton’s second grade classroom at in North Carolina, start on the first day of school.

As their first assignment, Hinton asks students to draw a response to the question, “How are you feeling?” Students then split into groups to analyze responses — discussing how they could group similar answers, label commonalities, and visualize the results to share with peers and parents. Long before these learners will enter an AP Statistics classroom, this simple exercise is helping them gather, sort, display, and discuss data.

According to , a national initiative that strives to make data science a fundamental part of K-12 education, data literacy is an excellent way to connect concepts across disciplines. This makes for a perfect introduction in early grades where integrated learning is the standard.

Doing so does not come at the expense of prioritizing the fundamentals — something that’s very much on the minds of district leaders as they seek to recover from pandemic learning. Rather, setting this foundation in data fluency tees students up to succeed in later courses that integrate the more technical aspects of data science, such as algebra, chemistry, or statistics.

Of course, this isn’t just for STEM students. Parents need to understand how schools are equipping all students with the data literacy and communications skills they’ll need to navigate the increasingly complex, interconnected world that awaits. This is true for theater kids, future journalists, and artists just as much as it is for students primarily interested in STEM. As Ms. Hinton’s class proves, the concepts behind data science can be applied across all subjects and grades.

We need to make sure parents know why this is important and how to advocate for these opportunities for their child. That’s why , the nation’s leading nonprofit school information site, partnered with Data Science 4 Everyone to bridge this gap. Together, we’re helping parents understand and creating opportunities for school leaders to share their data science offerings on their GreatSchools profile.

Providing parents with this kind of information not only allows them to make better educational decisions for their family, but also can increase interest and demand for data science education within their schools.

Just as reading proficiency is critical for understanding the world, data literacy skills are the next foundational competencies required to thrive in today’s economy. When students are not exposed to data science or data literacy, they are excluded from a fundamental, lifelong skill set, much like if they weren’t taught to read.

We can — and should — still push foundational learning, but we ought to adapt to the needs of modern learners while we’re at it.