This article by Dr. Lance Gibbon originally appeared in the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) School Administrator magazine in January 2026. The original version of this article can be found here.
Like many superintendents, I started using artificial intelligence for everyday tasks — drafting e-mails, polishing posts and tidying up reports.
Then one afternoon, staring at a 2,000-line budget report and searching for places to trim, I decided to give it to ChatGPT. A few prompts later, it surfaced spending trends and redundancies that would have taken me days to uncover.
That experience changed my workflow across leadership tasks by quickly spotting patterns, modeling scenarios and improving communication. Here’s how that shift unfolded, starting with a few simple steps.
Practical First Step
One key to using AI effectively is the ability to upload files such as PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets, images and even handwritten notes. The free version of ChatGPT works for exploration, but the paid version ($20/month) is a game-changer. It allows larger uploads and lets you return to projects right where you left off.
Once logged in, click the “+” icon to upload files or images. You can attach multiple documents or screenshots if data isn’t downloadable. Use the Shift and Return keys to start a new paragraph in the chat box.
The key is to give clear context and specific instructions about what you want AI to do.
Data into Action
Like most districts, we collect endless assessment data but finding time to organize and interpret it is another matter. After removing student identifiers from our raw data, I uploaded the file to ChatGPT along with the prior years’ data and screenshots of regional comparisons.
Then I gave this prompt: “Here are the latest assessment results for our district, summaries from prior years and comparison data. Provide analysis in plain language — show year-to-year and cohort trends with tables to share with staff and the board.”
AI generated tables showing detailed trends compared with neighboring school districts. It quickly highlighted areas of progress and concern and helped our data meetings focus on student learning rather than number crunching.
Strategic Direction
We recently surveyed staff, families and community members, collecting hundreds of open-ended responses. Instead of spending hours analyzing comments, I uploaded them to ChatGPT and gave this direction: “We’re developing our district’s strategic plan. Identify key themes from these survey comments and draft potential options for core values, a mission statement, vision and goals.”
The output’s clarity was striking. ChatGPT distilled feedback into clear themes and actionable ideas for discussion and planning. Projecting our live chat during meetings let committee members shape prompts in real time.
One committee member summed it up perfectly: “This was the fastest, most engaging process I’ve ever been part of — and the final plan truly reflects who we are.”
Finding Hidden Savings
Budget season once meant hours with spreadsheets and transactions. With AI, I took a different approach. I uploaded our annual transaction recap and included this prompt: “We need to reduce our budget by 8%. Identify patterns, redundancies and potential savings — minimize impact on student programs.”
ChatGPT quickly flagged opportunities ranging from special education to digital subscriptions. For the subscriptions, it identified costs and overlaps, resulting in 15 percent of the reductions we needed.
AI didn’t dictate what t o cut. It revealed our spending patterns and pinpointed potential savings quickly and transparently. Our budgeting process was more efficient with clearer decision paths than any manual approach.
Collaboration, Not Delegation
These examples from my experience show a key takeaway: AI isn’t a shortcut — it’s a powerful multiplier that enhances leadership and levels the playing field for small and rural districts without in-house analysts or research staff.
AI won’t make decisions for us, but as we ask better questions, it helps us be better decision makers. Treat it as a thinking partner rather than a parlor trick, and it has the power to elevate our leadership.
Lance Gibbon is superintendent of the Hood Canal School District in Skokomish, Wash.