The Great Digital Divide: High School Edition

March 23, 2026

Today can’t be just another rant. I decided to write about it. I’m privileged to travel to high schools in North Dallas, South Dallas, Collin County, and Tarrant County, presenting on college readiness and financial literacy.

I see it… the GREAT DIGITAL DIVIDE. The difference in technology between Richland High School in Prosper, Texas, and James Madison High School in Dallas, Texas, is noticeable. Yet, that does not concern me as much as students’ understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There is no official curriculum teaching AI in North Texas. I’ve observed high school students north of Interstate 75 who are knowledgeable about AI, and their usage goes far beyond basic tools like ChatGPT. Meanwhile, many high school students in the southern sector and parts of Tarrant County do not even understand the terminology surrounding AI. There it is again… the Great Digital Divide.

What happens when these high school students graduate into a world that expects them to be fluent in technology, especially AI? Here’s what happens.

Technology-savvy graduates will have a clear advantage. Employers will gravitate toward them. No employer wants to absorb a steep learning curve that is both time-consuming and expensive.

And if we’re honest, this gap isn’t just about technology, it’s about opportunity. When students lack exposure to AI and emerging tools, they’re not just behind in knowledge; they’re behind in access to future careers, higher earning potential, and economic mobility. If college prep is truly financial literacy, then AI literacy must become part of that conversation. Because the real cost of the digital divide isn’t measured in devices, it’s measured in missed opportunities.

Plano, Texas, nonprofit, YBS Kids, held an AI Learning Workshop last week. We recommend that other youth-focused organizations take the same lead this summer. 

Thank you for reading my TED Talk.