FETC 2025 is in the books, and I am writing this from the airport with a head full of ideas and a phone full of new contacts. This was my third consecutive year presenting at FETC, and I can say without hesitation that the transformation in how educators talk about AI has been remarkable.

In 2023, the mood was panic. In 2024, it was cautious curiosity. In 2025? Purpose. Educators came to Orlando this year not to ask whether AI belongs in schools, but to share what is working, identify what is not, and build the systems that will sustain this work over time.

The Shift I Have Been Waiting For

For two years, I have been saying that AI professional development needs to move beyond one-off workshops and into sustained, systemic practice. At FETC 2025, I finally saw evidence that this message is landing.

Multiple sessions focused on district-level AI PD programs - not single workshops, but year-long initiatives with coaching, community, and follow-up. I spoke with curriculum directors who are embedding AI literacy into their scope and sequence documents. I met instructional coaches who have added AI integration to their regular classroom observation rubrics.

This is the infrastructure that actually changes practice. And it is starting to happen.

One presentation that particularly resonated came from a district that had implemented tiered AI professional development - a foundational tier for all staff, an intermediate tier for interested teachers, and an advanced tier for teacher leaders who could then support their colleagues. The model was sustainable, scalable, and grounded in what we know about effective adult learning. It is exactly the kind of approach I advocate in my iTeachAI Academy courses.

Three Conversations That Defined the Conference

AI Literacy as a Student Competency

The idea that students need explicit instruction in AI literacy - not just exposure to AI tools, but structured learning about how AI works, where it fails, and how to use it responsibly - was a dominant theme. ISTE's work on AI competencies was referenced in session after session. The Center for Democracy and Technology's research on student AI use was cited frequently.

This matters because it represents a shift from "managing AI" to "teaching AI." When we treat AI as something to be managed, we default to rules and restrictions. When we treat it as something to be taught, we invest in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. That is a fundamentally different approach, and it is the right one.

The Assessment Reckoning

If 2024 was the year we started redesigning assignments, 2025 is the year we are reckoning with assessment more broadly. Several sessions tackled the uncomfortable truth that many of our traditional assessment practices - take-home essays, multiple-choice tests, research papers - are deeply vulnerable to AI.

But the best sessions did not stop at identifying the problem. They offered alternatives. Performance-based assessments. Portfolio approaches. Oral examinations and student conferences. Process documentation. These are not new ideas - progressive educators have championed them for decades. AI is simply making the case for them undeniable.

I presented a session on AI-resilient assessment design, and the room was standing-room only. Teachers are hungry for concrete strategies, not just acknowledgment that the old ways are broken.

The Coaching Model

A theme I was thrilled to see emerge was the role of instructional coaches in AI integration. Several sessions made the case that AI integration succeeds or fails at the coaching level. Teachers need ongoing, personalized support to change their practice - not a workshop, not a webinar, but someone who can sit with them, co-plan, observe, and debrief.

As a Google for Education Certified Trainer and Coach, this resonated deeply with my own philosophy. The coaching model is exactly why iTeachAI Academy exists. Teachers do not just need information; they need guidance from someone who understands both the technology and the teaching.

What I Presented

My FETC 2025 session focused on building sustainable AI professional development programs. I shared the framework I have developed through iTeachAI Academy and my work with districts - a model that moves from awareness to application to advocacy over the course of a school year.

The response was incredible. Teachers lined up afterward not just to ask questions but to share their own stories. A technology integration specialist from Virginia told me she had enrolled her entire team in iTeachAI Academy courses after attending my session last year. A principal from Texas described how she had used my traffic light framework for AI-enhanced assignments and seen a measurable reduction in academic integrity incidents.

These stories fuel me. They confirm that the work matters and that practical, teacher-centered professional development makes a real difference.

The Vendor Floor Reality Check

I will say something honest about the FETC vendor floor: it was overwhelming. The number of companies selling AI-powered education products has exploded. Every booth promised to "revolutionize" something. AI-powered tutoring. AI-powered grading. AI-powered analytics. AI-powered everything.

Teachers need to be discerning consumers of EdTech, and that is even more true now than it was five years ago. Not every AI-powered product is worth your time or your district's money. Before adopting any AI tool, ask three questions: Does this solve a real problem my teachers and students have? Does this integrate with systems we already use? And does the vendor have a track record of supporting educators, or are they just chasing the AI gold rush?

Looking Ahead

FETC 2025 left me optimistic in a way I have not felt since AI entered the education conversation. The field is maturing. The panic is receding. Educators are moving from reactive to proactive, from fearful to purposeful.

But I want to be clear: we are not there yet. The professional development gap is still enormous. The equity concerns are still urgent. And the technology is still evolving faster than institutions can adapt.

What gives me hope is the people. The teachers who show up at 8 AM conference sessions because they care about their students. The coaches who stay late to troubleshoot a colleague's lesson plan. The administrators who fight for PD funding even when budgets are tight. These are the people who will make AI work in education - not because of the technology, but because of their commitment to the young people they serve.

I am already looking forward to FETC 2026.

Janette Camacho, Ed.D., is the Founder and Chief Learning Architect at iTeachAI Academy (classes.iteachai.co). She is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and Coach, FETC 2024 and 2025 Featured Presenter, Adobe Creative Educator, Apple Teacher, and upcoming EdTech Digest State of EdTech 2026 Honoree with 28+ years of K-12 classroom experience.