When Lake Travis ISD, located outside Austin, Texas, set out to evaluate alternative devices to support long-term instructional goals, they were looking for inspiration. With nearly 11,000 students and a long-standing commitment to innovation, the district wanted devices that aligned with existing student Chromebooks, strengthened instructional practice, and supported teachers in using AI meaningfully.
That vision became reality through a powerful pilot in collaboration with Lenovo, SHI, Google, Intel ®, and Advanced Learning Partnerships (ALP). Together, the partners supported 20 Lake Travis ISD educators as they explored the instructional workflow and engagement benefits of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 powered by Intel, paired with Gemini for Education, NotebookLM, Google Class tools, and coaching-based professional development provided by ALP.
The result? A leap in teacher confidence, innovation, and AI literacy paired with powerful educator stories from across the district.
A pilot designed for real teaching and real impact
From day one, Lake Travis ISD anchored the pilot around authentic educator needs. Throughout the fall semester, teachers participated in hands-on professional development and coaching with ALP and Google for Education that provided structured opportunities to integrate AI into lesson planning, resource development, and instructional strategies, all in support of students and their differentiated learning needs.
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus devices powered by Intel(R) Core(TM) 5—complete with digital pens, upgraded Google Workspace for Education features, and Gemini Advanced—gave teachers the most cutting-edge classroom tech available today. According to SHI’s Reece Hartle, the goal was simple: “to demonstrate how these devices, combined with AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM, could transform teachers’ workflow and maximize their efficiency.”
The hardware mattered—a lot. Teacher Robert Huffaker immediately pointed to the ergonomics and speed of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus device: “The first thing everybody noticed was the keyboard. It’s super ergonomic. And the boot time was very low… it allowed us to get to work very quickly.” And once they were able to quickly get to work, educators began to use AI in ways that genuinely elevated their practice.
AI tools that support—not replace—instruction
As teachers settled into the pilot, AI tools became genuine partners in their daily work. Many described how Gemini and NotebookLM helped them plan lessons more efficiently, aiding them in developing stronger instructional questions and generating differentiated resources. Rather than replacing teacher expertise, AI amplified it. One educator shared that using Gemini helped them “put together materials that were more engaging” while saving significant time—momentum they could reinvest in working directly with students. Others found that real‑time translation features in Google Class tools supported multilingual learners more effectively and helped keep them engaged.
Growth in innovation skills and mindset
Thanks to their pilot experience, educators reported growth in their ability to assess AI-generated content for accuracy, ethics, and reliability. The number of participants identifying as advanced or expert in this area jumped from 30% pre-pilot to 62% post-pilot. The group also reported reduced skepticism and greater curiosity and confidence in using AI tools for planning, differentiation, and accessibility. This shift showed up not only in the numbers, but also in the reflections teachers shared:
“My goal when joining the professional learning cohort has been exceeded. I have been able to create a new solution to a long-fought, stubborn reading comprehension problem in a novel study. I have also been able to effectively respond to students’ needs in real time, as the need bubbles up.”
“Time is always a factor in education and Gemini’s AI capabilities, and the reliable, beautiful Lenovo laptop helps take care of time-consuming tasks more efficiently, leaving more time for thought-provoking discussion and research with students.”
“AI is helping me significantly accelerate the natural process of revising and improving curriculum over time, as well as aiding in on-the-spot responses to unexpected holes in prior knowledge or student needs.”
Together, the data and educator experiences paint a picture of meaningful change: teachers becoming more confident, more innovative, and more equipped to personalize learning with tools that fit naturally into their workflow.
Looking ahead
District CTO Chris Woehl connected the dots between the educator pilot and the students: “Our approach to innovation and technology is driven around student learning…Having more partners invested in the district has made us more impactful.” The pilot didn’t just give teachers new technology. It gave them new capacity. Teachers felt more prepared to differentiate and more willing to innovate—resulting in them being more present for students.
Lake Travis ISD is already seeing the future. And now, other districts can use this model built on a shared Chrome operating system for students and teachers, AI‑powered tools, and supportive instructional coaching and professional development—to imagine what’s possible in their own classrooms.