Preparing Students for the AI-Driven World

UTHS to Debut SAGE AI Tutor  

The University of Texas High School is preparing to launch an innovative AI tutoring platform that will provide students with 24/7 academic support while teaching them how to use artificial intelligence responsibly and ethically. 

UT Sage, a chatbot tutoring platform developed at UT Austin, will be integrated into the school's newly redesigned curriculum starting with Algebra 1, with plans to expand to other subjects after a successful rollout. The program represents a significant step forward in preparing high school students for the increasingly AI-driven world of higher education. Most importantly, safeguards are programmed into place to ensure the safety of students. 

A Comprehensive Approach to Online Learning

The Sage tutoring initiative is part of a much larger curriculum redesign project led by Linda Webb, Ph.D., project manager of curriculum redesign at UT High School. Webb, who holds three degrees from UT Austin and pioneered one of the first free online school programs at Garza High School in Austin ISD 16 years ago as a principal, is overseeing an ambitious three-year effort to transform the school's entire course catalog and implement AI tutoring. 

"One of the things we knew going in was that AI is here," Webb explained. "I think it's like any other tool. If we don't teach kids how to use AI ethically, they will use it anyway. So we began a conversation about how to embrace AI responsibly."

The redesign effort has already transformed the student experience. The team has created a consistent framework across all courses, with standardized homepages and navigation that prevent cognitive overload. Interactive elements, hover-over definitions, games, and modern design features have been integrated throughout.

"It's like being in a hotel room versus being at home," Webb said. "At home, you don't have to think about where everything is because it's always in the same place. We wanted that same familiarity across all our courses."

The project has already released 27 redesigned courses and is working toward a goal of 125 courses. New offerings include computer science courses, additional art classes, and upcoming programs in music (developed with the Butler School of Music) and Latin.

Built on Responsible AI Principles

Kasey Ford, who oversees UT Sage from the  Office of Academic Technology at UT Austin, emphasized that the platform was designed from the ground up with responsible AI use in mind. Ford, an instructional designer with a master's degree in learning technologies from UT, works specifically on responsible AI applications for teaching and learning.

"Students are getting AI tools advertised to them every day," Ford said. "It's important that we help create an environment where we introduce these tools to students in ways that support their learning, not diminish it."

Co-founded by Dr. Julie Shell, Director of the Office of Academic Technology, UT Sage has been in active use at UT Austin since fall 2024. More than 2,000 students used the platform during its first semester of official release, generating approximately 40,000 interactions per month, with particularly strong adoption in engineering and mathematics courses.

How Sage Works

Unlike generic AI chatbots, Sage tutors are highly specialized and carefully controlled. Faculty members and instructional designers train each tutor with specific learning objectives, information about their students, and relevant course materials. The tutors only respond to questions within their designated scope.

"If I were to ask an unrelated question, it would say, 'That's not inside the scope of what I do,'" Ford explained. "We're not just handing a chatbot over to students. It's very specifically targeted to the course content." 

Ford said, “Basically it's a way that if I, as a faculty member, want to create a chat bot tutor for my students, I can do that. I train it myself. So I put in my learning objectives, I talk to it about who my students are and I'm able to upload course materials that are specific to my course to make it, give it better answers for my students.”

She added,” So UT High School is adopting the platform and will be able to create custom tutors for their courses. It's really exciting because then they can make use of the kinds of tools we use at UT Austin.”

The platform is secure and private, with additional safeguards being implemented specifically for UT High School's student population. The team has worked extensively on compliance and legal requirements to ensure the platform provides a safe space for students to learn how to use AI tools effectively.

Webb  and Ford acknowledge that many parents are leery of their children’s use of AI. 

"We're looking into additional guardrails we can put in place to make sure the platform is an extra safe space for students to experiment with AI, without being in an open marketplace where there are a lot of things that haven't been vetted," Ford said.

Webb has tried to “trick” the Sage tutor by asking questions that might trigger it to go down a path that parents would worry about. So far, the tutor hasn’t fallen into her trap. All UTHS teachers and learning specialists will also test it. 

Preparing Students for the Future

Both Webb and Ford emphasized that teaching students to use AI responsibly is crucial for preparing them for college and career success. The goal is not to replace learning or critical thinking, but to provide students with a tool that enhances their educational experience and teaches them valuable skills.

"We're not trying to answer all their questions for them," Webb said. "We're teaching them how to use this tool to learn. It's like having a tutor available 24/7 who can help them work through problems and understand concepts, not just give them answers."

Ford added that AI is becoming a standard part of university life, making it essential for high school students to develop these skills early. "If we can start to scaffold responsible use of these tools for high school students, that's a great opportunity for them to be better prepared for their college experience."

The platform will launch with mathematics courses following spring testing and piloting, with plans for a full rollout in fall 2025. As the program expands, additional subjects will be integrated, providing students across the UT High School catalog with sophisticated, personalized AI tutoring support.

Looking Ahead

The UT High School Sage initiative represents more than just the adoption of new technology—it's a thoughtful integration of AI tools within a comprehensive curriculum redesign aimed at preparing students for a future where artificial intelligence will be an everyday part of academic and professional life.

"The redesign of the curriculum tied with Sage will make the perfect package," Webb said. "We're not just keeping up with technology—we're teaching our students how to use it wisely and ethically, which is what they'll need for success in college and beyond."