How Wordly Helped a School Create More Equitable Learning for Students and Families

Challenge: Using AI for Good in Schools: Breaking Language Barriers for Students and Parents

At P.S. 69 Daniel D. Tompkins School in Staten Island, New York, a highly diverse, multilingual community presented a clear challenge: ensuring every student could fully engage in the classroom, and every parent could actively participate in their child’s education.

The school serves 729 students from preschool through fifth grade, representing a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Ranked #278 out of 2,810 of New York’s most diverse public schools, the student body is roughly 38% White, 38% Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander, and 21% Hispanic/Latino. Sixteen percent of students are English learners, and 70% come from economically disadvantaged households. Families speak at least seven languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Albanian, French, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu, as well as multiple dialects.

Faced with these language and communication challenges, staff initially turned to temporary solutions, including Google Translate, portable translators, and pairing students to help one another communicate. However, these tactics only provided quick fixes and didn’t solve the problem by guaranteeing that students could fully participate in lessons or that parents could actively communicate with teachers and take an active role in their child’s education.

Recognizing the limitations of prior approaches, school leadership began looking for a scalable, real-time solution that could remove language barriers and allow both students and parents to participate fully and confidently.

Solution: Using AI Translation with Wordly as a Tool to Create Equity in Schools

While much of the artificial intelligence used in classrooms has been based around automation and linked to decreased connection between students, teachers, and peers, P.S. 69 saw an opportunity to use AI to strengthen communication and bring students, parents, and educators closer together.

Wordly real-time AI translation was introduced by a PTA member who recognized its potential to bridge language barriers. Its audio translation feature quickly gained support from staff and administrators. Unlike earlier text-only tools, Wordly provides live translation in dozens of languages and dialects, eliminating the need for in-person interpreters and allowing even parents who struggle with reading in their native language to fully understand school communications, attend parent-teacher meetings, and support their children’s education.

P.S. 69 used Wordly during:

• Back to School Night – Parents received real-time translation and captions on their own devices, making it easy to understand school expectations and have confident, two-way conversations with teachers about their children. The experience helped families feel welcomed, informed, and valued as true partners in their child’s education.
• ‍In the Classroom - Wordly supported multilingual learners by providing real-time translation and captions during instruction, allowing students to follow lessons independently without relying on classmates for help. This built confidence as students could fully participate, blend in with their peers, and engage in learning on their own. It also helped teachers create a more inclusive classroom without disrupting instruction.
• ‍Small Parent Meetings – For small parent meetings, Wordly helped eliminate language barriers that often limit meaningful conversation. Parents could ask questions, understand academic progress, and engage in two-way dialogue with educators, without the need to schedule interpreters. This helped strengthen trust and collaboration between school and home.
• ‍Adult English Class - P.S. 69 also used Wordly during its adult English class to support parents and caregivers as they built language skills. Real-time captions and translation helped participants follow lessons, practice confidently, and stay motivated, reinforcing the school’s commitment to lifelong learning and community engagement.

For the more than 67 million people in the U.S. who speak a language other than English at home, school events such as parent-teacher conferences and orientations can feel isolating. Wordly transforms these moments into opportunities for connection by offering instant, on-demand education translation and captions, enabling families to communicate directly with educators and strengthening trust and collaboration.

Results: Empowering Every Student and Parent with Equal Access to Learning Success

By implementing Wordly real-time AI translation, P.S. 69 transformed language from a barrier into a bridge. The results were immediate and powerful, proving that when AI is used thoughtfully, it can bring students, parents, and educators closer together. 

Students Impact:

• Students fully understood lessons and instructions, without having to rely on other students for help. This allowed them to engage confidently in independent and classroom work
• Language access reduced frustration and confusion, leading to increased participation and stronger academic comprehension
• Students felt more included and supported, strengthening their connection to teachers and the learning environment
• English as a New Language (ENL) students were empowered to focus on learning rather than struggling to translate information

“For the first time, students were able to fully participate alongside their peers without feeling singled out for language differences,” said P.S. 69 Climate & Culture Coordinator Gabriela Mineo. “This built their confidence, strengthened their sense of belonging, and allowed them to learn and thrive in an inclusive classroom environment.”

Parent Impact:

• Parents were able to clearly understand school communications, regardless of language or literacy level
• Families actively participated in Back to School Night, parent-teacher conferences, and school events
• Parents felt welcomed, valued, and confident engaging with educators
• Stronger communication built trust and encouraged deeper involvement in their children’s education

“Even if parents don’t speak English, that no longer prevents them from supporting their child’s growth,” continued Mineo. “With tools like Wordly, they can fully contribute to their child’s success from home, helping create a true community of support for every student.”

Future: Building a Stronger School Community with AI

Building on its success, P.S. 69 plans to continue expanding the use of AI translation to support even more student and parent interactions across the school. By integrating Wordly into additional classrooms, school events, and parent engagement opportunities, the school aims to ensure that every student can fully participate in learning, and every family can contribute to their child’s success, regardless of language.

With continued expansion, P.S. 69 proves that AI can be a bridge, not a barrier, strengthening learning, engagement, and community for years to come.

About P.S. 69 Daniel D. Tompkins School

P.S.69 Daniel D. Tompkins School is located in Staten Island, New York. The entire school community (Staff, Parents/Guardians, Partnership Organizations) works as a team to ensure the academic, social, and emotional success of students by celebrating the unique identities of each one.

The school believes in nurturing lifelong learners who are self-aware, self-directed, empowered, and vocal in each and every school experience. Academic Rigor, Individualized Goals, Conflict Resolution, and Emotional Awareness are the cornerstones of ensuring all students are "Anchored In Excellence."

About Wordly

Wordly helps make every meeting, event, and conference instantly accessible across languages. Its AI-powered platform provides accurate translation and captioning in dozens of languages, along with transcripts and summaries, streamlining communication at any scale. Attendees can join via a simple QR code or link, with no downloads or extra equipment required, ensuring seamless participation for virtual, hybrid, or in-person events.

Enterprise-ready, secure, and compliant, Wordly supports everything from small team meetings to large international conferences. It allows everyone to follow along, contribute, and engage without the expense and logistics of human interpreters.

See it in action – book a personalized demo.