Practical AI governance, taught for the room you lead in
Hosted in our Skool community, with courses, live Q&A, workbooks, policy templates, and a network of leaders doing this work in real organizations.
Membership
Free Community
- Orientation course
- Community feed and events calendar
- Live AI Foundations sessions
AI 101
- Self-paced AI fundamentals
- Prompting, productivity, and ethics basics
- Your $27 applies toward Core if you upgrade within 30 days
Core Membership
- All 4 tracks: 30+ modules, 140+ lessons
- Monthly live Q&A with Dr. Lex
- All workbooks and templates
- Governance Associate (APGA) credential included
Premium
- Everything in Core
- Four deep-dive labs and add-ons
- Template vault: 15+ ready-to-edit policies, including the Vendor Contract Review Kit
- Priority answers within 48 hours
- Strategist (APG-CGS) exam included
VIP Intensive
- Work your real governance challenge
- Personal 90-day action plan review
- Core included during the cohort
- Certificate of completion
Scholarships: Core access for $9 to $27 a month for educators, nonprofit staff, students, and career changers who need it. No one should be outside this conversation because of what they earn. Apply for a scholarship. Organization licenses fund this program; see the Executive Institute below.
Credentials that prove you can lead it
Three levels, from applied knowledge to distinguished practice. Every credential carries post-nominal letters, a code of professional conduct, and a unique ID that anyone can verify on this site.
AI Power Gap™ Governance Associate
- Complete one Academy track
- Pass the track assessment (80% or higher)
- Use the letters APGA after your name
AI Power Gap™ Certified Governance Strategist
- Hold the APGA credential
- Pass a timed, proctored exam
- Submit an applied governance case from your organization
- Renew every 2 years with 20 continuing education hours
Fellow in Digital Stewardship
- Hold the APG-CGS credential
- Submit a portfolio of governance leadership
- Pass a panel review by the Certification Board
Find your constraint before you spend a dollar
Built on the AI Power Gap™ Readiness Index: 50 controls across 10 domains, crosswalked to NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, the EU AI Act, and SOC 2.
Readiness Diagnostic
- 15 indicators, 5 stages
- Your constraint stage
- 3 priority actions and a PDF report
Readiness Snapshot
- Full 50-control Readiness Index
- Review of your current evidence
- Executive briefing with your top 5 risks
Readiness Assessment
- Everything in the Snapshot
- Stakeholder interviews
- A sequenced 90-day governance roadmap
Executive Engagement
- Everything in the Assessment
- Board-ready report and presentation
- 30 days of Fractional Chief AI Officer advisory support
Starting from scratch? Download the free K-12 AI Governance Toolkit: a board-ready policy template and a 12-week stakeholder engagement guide.
Ready-to-use governance tools
Vendor Contract Review Kit
Protect student data before you sign any AI vendor contract. Built on FERPA, the amended COPPA Rule, and state student privacy law.
- Start Here guide and 20-point Red-Flag Checklist
- Clause Library: 15 model clauses with negotiation fallbacks
- AI Vendor Questionnaire: 29 questions and a signed attestation
- Data Privacy and AI Addendum, ready to attach to any contract or NDPA
Instant download after secure checkout. Included with Premium membership.
For leadership teams, boards, and districts
Institutional budgets, purchase orders, and invoices are welcome. Every organization license also funds Academy scholarships.
Organization licenses
| License | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Team 5 seats | $497 / month | Core membership for every seat, the APGA credential for each learner, team progress reporting, and invoice billing |
| Organization Up to 15 seats | $997 / month | Everything in Team, plus a quarterly live session for your group |
| Enterprise and District Unlimited seats | From $15,000 / year | Organization-wide access, a private cohort, and leadership briefings |
Workshops for leadership teams
| Format | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Half-day virtual 3 hours, up to 40 participants | $2,500 | AI literacy and governance foundations for a leadership team or department |
| Full-day intensive On-site or virtual | $5,000 | Cabinet or district teams drafting policy and decision rights together |
| Executive VIP day Superintendents and senior leaders | $8,000 + travel | A facilitated working day that ends with a sequenced action plan |
Fractional Chief AI Officer
About 4 hours a week
- Monthly executive strategy sessions
- Policy and vendor review
- On-call guidance for AI decisions
8 to 10 hours a week
- Everything in Advisory
- Governance program leadership
- Board and cabinet reporting
About 15 hours a week
- Everything in Core
- Embedded with your leadership team
- Implementation oversight across departments
Three-month minimum. Diagnostic Center clients receive their first retainer month at a reduced rate.
Executive coaching
| Program | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Leader Program Principals, directors, managers | $7,500 | 6 months, 12 sessions, a leadership assessment, and support between sessions |
| Executive Program Superintendents, cabinet, C-suite | $12,000 | 6 months, 12 sessions, stakeholder feedback, and priority access |
| Faith-Based and Nonprofit Rate Leader Program | $5,500 | The full Leader Program at a reduced rate for ministries and nonprofits |
Request a proposal, invoice, or seat
Tell us what you need. You will hear back within two business days with next steps, and an invoice or purchase-order details if you need them.
Before you decide
Can my district or organization pay by purchase order or invoice?
Yes. Choose your offer in the request form and we will send an invoice or work with your purchasing process.
Can we use professional development funds?
Many organizations budget for leadership and technology training. Check with your finance or federal programs office about which funds apply to your situation. We are happy to provide documentation they need.
How do scholarships work?
Apply through the request form. Approved learners receive Core access for $9 to $27 a month, based on what they can afford. Organization licenses help fund this program.
How do the credentials compare with other AI governance certifications?
Most AI governance certifications focus on privacy compliance or audit. The AI Power Gap™ credentials focus on leadership: deciding, governing, and being accountable for AI across an organization. Many leaders hold both kinds. Our credentials are issued by the Ascend AI NOW™ Institute; they are professional credentials, not licenses or government certifications.
What is the difference between a certificate of completion and a credential?
A certificate of completion, such as the one VIP cohort members receive, shows you finished a program. A credential (APGA, APG-CGS, or FDS) shows you passed an assessment of applied skill, carries post-nominal letters, follows a code of professional conduct, and can be verified by anyone using its ID.
Where do the courses happen?
The Academy lives in our Skool community, where you will find the courses, the live session calendar, and other members. The Executive Institute runs live, virtually or on site.
Dr. Alexis S. Smith
Founder & CEO, Ascend AI NOW, LLC · Fractional Chief AI Officer · CoSN Thought Partner · CoSN K-12 CTO Academy Mentor · Certified Executive Coach · TAIMScore™ Certified Assessor
Dr. Smith brings 30+ years in technology, with leadership roles since 2007 as a two-time district Chief Technology Officer, an enterprise IT architecture leader, and a company founder across K-12 education, healthcare, municipal government, and corporate sectors. She holds a Doctor of Ministry in Digital Stewardship with a concentration in AI Ethics and Governance. She built the Institute so every leader, at every budget, can close the AI Power Gap™.
Privacy. When you send a request, your name, email, organization, role, and message go to Ascend AI NOW, LLC through our website form service. We use them only to respond and, if you check the box, to send occasional updates. To see, correct, or delete your information, email assessments@ascendainow.com.