Districts control access to AI tools.
District and school admins can turn any CodeHS AI tool on or off from the AI Policies page in the Administrator Dashboard. Student-facing AI tools also stay off by default until a teacher enables them for a class. See how we approach AI at codehs.com/aicenter.
Overview
CodeHS offers a range of AI courses and curriculum for middle and high school students, from introductory AI literacy to machine learning, Python, and Vibe Coding. Courses are designed to help students understand how AI works, use AI thoughtfully, and build the technical skills they need as AI continues to evolve.
You can browse all of the AI courses available in our course catalog.
To figure out which AI course is right for you and your students, consider grade level, coding experience, how much instructional time you have, and which AI tools your school or district allows. For most classrooms new to AI, start with Introduction to AI (the Middle School or High School version),which is available in semester-long and 1-month versions. Students who already know Python can go deeper with Applications of AI and Machine Learning or Advanced Python and AI Programming.
If your district blocks outside AI tools, Introduction to Vibe Coding may be a good option because it uses CodeHS’s built-in Vibe Coding tool rather than a third-party AI service. The Vibe Coding tool must be enabled by your district and teacher. Advanced Python and AI Programming also does not require outside AI tools. You can learn more about which courses require third party tools in the article: CodeHS AI Courses: AI Tools and Technology Requirements
Want to try AI with your class before committing to a full course? Start with a free Hour of AI activity.
At a glance
Course | Grade Level | Length (Contact Hours) | Coding Required | 3rd Party Tools | Best for |
Middle school | Semester (55) | None
| LLM required; Teachable Machine recommended
| A full AI literacy elective for grades 6–8
| |
Middle school | 1 month (10) | None
| LLM required; Teachable Machine recommended
| A short, project-based AI unit for grades 6–8
| |
High school
| Semester (55)
| None | LLM required; Teachable Machine recommended | A full AI literacy elective; AI Level 1 Certification prep
| |
High school
| 1 month (20)
| None | LLM required; Teachable Machine recommended
| Adding an AI unit to an existing HS course
| |
High school
| Year (115)
| Beginner
| LLM required; Teachable Machine recommended
| A year-long course pairing digital literacy, intro programming, and AI
| |
Middle school | Year (155)
| Beginner
| LLM required
| A year-long MS CS course that includes an AI introduction
| |
High school
| 1 month (20)
| None | None (CodeHS Vibe Coding tool must be enabled) | Building websites with AI; schools looking for a self-contained AI course that doesn’t require 3rd party tools
| |
Week of Vibe Coding (Pro) | High school | 1 week (5) | None | None (CodeHS Vibe Coding tool must be enabled)
| A week-long project unit that introduces students to building with AI |
High school
| 1 month (20)
| Python
| Google Colab required; Teachable Machine recommended
| Students ready to build neural networks with TensorFlow
| |
High school
| Year (110)
| Intermediate Python
| None
| Experienced Python students; an advanced course in the HS Python pathway
|
Course-by-course breakdown
Introduction to AI for Middle School
Designed for: Middle school students with no coding or AI background.
Students learn what AI is, how it learns from data, and how to use it safely. Across four modules (What is AI?, Communicating with AI, Generative AI, and AI's Impacts on Society), they train a mini sentiment model, practice prompt engineering, spot hallucinations and prompt injections, create AI art and music, and debate AI's effect on jobs. An Alternative Assignments module replaces tool-based lessons if needed.
1-month version: Ten standalone projects covering content generation, prompt writing, and building a model in Teachable Machine. A good fit for a quarter-long wheel or a unit inside another course.
Introduction to AI for High School
Designed for: High school students with no coding background who want a rigorous look at how AI works and its impact on society.
Students cover LLMs, prompt engineering, supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning, training models in Teachable Machine, bias, hallucinations, deepfakes, privacy, environmental impact, and AI governance. The course ends with an AI-assisted coding project and an AI careers unit. It includes Alternative Assignments and an AI Level 1 Certification practice module.
1-month version: The core concepts of the semester course (machine learning, LLMs, bias, and societal impact) in a condensed format.
Digital Literacy and Artificial Intelligence
Designed for: High schools that want one year-long course covering digital citizenship, beginning programming, and AI.
Students learn to protect themselves online, design, code, and test programs, and study the same AI ideas as Intro to AI for High School: machine learning, LLMs, bias, and AI's role in society.
Tech Apps and Coding
Designed for: Middle schools that want a year-long computer science course that builds toward AI.
Students code with Karel the Dog, design JavaScript games, build websites, analyze data, and learn how the internet works. The course ends by examining how AI functions and how generative AI is changing society.
Introduction to Vibe Coding (CodeHS Pro)
Designed for: High school students with no coding experience, and schools that can't use outside AI tools.
Students learn how AI works and how to use it safely, then build and refine websites by prompting CodeHS's built-in Vibe Coding tool. The focus is prompting, AI problem-solving, and digital design. Teachers can review every student's AI conversation. The Vibe Coding tool must be turned on by the district and teacher.
Week of Vibe Coding: A 5-hour condensed version for a single week or a special project.
Applications of AI and Machine Learning
Designed for: High school students who are comfortable in Python and want to build real models.
Students use TensorFlow with Python in Google Colab to build image-recognition models with convolutional neural networks, test how biased datasets affect accuracy, and create natural language processing models for sentiment and text generation. The course ends with a build-your-own-AI final project.
Advanced Python and AI Programming
Designed for: High school students who have completed Introduction to Computer Science in Python or an equivalent course.
This year-long course covers object-oriented programming, Python libraries, data structures, algorithm efficiency, and classic AI: graph search (BFS, DFS, Dijkstra's, A*) and machine learning models like k-nearest neighbors, decision trees, and neural networks. Students build three portfolio projects: a text adventure game, a music player, and an original machine learning classifier. It requires no outside AI tools. See the course article for details.
Before assigning any course, check that your district allows its outside tools. Each course's full list of required sites is in AI Tools and Technology Requirements.
FAQ
Do my students need ChatGPT or other outside AI accounts?
It depends on the course. Intro to AI (MS and HS), Digital Literacy and AI, and Tech Apps and Coding require access to an LLM. Applications of AI and Machine Learning requires Google Colab. Each course's URL whitelist lists every outside site your IT team needs to allow. See AI Tools and Technology Requirements.
What if my district blocks those tools?
Introduction to Vibe Coding and Advanced Python and AI Programming do not require outside AI tools. Introduction to Vibe Coding uses CodeHS’s built-in Vibe Coding tool, which must be enabled by your district and teacher. The Intro to AI courses also include an Alternative Assignments module you can swap in for tool-based lessons.
Which course prepares students for the AI Level 1 Certification?
Introduction to AI for High School is the recommended prep, and it includes a supplemental certification practice module. The exam doesn't require a CodeHS course. See AI Level 1 Certification Exam.
Who controls whether AI tools are turned on?
Your district or school admin sets what's allowed, and teachers turn student tools on for each class. See Guide to AI Resources on CodeHS.
What if my district or school has Vibe Coding turned off?
Introduction to Vibe Coding uses CodeHS’s built-in Vibe Coding tool, so the tool must be allowed by your district or school and enabled for your class. If Vibe Coding is turned off, teachers will not be able to assign the course because students would not be able to use the course as designed.