Education
Degrees
Master of Public Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2021)
Bachelor of Arts, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2018)
Associate of Arts, University of Alaska Anchorage (2014)
Certifications
AI for Research and Insights, Google (2026)
AI for Brainstorming and Planning, Google (2026)
AI Fundamentals, Google (2026)
BRIDGE, First Gen Empower (2026)
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), FEMA (2022)
Command Incident Systems 200, 700, 800, FEMA (2019)
Federal Law Enforcement Officer, FLETC (2018)
Agriculture Canine Program Supervisor, USDA (2014)
Bio
Michael Sabato, M.P.A. is an Adjunct Professor at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice with over four years of university teaching experience across undergraduate and graduate programs. Specializing in online and asynchronous instruction, he teaches core courses in criminal justice management, public administration, and public sector oversight. His pedagogical approach is deeply informed by over 12 years of public sector leadership, including service as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Federal Law Enforcement Officer with the Department of Defense, and Regional Survey Manager with the U.S. Census Bureau.
A dedicated practitioner-scholar, Professor Sabato focuses on educational technology, academic integrity, and equity in distance learning. He authored the 90/10 Process-Based AI Evaluation Framework, shifting student assessment from output policing to visible critical reasoning. A featured presenter at the 2026 Social Equity Leadership Conference (SELC), he champions ethical generative AI integration under Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, empowering non-traditional, neurodivergent, and adult learners to excel in digital environments.
Professor Sabato holds a Master of Public Administration in International Inspection and Oversight (Summa Cum Laude) and a Bachelor of Arts in Law & Society from John Jay College. He is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha and SALUTE honor societies.
JJC Affiliations
Courses Taught
CJM 101- Introduction to Criminal Justice
CJM 348- Justice Planning and Program Evaluation
PAD 719- Delivery Systems in Justice & Urban Services
PAD 740- Public Sector Inspections & Investigations
Languages
Honors and Awards
Carl Schreiber Award
SALUTE Honor Society
Pi Alpha Alpha
Distinguished Professor Nominee
Research Summary
Professor Michael Sabato’s research reframes generative AI from a threat to academic integrity into an essential scaffold for educational equity. Presented at the 2026 Social Equity Leadership Conference (SELC), his work examines how AI tools, when ethically integrated under Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, democratize access to high-quality academic support.
Prohibition of AI often disproportionately disadvantages first-generation, multilingual, and neurodivergent learners who lack access to private tutoring or institutional capital. Professor Sabato’s model operationalizes AI as a cognitive equalizer, enabling non-traditional students to perform real-time text decoding, structural outline scaffolding, and concept mapping while preserving primary student authorship.
To safeguard academic rigor, Professor Sabato authored the 90/10 Process-Based AI Evaluation Framework. This model shifts grading focus from policing final written products (10%) to evaluating visible critical reasoning captured within interactive AI conversation logs (90%). Simultaneously, AI serves as a faculty capacity builder, automating background research synthesis and curriculum updates so educators can transition from output policing to actively guiding student cognition. Ultimately, Professor Sabato’s research proves that structured AI collaboration enhances transparency, closes linguistic and learning-style gaps, and ensures diverse student populations thrive in distance education environments.