Charter Data Chat: Charter schools and AI

Charter schools may be the best positioned in the nation to take advantage of AI, but it’s not going to be any easy path.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creeping into places we never imagined even five years ago. Best man’s speeches are being written with robotic help, and sensitive health or financial advice might now come from a robo-advisor. Naturally, charter schools have valid concerns regarding plagiarism, privacy, and intellectual property with regard to the use of AI. Parents, too, are understandably cautious (especially following recent, tragic cases of teenage mental health crises linked to interactions with chatbots). What’s the appropriate balance here between innovation and caution?

Charter Schools at the Forefront in Education Advances

Charter schools are at their best when they produce achievement results above the norm for in-need families, but those results come from doing something above the norm. Consider high achieving CMOs (not to name names, but many of them reside here in Louisiana, IDS’s home state!). They don’t just do more than a typical school, like longer days, or extended calendars, but they do different. Research has demonstrated that high achieving charter schools have cultural expectations around educator and student behavior, these cultural norms are rewarded Where charter schools can truly seize this AI moment is by doing what they do best: pioneering innovative methods that teach kids demonstrably more.

Why does AI Matter in Charter Schools?

The current lack of guardrails around AI in education is still an open question. The concerns about AI (plagiarism, uncritical thinking, overreliance) are quite real. It's not responsible to use AI for everything without any human touch or editing. Students should not turn in AI-generated papers, nor should teachers rely solely on AI-created lesson plans. But it’s also completely unrealistic to expect schools to leave students unprepared for a technology they will use in the workforce and for their personal life. We teach students about the French Revolution and scientific advances in germ theory, how can we skip over this transformative technological revolution?

Is AI Useful for Charter Schools?

So, how can AI support high-achieving cultures? While there’s some cool examples out there, I do think the jury is still out. I’ll be watching the Alpha schools movement, with its emphasis on personalized learning. But, I’m also watching the “starship and cloister” model of AI use for students. In this model, students have to contend with coursework in two modes: analog (the so-called “cloister” of pens and notebooks and encyclopedias) and digital (the so-called “starship” of collaboration with peers and technology). I think there’s some promise in this dual-method model of both cultivating the skills of deep thought and attention, while also nurturing how students use AI beneficially. However, to prove its efficacy, we need high-quality data.

This is where charter schools can truly shine. Charter schools are at the forefront of data-informed pedagogy. Some of this is rooted in renewal anxiety; every charter school is looking for the edge to increase student achievement and secure charter renewal. But, I’d like to posit that charter schools are at the forefront because they have a hunger to try the new. Charter schools exist because they see a hole in the education world and they want to fill that gap. 

Examples of AI uses in Charter Schools

One example of how charter schools are using AI is the Cohort Achievement Tracker AI Insights feature, which securely analyzes student data, such as DIBELS subscores, to deliver actionable recommendations. AI can enhance your intervention strategies in several ways:

• Generate recommended intervention groups based on specific needs (e.g., Phonological Awareness deficits identified in DIBELS)

• Provide clear rationales for why particular students were grouped together

• Suggest evidence-based intervention strategies tailored to each group's needs

• Include direct hyperlinks to publicly available interventions aligned to the Science of Reading

• Propose detailed implementation plans (frequency, duration, and specific activities/resources)

AI can serve as a powerful assistant in educational decision-making while keeping educators firmly in control of the process. ​​Check out a video of the Cohort Achievement Tracker or schedule time here and we will walk you through it.

Final Thoughts and How to Take Action

When used thoughtfully, AI tools can free educators from time-consuming data analysis, allowing them to focus on what matters most:  student learning.Have you utilized AI in your school or organization? Share with us what’s working well for you and you may be featured in our social media! And if you are ready to transform how your school uses AI to support student learning, we invite you to grab time with us to talk more!

About Instructional Data Solutions: Our mission is to remove barriers to enable education organizations to focus on what matters most. We assist school systems and education organizations of all sizes by collecting, analyzing, and clearly communicating data. We are committed to empowering educators through comprehensive data analytics and tailored support. Additionally, we provide dedicated support for operational needs, process improvement, and special projects, offering customized solutions to enhance effectiveness and success. Our solutions bridge the gap between data collection and instructional improvement in PK-12 settings.