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Spotlight on Innovation: Reflections on GenAI Investments and Trends in Education

Over the last two years, we’ve made over $13 million in commitments to organizations building, scaling, or learning about AI-powered interventions in Pre-K-12 education. To inform how we pursue genAI investments in 2025 and beyond, we analyzed our grantmaking efforts and trends we’re seeing in the broader landscape. Jon Sotsky shares five reflections from this exercise focused on the progress, challenges, and dynamics we’re observing through the efforts of our grantees and others in the field.

New Toolkit Offers Updated Messaging to Address the Chronic Absenteeism Crisis in K-12 Schools

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, one out of every four students—or even more—have been considered chronically absent in U.S. school systems. To combat the growing absenteeism crisis, a new study from the Ad Council Research Institute, funded by Overdeck Family Foundation, provides guidance for how school leaders, educators, community partners, and others can more effectively encourage families to send their children to school on a consistent basis.

Transforming Lives: Stories of Impact From Our Grantees

Each day, our grantee partners impact the lives of countless educators, students, and families across the country. Here, we highlight stories from Parent Teacher Home Visits, PBS SoCal, and MIND Education, which provide a glimpse into how our grantees create meaningful change in the communities they serve.

Spotlight On Innovation: Strategic Staffing

Jessica Fredston-Hermann sits down with David Rosenberg, a partner at Education Resource Strategies (ERS), for a “Spotlight On Innovation.” Together, they discuss the current state of the teaching profession and how schools and districts across the country are rethinking the traditional “one teacher, one classroom” model with a flexible, team-oriented approach known as strategic staffing.

Spotlight On Innovation: Learn Fresh

In this “Spotlight On Innovation,” Emma Banay talks with Nick Monzi, co-founder and CEO of Learn Fresh. Together, they discuss Learn Fresh’s innovative approach to inspiring STEM interest both in and out of the classroom, how the organization established strong partnerships with professional sports organizations, and the key to training and developing skilled program coordinators to support students’ math learning.

Spotlight On Evidence: The State of Tutoring

In our interview series, “Spotlight On,” Innovative Schools portfolio manager Pete Lavorini sits down with research and impact officer Meghan McCormick. Together, they discuss the current evidence base on the potential of high-impact tutoring to support student achievement and what school and district leaders need to know as they consider tutoring investments ahead of the new school year.

Spotlight On Evidence: Investing in Innovative Tutoring Approaches To Boost Student Achievement

Research points to the potential value of high-impact tutoring for supporting learning recovery at scale, but key challenges remain. Meghan McCormick examines the current body of evidence on the impact of hybrid, virtual, and AI-fueled tutoring models, and how these models are poised to reduce costs, strengthen the tutoring workforce, and more effectively allocate tutoring supports.

Perspectives: The Learning Hidden in Play

Play is a critical component of healthy cognitive and social-emotional development. However, young children’s opportunities for play are declining. Carly Roberts and Katelyn Fletcher outline the benefits of incorporating a research-based Playful Learning approach into the school day.