“Student potential is a multi-faceted, dynamic and complex concept. Our project with iF demonstrated what is possible for both our organization and the field. iF helped us clarify our value proposition, dream big and develop a set of concrete solutions, rubrics and prototypes that will transform our use of AI and allow us to scale more rapidly and with greater dexterity.”
For over a decade, national non-profit Equal Opportunity Schools has partnered with public school districts across the country to desegregate advanced course access, shift school conditions for students, and equip systems to better serve students historically furthest from opportunity. EOS has a simple and proven proposition: educational equity is about having a bias for action, being data-informed, and creating school conditions under which all students can thrive. Their approach is rooted in an alternate metric and prediction for advanced course readiness, one that identifies exponentially more qualified students than the traditional metric of GPA and test scores alone. Their organization has an unmatched set of student, school, and district data collected from over a million student surveys and data from across 250 districts over the past 10 years. EOS is in the very specific and unique position to significantly scale equitable conditions and outcomes. They envision a nation where public schools realize their full potential as equitable, democratizing spaces where all students – especially students of color and low-income students – are seen, supported, and able to access rigorous educational opportunities.
We love exploring the place where social impact and technology intersect. In partnership with Equal Opportunity Schools, we are excited to release the Mission-Driven AI Use Case Rubric. Co-created with EOS, this rubric will equip non-profits, educational institutions, and edtech companies to explore pathways to AI integration as they consider how to not just create AI that mitigates bias, but creates equitable outcomes for students, educators, and beyond.
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The client's big question: What is possible when we leverage AI to scale equity in education?
Example: With the public release of ChatGPT and the rising interest in AI in education, EOS wanted to elevate the possibilities. Specifically, EOS leadership was curious what could be possible if cross-sector experts - from technology, academia, and philanthropy - came together to incubate ideas and solutions for leveraging AI for mission-driven solutions.
For initial interviews, EOS and the iF team collaborated to learn from experts in academia, philanthropy, and tech. In these expert interviews, we harnessed their innovative knowledge and excitement about what could be possible for a mission-driven non-profit with a demonstrated model engaging AI to scale equity, asking questions like:
The takeaways from these initial conversations informed our design of an in-person convening at the EOS offices in Georgetown, Seattle. We used a combination of grounding, individual innovation, and a ‘bingo’-style activity designed to get participants thinking outside the box which culminated in a full-group dream and design session. The specific combination of expertise and enthusiasm in the room allowed the iF team to walk away with a suite of potential pathways and ‘use-cases’ for EOS to explore.
From there, we took our extensive knowledge of the Education market, developing advancements in AI, and EOS to create a rubric for EOS to use as they evaluate their potential pathways. Access the EOS AI for Equity Rubric here.
Finally, we leveled up these learnings and potential pathways into an ‘EOS Futures’ document, a longer-form set of case studies designed to accompany the pros, cons, and potential of AI integration pathways.
EOS, a unique organization with national influence, sought to elevate the conversation around equity and AI. Through engagement with industry experts, incubation of bold ideas, and a thoughtful assessment of EOS data and capabilities, this extraordinary organization now has the tools to explore funding, pathways, and mission-driven integration of emerging AI technologies and tools. Using the AI for Equity Rubric will create an exponential impact for the tens of thousands of students of color and low-income students, as well as students nationwide who are served by organizations like EOS.
