Last week, our CEO Dr. Min Sun joined a panel hosted by the League of Education Voters alongside: - high school students - Jolenta Coleman-Bush, Director at Microsoft Philanthropies - Bree Dusseault, Managing Director at the Center for Reinventing Public Education - Babak Mostaghimi, Founding Partner at LearnerStudio and others! The conversation tackled three questions every district is wrestling with right now: - how AI is actually being used in classrooms today - what guardrails need to be in place to protect students and families - what skills students will need to be ready for an AI-shaped workforce. The student voices in the room made it sharper — they were honest about what's working, what isn't, and what they want from the adults building these tools. Watch the recording: youtube.com/watch?v=ms5wN_gr… #ColleagueAI #K12 #AIinEducation #EdTech #StudentVoice #CRPE #MicrosoftPhilantropies #LEV

The one and only Dr. Lief Esbenshade from AmplifyGAIN research center and Colleague AI will be presenting at the 2026 Strategic Data Project Convening in Cambridge, MA, at Harvard University next week. Lief will highlight a predictive model from Metro Nashville Public Schools identifying 3rd-grade retention risks a year early to trigger proactive interventions and midyear implementation reports from AmplifyGAIN.ai for a dozen public school districts on the implementation of the Colleague AI platform. Register to attend his session "Building Smart Systems for Better Schools: Automation, ML and LLMs to Support Student Success", seating is limited! sdpconvening2026.sched.com/e… Learn more about the Strategic Data Project: sdp.cepr.harvard.edu #SDPconvening #SDPfellow #HarvardUniversity

Meet Colleague AI R&D team at AERA & NCME 2026 in Los Angeles, CA! Interested in learning more about our research? We will be presenting at several sessions at the American Education Research Association Conference and at the National Council on Measurement in Education conference. 💡 AERA Thursday April 9th, 2:15 @ The Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Lobby Level, Santa Barbara C Join Alex Liu as she presents her work exploring how teachers use generative AI tools. Learn more about the fundamental research underpinning the development of Colleague AI’s features. Friday, April 10th at 3:45 @ Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515A Join us for a structured poster session with Colleague AI’s academic partner, the University of Washington AmplifyGAIN center. At this session, four federally funded AI R&D centers will share their work researching responsible AI use in K-12 learning. 💡 NCME Friday, April 10th, 3:30 Victor Tian will present research evaluating score alignment between LLM graders and human benchmark scores. Come learn about quadratic weighted kappa and the statistical analysis underlying Colleague AI’s features.

How can AI help teachers meet student needs without separating them from grade-level learning❓️ Watch video: youtu.be/oJRKZDcnY8o In this video, Ryan, a Multilingual Learner Specialist in Bellingham, WA, shows how Colleague AI can help teachers create Tier 2 supports, scaffold prerequisite skills, build multilingual resources, generate interactive practice, and even design custom chatbots that respond to students in multiple languages. One of the most exciting parts is seeing how these tools help teachers keep students in the learning community while still addressing unfinished learning in targeted, flexible ways. This is a strong example of AI supporting inclusive, research-based pedagogy in real classrooms. #EdTech #AIinEducation #MultilingualLearners #InclusiveInstruction #Tier2Intervention #TeacherInnovation

When parent emails feel like attacks, it’s easy to spiral 💜 You’re managing behavior, coregulation, academics, and everything in between… then an email lands that feels like an accusation. Your nervous system goes into defense mode, and suddenly you're up at 10 PM drafting and redrafting a response that proves you're doing your job. We get it. It's exhausting. Here’s the shift that helps: Most of the time, that email isn't really about you. Parents are doing what they’re wired to do. They’re protecting their child. They heard their child’s version, emotion came first, and advocacy followed. That’s care. They just don’t have the full picture yet. This work is hard enough without carrying the weight of every charged interaction. If you're in the thick of a tough parent situation and need help reframing, drafting a response, or just processing the emotional labor of it all—use Colleague AI as a thought partner. Sometimes you just need someone to help you see it differently. 💜 Authored by Hayley Spohn, Middle School Teacher at Federal Way Public Schools. #TeacherLife #ParentCommunication #EducatorWellbeing #TeacherSupport #EdChat #ColleagueAI

Come and visit us. See you later this week. 👇

✨ Update: Colleague AI "Generate Slides" 2.0 ✨ Creating presentations just got a massive upgrade. We have refined the engine to deliver higher-quality visuals and a smoother user experience. 3 Things to Know: 1️⃣ Streamlined Creation: A simplified flow takes you from prompt to presentation in seconds. 2️⃣ Elevated Aesthetics: Generated slides now feature improved layout logic and visual fidelity. 3️⃣ Seamless Adjustments: Every element is fully editable. Utilize AI assistance to refine content without starting from scratch. How-to generate slides on Colleague AI: youtu.be/XrdjlMLRphg?si=ziPc…

Where to find Colleague AI at IETA 2026? Colleague AI will present in the NCCE room at IETA 2026 in Boise, ID Presenter: Dr. Bridget Chaves, Colleague AI Education Success Manager Support Evidence-Based Decision-Making with AI: From Data Analysis to Student Success Date: February 5, 2026 Time: 1:15–2:45 PM From Lesson Design to Feedback: Teacher Tools in Colleague AI Date: February 6, 2026 Time: 8:00–9:30 AM

Adapting Content for Your Students 💎 (Not an Average Student) One of the most powerful uses of AI is text adaptation, making complex material accessible without watering down ideas. Using Colleague AI, teachers can generate multiple versions of the same text to support diverse learners, including English language learners and students who struggle with academic language. A typical adaptation workflow looks like this: Start with the original text (e.g., The Yellow Wallpaper) Specify the target reading level and learning goal Ask for adaptations that preserve key themes and vocabulary Refine tone, sentence length, or scaffolds as needed This approach works across disciplines—science explanations, history primary sources, math word problems—not just English Language Arts. By letting AI handle text modification, teachers reclaim time for what matters most: facilitating discussion, monitoring understanding, and supporting the social process of learning so every student has meaningful access to content. Learn how Colleague AI support every educator and learner: youtu.be/8fEo3CJIMz8?si=hOo7…

Take a podcast break with Hayley Spohn (Middle School Social Studies and Mathematics Teacher, Federal Way Public Schools) and Panelists: Jerika Roberts (Teacher Mentor in Baltimore), Meagan Morris (Vice Principal, Wahluke School District), Amanda Kramer (Middle School ELA Teacher). In this first episode of the podcast series: AI Implementation at School and District, we focus on classroom teachers and their on-the-ground experiences with AI integration. Join Hayley Spohn from Federal Way Public Schools (WA) and her guest classroom teachers as they discuss the real challenges and emerging opportunities of implementing AI to support student engagement. Drawing from classroom practice, the conversation explores how teachers are navigating instructional shifts, addressing concerns, and leveraging AI tools to enhance participation, accessibility, and learning experiences for diverse students. Recording: youtu.be/4WcdDxn1-p4?si=igV2…

Colleague AI's New Year Message from Dr. Min Sun. Read the full message: colleague.ai/colleague-ais-n…

📣 Capital Region ESD 113 Online PD: Colleague AI (January 2026) for two online professional learning offerings focused on Colleague AI: 1) (OLAJ0086) Colleague AI: Lesson Preparation & Classroom Features (Event #194184) 🗓 Wed, Jan 14, 2026 (4:00–5:30 PM) Wed, Jan 21, 2026 (4:00–5:30 PM) A 2-part series covering prompting skills, ethical AI use, lesson planning, interactive games/presentations, assessment and standards-based rubrics, podcasts/slides, and classroom feature use cases. pdEnroller 🔗 pdenroller.org/esd113/catalo… 2) (OLAJ0087) Colleague AI: Supporting System Implementation of AI (Event #194186) 🗓 Wed, Jan 28, 2026 (4:00–6:00 PM) A hands-on session for school administrators focused on system-wide implementation: using AI for data analysis, identifying gaps, evidence-based interventions, context-aware organizational use, and instructional leadership. pdEnroller 🔗 pdenroller.org/catalog/event… 💻 Online | 💲 $10 registration fee per course #AIinEducation #TeacherPD #EdTech #ESD113 #InstructionalLeadership #ProfessionalLearning

🎙️ Colleague AI Podcast Announcement | AI Implementation at School and District Series, Jan-Mar 2026 (register at colleague.ai/webinars/ ) This spring, Colleague AI is launching a three-part podcast series spotlighting how AI is actually being implemented across classrooms, schools, and districts. through the voices of educators doing the work. Each episode centers real practice, real constraints, and real decision-making around responsible AI use in education. Series I. Classroom Teachers 📅 January 8, 2026 | ⏰ 3:30–4:30 PM PT How are classroom teachers navigating AI on the ground? Join Hayley Spohn (Federal Way Public Schools, WA) and guest classroom teachers as they discuss: Early instructional shifts with AI Student engagement and accessibility Practical challenges teachers are encountering Emerging opportunities to support diverse learners This episode centers classroom reality—not hype. Series II. Instructional Coaches 📅 February 19, 2026 | ⏰ 3:30–4:30 PM PT What does it look like to support AI adoption at scale? Join Ryan Fries (Bellingham Public Schools, WA) and fellow instructional coaches as they share: Coaching strategies for AI integration Using PLCs and coaching cycles to support adoption Dedicated AI learning time and teacher readiness Translating emerging tools into sustainable practice This conversation focuses on how coaches help bridge tools and teaching. Series III. District Administrators 📅 March 12, 2026 | ⏰ 3:30–4:30 PM PT What does thoughtful AI implementation look like at the system level? District and school leaders—including technology and curriculum administrators—reflect on: Policy, infrastructure, and equity considerations Professional learning and educator capacity Family and community engagement Evaluating AI’s role in strengthening instruction and learning outcomes This episode explores what it takes to move from pilots to coherent, district-wide practice. 🎧 Whether you are a teacher, coach, or administrator, this series offers grounded insights into responsible, practice-centered AI adoption in education. 📌 Save the dates 📌 Share with your teams

🎒 Back-to-School Tip for Educators. When educators say, “Just build a relationship with the student,” what do they actually mean? One educator asked Colleague AI to unpack that phrase. The result: a clean, classroom-ready one-pager that turns vague advice into actionable moves you can try tomorrow, from quick recognition routines to simple ways to build trust, safety, and student voice from Week 1. 📄 Teacher handout included ✅ Practical, doable, and ready for your classroom (or PLC) #BackToSchool #TeacherTips #EdTech #AIforTeachers #ClassroomCulture #StudentEngagement

Coming Soon: Enhanced AI Support for Younger Learners with Live Chat 🌱 Claire, our in-house AI agent, is already a trusted companion in many classrooms — and soon, she is getting even more interactive! Soon, students will be able to talk directly with Claire — no typing needed. This voice-based experience is designed especially for younger learners, helping them share ideas, ask questions, and reflect out loud in a safe, teacher-monitored Colleague AI Classroom environment. Through natural conversation, Claire will guide students to explain their thinking, build vocabulary, and stay curious, all while maintaining the warmth and encouragement that teachers already love. Stay tuned for this exciting update to Colleague AI Classroom, bringing spoken AI support to your younger learners and opening new ways to make learning engaging, interactive, and fun.

Take a podcast break with Hayley and Ryan as they share how they apply UDL and SIOP in their classrooms, and explore how AI can support educators in meeting the needs of all learners: youtu.be/IPg7C6pXnVg?si=O6Pq…

🚀 Earn Your AICE Certified Educator Badge! Recognized by the University of Washington College of Education, the AICE badge celebrates your growing expertise in using AI to support teaching and learning. What you get after signing up: ✅ Biweekly progress updates across 4 AI competency dimensions ✅ Learning materials to enhance your instructional practice with AI ✅ Personalized analytics based on your educator–AI conversations What you need to do: Just keep using Colleague AI for your real teaching tasks—lesson planning, grading, differentiation, reflection, and more. No extra steps. No additional submissions. Your usage counts toward the badge automatically. Ready to level up your AI fluency? 👉 Sign up today and let your teaching speak for itself: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…

🍁"50% of surveyed mathematics and science teachers have used generative AI (GenAI)" 🍁 "most GenAI using teachers are new and infrequent users" 🍁 "they increased their usage of GenAI tools compared to when they first started using them" 🍁 GenAI integration into math and science instructional practice is nascent. In a new survey study, of the 50% of teachers who reported using GenAI tools (n=486), most were infrequent users and recent adopters. 57% of GenAI-using teachers reported infrequent use (monthly or rarely) while 42% indicated more frequent use (weekly or daily). The majority (76%) indicated that they have been using GenAI for less than a year. 64% of teachers indicated that they increased their usage of GenAI tools compared to when they first started using them, with only 4% indicating less frequent use. Read full survey report at colleague.ai/wp-content/uplo… RAND fielded the survey to its American Teacher Panel between April 30, 2025, and May 25, 2025. This panelconsisted of 25,000 educators. To learn more information about the panels, visit rand.org/edu-cation-and-labo…. The sample included public school teachers who teach math or science in grades K-12 (n = 979). We surveyed 352 secondary mathematics teachers, 163 secondary science teachers, and 464 elementary teachers who teach both science and mathematics. To maintain analytical quality, in the report that follows, we do not disaggregate the data into these subsets. Technical details on survey administration and analysis can be found at the end of this report. Acknowledgement: AmplifyLearn.AI’s work has been supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305C240012, and by several awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) 2043613, 2300291, 2405110) to the University of Washington and NSF SBIR/STTR award to Hensun Innovation LLC (2423365). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the funders. We gratefully acknowledge the support of IES program officers Elizabeth Albro, PhD and Courtney Pollack.

New Feature Highlight: Suggestions in Colleague AI 💜 When you support students, we support you. 💜 We’ve launched a research-based feature grounded in scholar literature: Suggestions in Brainstorm Ideas. Now, when you chat with Claire AI, you’ll see two ✨clickable✨ suggestions that are tailored for YOUR instructional goals. 👉 Example: A teacher says, “I am a 5th grade math teacher, my students are struggling with multiplying fractions.” 👉 Claire responds with strategies two suggestions: ✅ Identify common errors students make with fraction problems ✅ Design hands-on fraction multiplication activities using visual models With one click, you can move forward—or keep typing your own path. Suggestions also unlock platform features, like transforming a worksheet in Claire's response into an interactive activity ready for students. 💜 Practical. Adaptive. Grounded in evidence. 💜 That’s Colleague AI. 👉 TRY IT NOW: platform.colleague.ai/assist… #EdTech #AIEducation #TeacherTools #ColleagueAI

🍁 For which instructional tasks have K-12 math and science teachers used GenAI tools? 🍁 Among the 50% of math and science teachers using GenAI tools (n=486), 76% and 61% reported using GenAI for lesson planning and assessment development, respectively. 50% reported using GenAI in class, with 10% reporting that they taught students about deploying GenAI as a learning tool. Open-ended responses about teacher use cases revealed that many schools have restricted or blocked student access to tools like ChatGPT due to ethical, privacy, and academic integrity concerns, limiting teachers’ ability to deploy GenAI for classroom activities. Elementary teachers also noted that their students are too young to engage meaningfully with GenAI tools. Beyond classroom instruction, teachers reported using GenAI for a range of professional tasks, including writing grants, drafting emails to parents, and generating multimedia content for presentations or instructional materials. Read full survey report at colleague.ai/wp-content/uplo… RAND fielded the survey to its American Teacher Panel between April 30, 2025, and May 25, 2025. This panel consisted of 25,000 educators. To learn more information about the panels, visit lnkd.in/gwPNFbug. The sample included public school teachers who teach math or science in grades K-12 (n = 979). We surveyed 352 secondary mathematics teachers, 163 secondary science teachers, and 464 elementary teachers who teach both science and mathematics. To maintain analytical quality, in the report that follows, we do not disaggregate the data into these subsets. Acknowledgement: AmplifyLearn.AI’s work has been supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305C240012, and by several awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF #2043613, 2300291, 2405110) to the University of Washington and NSF SBIR/STTR award to Hensun Innovation LLC (#2423365). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the funders. We gratefully acknowledge the support of IES program officers Elizabeth Albro, PhD and Courtney Pollack. #AIinEducation #K12STEM #STEMedu