Strategies for Evaluating AI Tools in K12
Mar. 25, 2026
States across the country are developing guidance on AI in education — but how are they evaluating whether these tools work for students? In our next free webinar, we will be joined by Pati Ruiz, co-author of Digital Promise’s What States Say About Evaluating AI in Education report and Vera Cubero, who led North Carolina’s K12 AI guidance initiatives.
Together, we’ll unpack findings from a review of guidance documents across 32 states and Puerto Rico and explore how states are moving from early efforts toward more rigorous, evidence-based evaluation of AI-enabled tools in K-12 classrooms.
Key topics include:
The three stages of AI evaluation maturity — what each looks like in practice across specific states and where your school/district might fall on the spectrum
Why traditional evaluation approaches may fall short for AI-enabled tools, and what more rigorous, outcomes-focused evaluation actually requires
Why educators need to be intentional users of AII — and how centering teacher, student, and community voices makes evaluation more meaningful and effective
The role of co-design and feedback loops in building evaluation processes that include student, educator, and community voices
What education leaders can do now to advance their evaluation efforts and make more informed decisions about AI adoption
Can’t make the time? A recording + resources will be emailed to all registrants.
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Amanda Bickerstaff
Amanda is the Founder and CEO of AI for Education. A former high school science teacher and EdTech executive with over 20 years of experience in the education sector, she has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that AI can offer. She is a frequent consultant, speaker, and writer on the topic of AI in education, leading workshops and professional learning across both K12 and Higher Ed. Amanda is committed to helping schools and teachers maximize their potential through the ethical and equitable adoption of AI.
Lyana Azan
Lyana Fernandez Azan received her B.A. in English Literature from the University of Miami in 1993 and her M.S. from Barry University in 2003. She is the Dean of Teaching and Learning at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida, where she continues teaching the seniors International Baccalaureate English II HL. A strong advocate of teaching the whole child through inquiry-based learning, she tries to involve students in social justice issues through critical thinking and problem-solving activities. Her professional interests include the de-grading of the classroom, the connection among the mind, brain, and educational pedagogy, the promotion of independent learning, the creation of a community of scholars, – in and out of the classroom - and the role of metacognition and feedback in learning. In addition, during her twenty-six years at Carrollton, she has served as the M-12 English Department Chair, the National English Honor Society Advisor, the High School Community Read and Poetry Night Coordinator, and the Co-Chair of the Janet Erskine Stuart Teaching Fellows Program (JESTFP). Finally, she and another colleague created an Educators of the Sacred Heart (ESCJ) group whose goal is to educate faculty and staff - personally and professionally - to a deeper understanding of the Goals and Criteria, furthering our mission as ESCJ.
Estela Proaño
Estela Proaño is an international educator and school leader with nearly 30 years in education and over 20 years in leadership roles across the IB continuum. She is currently working as the IB Diploma Program Coordinator in Quito, Ecuador.
Estela focuses on helping her team move beyond reactive AI use toward informed and explicit integration. She has led the development of practical AI guidelines and professional learning experiences that support teachers, students and parents in using AI to deepen learning and maintain ethical clarity.
Estela is especially interested in how AI can be used to strengthen students’ critical thinking while also optimizing teacher time, allowing educators to focus more on feedback, relationships, and high-impact instructional decisions. She brings a grounded, classroom-connected perspective to AI implementation, consistently asking how new tools can genuinely improve instructional quality and impact while remaining aligned with IB values.