Federal Education Research Centers to Focus on GenAI for K-12

Four new research and development centers run by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the independent research arm of the U.S. Department of Education, will focus on the use of generative artificial intelligence for K-12 education.

Co-funded by the National Science Foundation and the IES Accelerate, Transform, Scale Initiative, the centers seek to “identify high-reward, quick turnaround, scalable solutions to improve education outcomes for all learners and eliminate persistent achievement and attainment gaps,” according to a news release this week. Programs at the centers will involve teachers and students from schools in the District of Columbia and 10 states: California, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

Two of the centers will study different uses for GenAI in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The other two will explore AI tools to boost student literacy. Collectively, the centers will be called U-GAIN: Using Generative Artificial Intelligence to Augment Teaching and Learning in Classrooms.

The news release described the U-GAIN centers as “interdisciplinary collaborations among universities, nonprofits and the technology industry, alongside partnerships with educators and local and state education agencies.”

One U-GAIN center has plans to develop a tool called GenAgent to bolster STEM and computing education for middle school students by being a mentor, learning partner and teacher assistant for students. Another center will survey K-12 math and science teachers to inform the design and implementation of an AI-driven teaching assistant that can compose lesson plans, conduct assessments and personalize feedback for students.

In the realm of literacy, the third U-GAIN center will place its emphasis on English learners in elementary schools, studying whether GenAI tools based on the science of reading can adapt content for these students in a way that raises their reading levels. The fourth center will explore AI-powered reading programs for “culturally and linguistically diverse” students in kindergarten through second grade.

The hope is that these U-GAIN centers will set a national example for responsible integration of AI into research and development for education, the news release said. However, the main goal is the quick development and widespread rollout of evidence-based AI tools for education, according to Acting IES Director Matthew Soldner.

“Most importantly, these new centers will design and scale GenAI tools that support student learning while enabling well-trained educators to do what they do best: ensuring every learner reaches their fullest potential,” Soldner said in a public statement.