SCORE invests $450,000 in nine student-centered AI pilots designed to strengthen teaching, learning and student success across Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) today convened education leaders, policymakers, researchers, business leaders and innovators for AI in K-12 Education: Keeping Students at the Center, a statewide symposium focused on how Tennessee can responsibly leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen teaching and learning and better prepare students for the future. During the symposium, SCORE also announced the nine recipients of its new AI Innovation Fund, a $450,000 investment in educator-led projects designed to test and evaluate responsible, student-centered uses of AI in education.
Throughout the morning, national and local experts explored promising opportunities as AI becomes increasingly present in classrooms and the workforce, including how to build AI literacy, support responsible implementation, strengthen instruction and prepare students for future careers. Speakers shared emerging research, lessons from implementation and examples of AI innovation already taking shape across Tennessee.
“AI presents tremendous opportunity, and Tennessee has made some of its greatest progress in education when leaders have come together around a shared focus on students,” said David Mansouri, president and CEO of SCORE. “The promise of this new technology will not be how quickly we adopt new tools but rather how thoughtfully we put it to work for students. Through both the symposium and the AI Innovation Fund, SCORE is fostering a stronger understanding of what responsible AI use can look like in education. We’re proud to invest in innovative models that can generate evidence of what works and ultimately help Tennessee scale what makes the greatest difference for students.”
The AI Innovation Fund will give nine Tennessee organizations the resources and support to tackle real challenges facing students and educators. Over the next 12 months, recipients will test ideas spanning instruction, student advising and career pathway planning, AI literacy, and educator support. Each project is designed to address a specific need, creating an opportunity to learn not only whether an approach works but what it takes to make it work well.
The AI Innovation Fund recipients include:
- East Tennessee State University in partnership with Kingsport City Schools
- Horizon Academies in partnership with Valor Collegiate Academies
- M3 Project in partnership with EnlightenAI, Leadership Preparatory Charter School, Libertas School of Memphis, and Memphis Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School
- Metro Nashville Public Schools in partnership with AI for Education
- PIVOT: School Improvement Leaders in partnership with Vine Middle Magnet School and Knox County Schools
- Promise Academy
- Sullivan County Schools
- tnAchieves
- University High School in partnership with The University of Memphis
Recipients will also receive strategic support from SCORE and opportunities to learn alongside peers across Tennessee. SCORE will share lessons, findings and implementation insights from the projects to help educators and institutions better understand where AI can meaningfully support students and educators and what responsible implementation requires in practice.
More information about the symposium, the AI Innovation Fund, and this year’s recipients can be found here.