[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6393225,"mediaKeyId","2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c","parentId",2107713,"title","BESE hears update on AI-powered classroom pilots from Amira Learning and Khan Academy","audioSeconds",2489,"startMs",345000,"endMs",2834000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c&start=345&end=2834","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c/thumbnail_345000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6393225/Louisiana/BESE-hears-update-on-AI-powered-classroom-pilots-from-Amira-Learning-and-Khan-Academy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393225-82335b690cc3a9b566d9a15b83d1283e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154580&Signature=Fftz64y5smh7CEkm~bU~YgjxPb6taan6LDRpnjhGo2vT1p-xcMDsID5VGbqVhBh9ET~89ZaBCuF18OUvVH6ypq9VEbiAXh5bxaUBZzc2VeOWJ5Wl~RJjiYk0IecSpKehfC9eDIMuhiL7jHrdRK77pDPxJjqEfeaK9RbxU5L1qN-FK7KeP0wAec31QRoZrb1x-p4YduV5nLNmNCiqM48moV9ztt4zB0J5Objw6Fjx~22opdtNi6~V-AZrjL8PyVGeKHEhGGJqKZwRjJUan1QMa6f4RknrbaREtZdywQNni12-sWG9f0pRCkZuboc3ZwRVGCwnlcXNl-dV0mYbX18-HQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana BESE","date","2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","article","The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday received an update from the Louisiana Department of Education on two AI-powered classroom pilots, Amira Learning and Khan Academy’s Conmigo, and heard vendor and district reactions to early usage and training data.

The update, delivered by Adam DiBenedetto, director of academic innovation at the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), said the Amira pilot has expanded from an initial grades 3–5 English‑learner focus to include K–5 and now includes more than 71,000 students rostered statewide and roughly 40,000 actively using the tool in classrooms. DiBenedetto said “over 500,000 stories read in the last four weeks” were recorded on his slide deck and that 30 school systems were using Amira as part of the pilot.

“Before integrating, we made sure that these tools were providing the personalized experience that we want,” DiBenedetto said, describing state guidance, statewide data‑sharing agreements and professional development provided to participating teachers.

Khan Academy representatives described Conmigo (referred to in the presentation as KhanMigo/Conmigo), an AI tutor and teacher assistant intended for high‑school courses with end‑of‑course (EOC) exams. Jason Hobie, director of school partnerships at Khan Academy, said the partnership was developed over several years with attention to privacy and teacher training: “That example you brought up is horrible. Right? I would say, Sal, the rest of the company, using AI with students without teachers is not a good idea,” Hobie said, responding to a board member’s reference to a controversial Arizona charter program.

Stacy Johnson, director of professional learning for Khan Academy, said her team has trained more than 300 teachers across 11 participating parishes and that early teacher feedback was positive. “Our number one goal and mission is to get teachers more time with their students,” Johnson said, adding that some partner districts report anecdotal gains of about 10 hours of teacher time returned per week.

Amira Learning’s success manager for Louisiana, Chantelle Cooley, told the board Amira’s functionality now includes guided comprehension prompts after stories and that some districts have seen teachers embed Amira into small‑group instruction. Bianka Plummer and district staff from East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR) described local results: EBR reported preliminary correlations between intensive Amira usage and DIBELS literacy growth and narrowed gaps between English learners and non‑EL peers in one year, although district staff also said multiple supports contributed to the change.

Board members asked about statewide monitoring and long‑term assessment. DiBenedetto said LDOE is developing metrics to evaluate impact and will report back, and Khan Academy said it will extend the pilot into the 2025–26 school year at no additional cost to Louisiana to allow more time for meaningful engagement and measurement.

The board voted to receive the report; no policy changes were enacted at the meeting. Several members emphasized staying current with rapid AI developments and expressed interest in future updates on usage, assessment results and professional development schedules.

The department, vendor representatives and district partners agreed to share further data and to arrange demonstrations and trainings for board members and staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","1/9/25 School Innovation and Turnaround Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday received an update from the Louisiana Department of Education on two AI‑powered classroom pilots, Amira Learning and Khan Academy’s Conmigo, with LDOE reporting tens of thousands of students rostered and vendors and districts describing teacher training and early usage.","taxTitle","State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), Boards & Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Louisiana","taxId",25426,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6393211,"GEO Academies presents RSD operator model to BESE; board to consider operator approval next month",418,2918000,3336000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c&start=2918&end=3336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c/thumbnail_2918000.jpg","/articles/6393211/Louisiana/GEO-Academies-presents-RSD-operator-model-to-BESE-board-to-consider-operator-approval-next-month","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393211-5e43766c6e5d5e3080f89c239ded931b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154580&Signature=YIA~thQHwd3Sfsm3y66R1L4noktIFEeozvRZa9Wqx-VPim7eUZHZTJ4umjRDktXIehZ91lGnuT8oSdeneCe1sBFKnNNVG1mXXLXMkEJfCzYhV2Y5jLoVrX-RUeC9J63OpdFGaQ1rrMPtaJLhbSPlo-9xQMZjyFSQ2vk6D77s7hQ1RDiFbCeJV8FZzOxZynhWRJvgFDwoZi-FfqB8gZnobicP14gRzlXp9-hSXivR3SSb4WzNtyciqT55L1OGZgtSkOQsH9sW3vI7L3zdv0unaV002VTMFCRUChYXECQiErd300SrFq~wl7c5wqtjqdLWKm4rnRwthbm5QhkkBK23lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","GEO Academies leaders presented their Baton Rouge network model and student outcomes to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as part of the board’s effort to identify additional operators for Recovery School District (RSD) work.

Kevin Teasley, founder of GEO Academies, and Clint Eby, executive director of strategic development for GEO, described the network’s growth since 2015, citing four schools and roughly 2,000 students in Baton Rouge. Teasley said the network hires and trains local staff and reported a teacher retention rate of roughly 80 percent. “We hire local. We also train local. And we also retain local,” he said.

Eby highlighted four pillars of the GEO model — early college immersion, TAP teacher development, rigorous curriculum and family/community partnerships — and noted that GEO graduates have earned associate degrees through coordinated early college programs. He provided network performance highlights, saying several GEO schools are B‑rated, have shown year‑over‑year gains since COVID, and have strong K–3 literacy metrics on DIBELS.

The board was told GEO’s current student population is over 99 percent minority and about 85 percent economically disadvantaged; students with disabilities hover around 13 percent across the network. Board members clarified that the presentation was informational and that GEO’s application would be considered next month if BESE solicits RSD operator approvals.

No action was taken at the meeting; the board received GEO’s materials and members were invited to follow up with GEO staff.","GEO Academies described its Baton Rouge network, growth and student outcomes to the board as a potential operator for Recovery School District (RSD) opportunities; the board received the presentation and did not act on operator approval at the meeting.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6393216,"BESE approves renewal of authorized charter contracts with conditions",3023,293000,3316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c&start=293&end=3316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c/thumbnail_293000.jpg","/articles/6393216/Louisiana/BESE-approves-renewal-of-authorized-charter-contracts-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393216-c78230a4514d3780ddb7ff7fec18eac9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154580&Signature=Ds~ZMyqEqZLZlYnXyt-0dj6yZ9cANRcX~NfENsachi0f3t3r7-Mmd6~yfxX4wK7B70auhy3nPWdIvvSmotaqLCRapz7pVzzCF4zHxa2FT-LAahxDg5Izo0Ud7Ut5iVnnjd6IVxR4p5LWhNkLU-larbYqIBFcsgOlPW7rragBChv7R0l6nz7R51POOzEGYRpL33ot6Lz92I-8xiHGV3jdyHrJ4PveXu0AfbHUxuTN3uJgBLr~gyEkIcqkMT5N-YjvAPBPXpgGXrOrGWkGIhMIZShcVP3u-DBpxhKVaHJ5oQzLfR2622ZbqCRBDtq0Sbw3rBxdde~xjfiqdDBEa8XRbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to approve renewal of authorized charter school contracts with conditions described in the meeting materials.

At the meeting board members discussed a recent pair of charter relinquishments and noted the board’s expectations for charter performance and the balance between autonomy and accountability. “Whenever a charter doesn't perform, they close,” a board member observed during public discussion, noting two charters had relinquished contracts rather than seeking extensions.

Doctor Armstrong moved to approve the renewals with the conditions listed in the board materials; Mister Harris seconded the motion and the board approved it with no recorded objections. The department’s recommendation and the conditions remain in the public backup materials.

Board members asked staff to ensure consistent monitoring and to report back if further action is needed; no specific modifications to charter law were proposed at the meeting.","The board approved renewal of certain authorized charter school contracts with conditions as outlined in the meeting backup; members noted expectations for charter performance and closure processes.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6393220,"BESE briefed on LA Gator implementation; board approves list of norm‑referenced assessments for program",520,3339000,3859000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c&start=3339&end=3859","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107713-3286758819b2b5c2d38be040580dca8c/thumbnail_3339000.jpg","/articles/6393220/Louisiana/BESE-briefed-on-LA-Gator-implementation-board-approves-list-of-normreferenced-assessments-for-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393220-74f6dbe68fa282c044c1c240c0248f41/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154580&Signature=bqAr7w7OptgDGf9Jz~d2jX9RGyOIzKj-3~KIfwWxOp3gLax6gtVAgzXsOIeGINbrNc1vjGv5NkzONOjhyabA21DwQnBC84JSaonYFFuINLmuqs7f2g2NGa8dD3OIIPuwxJ9WK2fK9bHyFPTWj38uAfZp9vJDV5SdElxtFWWHrQvpMm0A~9LIfQAUo272RlFSG7Cut9IDGTq70J47Ty5LQBYiE2NK~yR30dles6O0ql~GU9jnx6IJmQHdHFo4OUdIjGwe-8jqxy4BhQGXOqU3fhgjyKAAfAMqENfSvhuT92hZjHAyWJWc3R3ZlFcFMOoZXXeLp~QGRI70PzWdf8AmsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday received a detailed operational update on LA Gator — the department’s parental choice marketplace program — and approved a recommended list of norm‑referenced assessments that participating nonpublic schools may use to meet statutory assessment requirements.

Caleb (LDOE staff) presented milestones and process maps for the LA Gator rollout, saying the participating nonpublic school onboarding and claiming process had begun in December and that more than 130 nonpublic schools had claimed accounts. He said the family pre‑eligibility tool would launch in January, the student and family application would open on March 1, and verification and funding would follow in June and July.

The department said the LA Gator marketplace will be a closed system with pre‑reviewed items and spending rules to reduce unauthorized purchases; LDOE will perform annual audits and risk assessments and will contract with external auditors in a model similar to the Louisiana Scholarship Program. “This will be a closed marketplace, so there won't be the option for families to make ineligible purchases,” Caleb said.

Board members asked whether statutory changes will be needed in the upcoming legislative session and whether additional funding requests would be required. LDOE said it anticipates requests associated with covering students currently in the Louisiana Scholarship Program (estimated at roughly $45 million), and that any request would be submitted in the executive budget process.

On audit procedures, the department said it will contract with an external vendor to perform random and targeted attestations similar to the scholarship program; Beth Siena (LDOE) was named as a point of contact for audit coordination.

The board approved the department’s recommended list of norm‑referenced assessments for LA Gator and asked LDOE to return with a March update on application activity and family engagement figures.

No appeals, rule changes or litigation were announced at the meeting.","LDOE presented implementation milestones and controls for the LA Gator parental choice program and asked BESE to approve a recommended list of norm‑referenced assessments; board members asked questions about auditing, funding and timelines and the board approved the assessments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

BESE hears update on AI-powered classroom pilots from Amira Learning and Khan Academy

GEO Academies presents RSD operator model to BESE; board to consider operator approval next month

BESE approves renewal of authorized charter contracts with conditions

BESE briefed on LA Gator implementation; board approves list of norm‑referenced assessments for program