Over the past two years, Bellwether launched two grant programs to expand access to flexible, personalized learning opportunities for students and families — particularly families furthest from opportunity. The Filling the Gap Program supported grantees focused on increasing access to supplemental educational programs, while the Assembly Grant Program supported solutions that help families access any flexible learning option, including supplemental, career-focused, or alternative schooling opportunities. 

 As we reflect on these programs and the grantees’ work, several key themes and insights emerge. This series of blog posts will share the approaches our grantees used to support families and the lessons we learned about ensuring all families can access educational experiences tailored to learners’ needs, interests, and goals. 

Technology solutions play a crucial role in improving families’ access to flexible, diverse learning options, particularly when a state offers public funding to help cover the cost of these options. Well-designed tech solutions can make it simple and efficient for families to find, enroll, and pay for learning options most aligned with their children’s needs. Below are four examples of how Assembly grantees Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire, Odyssey, Institute for Quality Education, and Outschool.org used technology to improve access to learning options, especially for families furthest from opportunity.  

User-Centered Design 

Families sometimes struggle with online platforms’ unfamiliar interfaces, finding it challenging to upload documents, manage multiple logins, or navigate between different websites. These barriers can be especially daunting for multigenerational families or those with limited digital literacy, potentially discouraging them from pursuing learning options that could benefit their children. 

While many platforms test their products with users, it is essential that they focus their engagement on families furthest from opportunity to understand their unique experiences and needs. In the first phase of the Assembly Grant Program, Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire (CSF NH) conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of the barriers and challenges families face when applying for the state’s Education Freedom Account program. They took many lessons away from their research with families, including that more than a third of users access the program’s website via mobile devices, and many struggle to navigate among the three websites that comprise the program. 

Based on these findings, CSF NH will launch the New Hampshire Education Freedom Platform, an all-in-one portal with mobile optimization, a user-friendly interface, and a single login. The platform will allow families to apply for funding, verify their eligibility, shop online, and pay or request reimbursement in one place.  

 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Powered Tools  

Delays in processing program applications, approving requests for reimbursement, or responding to customer service requests can be frustrating for families. At worst, delays can prevent a family from being able to participate in a program. 

Using AI to automate processes could mitigate harm by speeding up application and expense approvals, putting money and services in the hands of families faster. For example, AI can be trained to understand the kinds of expenses for tutoring, online learning, and special education services that have been approved in the past and eventually expedite the approval process when families submit new expenses. CSF NH will integrate an AI-powered expense review tool as part of the New Hampshire Education Freedom Platform rollout in the 2024-25 school year.  

AI chatbots can help families get answers outside business hours and in their preferred languages. Odyssey, for example, conducted discovery sessions with families to better understand their support preferences, which played a crucial role in developing their AI-powered customer support tool. This allows Odyssey’s team to provide the best of both worlds: quick, AI-generated answers available 24/7 for frequently asked questions and direct help from real humans for more complex questions. Moreover, automated answers are still reviewed by Odyssey’s team for quality. 

Partnerships With State Agencies  

Identity verification, used to determine whether a family is eligible for a program, can also negatively affect participation rates in public funding programs. Even for state programs with “universal” eligibility, families must demonstrate that they are residents to qualify for participation. Proving eligibility can entail submitting documentation to verify residency, income eligibility, or disability status. Gathering and submitting this information sometimes poses a significant challenge for families, particularly those furthest from opportunity. 

Data-sharing agreements between state agencies can simplify and speed up identity verification procedures. For example, in Iowa, Odyssey partnered with the state’s Department of Education and Department of Revenue to reference tax and enrollment data during identity verification. Instead of families having to upload multiple documents, Odyssey used existing state data to streamline the verification process, resulting in most families receiving instant approval for Iowa’s Students First Education Savings Account.  

Features That Foster Community Among Users 

Technology can also facilitate connection and knowledge-sharing between families. Institute for Quality Education (IQE), an Assembly grantee, enhanced its My School Options platform by adding a community-oriented feature that allows families to indicate interest in alternative learning options such as microschools. Once a certain threshold of interest is reached, the platform automatically connects families with other interested families in their area. 

Outbridge, a program of Outschool.org, helped Virginians access the state’s microgrants for tutoring and special education resources. In addition to email campaigns, phone banking, and one-on-one coaching, Outbridge developed an easy-to-search tutor directory and brought families together in community forums hosted via Mighty Networks to share questions and ideas. The combination of tiered support and community building helped Outbridge reach more than 12,500 learners and activate more than $20.5M in microgrant funds. 

Conclusion 

The innovative work of these organizations demonstrates the transformative potential of well-designed technology solutions for families. By focusing on user-friendly interfaces, streamlined processes, and community support, these organizations are breaking down barriers and empowering families to make informed choices about their children’s education.