By starting with stakeholder input and pairing policy with tailored supports, United Charter High School Humanities II created a clear, community-aligned approach to AI integration. Their work shows how schools can move from policy to practice by building role-specific guidance, supporting instructional shifts, and establishing feedback loops for continuous improvement.
The State of Competency-Based Education Policy Map is an interactive tool developed in partnership with KnowledgeWorks. Designed to highlight state-level innovation, this map provides a comprehensive overview of how K-12 education policies nationwide are supporting the shift toward competency-based education (CBE). Whether you’re a policymaker, educator or advocate, this tool helps you explore how states are enabling personalized, student-centered learning through key policy levers.
Click on a state to view detailed information about:
You can also browse related stories and sort by topic or state to see where opportunities for policy growth exist. This map will be updated regularly as new policies emerge and systems evolve. Join us in tracking the transformation of education, one state at a time.
Lynwood High School developed a custom AI chatbot to support multilingual learners in accessing academic content. Designed by teacher Jacqueline Oropeza, the English Language Support Assistant (ELSA) helps students summarize texts, define vocabulary, and generate study questions using class materials. This tool enables more equitable access to grade-level learning by building language skills and content understanding in tandem.
Lynwood High School teacher Jacqueline Oropeza utilized NotebookLM to create podcasts for articles that students were using to write a research paper on the real costs of the fast fashion industry. This is one of these podcasts.
These datasheets report the early findings from the fall of our Exponential Learning Initiative’s Building Evidence mixed-methods study.
The Aurora Institute toured three Kentucky sites in 2025 to elevate lessons from past work and to assess progress to date and goals for the future. Using document review, on-the-ground interviews, observation, and existing expertise in deeper learning, each case study aims to authentically tell the story of each system’s shift to deeper learning and the way the changes have shaped the student experience. The three sites include: Metcalfe County Middle School, Woodford County Public Schools, and Beechwood Independent Schools.
Together, we uncovered four key themes as key elements of success at these sites: a shared vision to unite the community, clear expectations that enable flexibility, student demonstrations that unlock authentic applications of knowledge and skills, and opportunities for teacher learning and leadership to lay the groundwork.
These themes echo the existing body of work of the Aurora Institute, the field of competency-based education, and the education research field more broadly. Understanding the implementation journeys of real schools and districts helps bridge a transformative vision into reality for our young people.
This staff survey was designed to assess how educators across United Charter Schools are using, experiencing, and exploring generative AI. It surfaces insights about teacher needs, concerns, and professional development priorities to inform policy, training, and tool adoption decisions.
This family-facing AI policy clearly outlines how United Charter High Schools use AI tools to support student learning, safeguard privacy, and promote equity. It includes tool examples, usage rationale, privacy protections, and guidance for family engagement.
This practical guide helps teachers integrate AI into instruction with specific strategies, prompt starters, and tool overviews organized by classroom challenges such as differentiation, engagement, and feedback. Designed for everyday use, the playbook emphasizes instructional alignment, ease of use, and teacher autonomy.
This student-facing AI policy outlines clear guidelines for responsible, ethical, and transparent AI use across academic settings, emphasizing academic integrity, digital literacy, and data privacy.
