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New AI Initiatives in Phonics Instruction and School Counseling


eSpark, a web based supplemental curriculum supplier for math, studying, and writing, is bringing AI-powered phonics follow to foundational studying instruction this faculty 12 months. This replace strengthens eSpark’s already robust alignment with the science of studying.

The eSpark Studying Lab brings superior speech recognition and evaluation applied sciences to the award-winning eSpark platform, starting with a six-week phonics scope and sequence for the back-to-school season. The Studying Lab analyzes college students’ speech patterns to offer detailed instruction, follow, and reporting on particular person phonemes, giving lecturers an unprecedented window into the place college students are on their early studying journeys.

eSpark launched greater than 50,000 lecturers to the advantages of generative AI through the 2023-2024 faculty 12 months by means of uniquely customized actions like Selection Texts, Selection Math, and an AI-powered writing tutor. The corporate then turned to one of many highest priorities in training right this moment–foundational studying instruction–and labored intently with lecturers to establish the place they wanted probably the most help.

“To consider having a sentence on the display, a baby studying that, and eSpark offering fast suggestions and instruction on particular person sounds and placing these sounds collectively…That’s mainly instructing [my students] methods to learn,” stated Michigan instructor Michelle VanGilder. “To have one thing like that to help children who aren’t studying as a lot at dwelling and have restricted classroom time to follow is superb.”

As lecturers adapt to a technology of scholars who’re “constructed in another way” post-pandemic, it has develop into essential to distinguish instruction past simply leveling content material. eSpark’s Studying Lab is the latest instance of how know-how can ease the burden on lecturers for time-intensive 1:1 help, whereas additionally fostering a love of studying with participating, responsive, extremely customized actions.

“Academics dedicate an enormous period of time and vitality to serving to college students be taught and love studying, however it’s robust to offer every scholar one-on-one consideration in a busy classroom,” stated Ray Lyons, eSpark’s VP of Product. “With Studying Lab, we’re excited to supply this new know-how that assesses college students and provides customized suggestions and phonics help, so lecturers can spend extra high quality time in small teams.”

A free trial of the eSpark Studying Lab is obtainable now for all first-time signups and returning lecturers. Study extra and get began at https://www.esparklearning.com/product/reading-lab/.


With school admissions extra aggressive than ever, a crew of Harvard and Johns Hopkins graduates has created a brand new on-line marketing consultant that makes use of synthetic intelligence to assist highschool college students get accepted into their dream schools — for simply $10 monthly.

Referred to as Apply Genius, the AI app is designed to degree the taking part in area for college students and oldsters who can’t afford to spend 1000’s — or tens of 1000’s — of {dollars} on a stay school admissions marketing consultant.

“Apply Genius solutions any query you’ve gotten about school admissions, customized for you, providing you with entry to the identical admissions secrets and techniques that the wealthiest candidates pay $10,000 or extra for,” stated Michael Pankowski, a Harvard graduate and co-founder of Apply Genius. “This instrument is democratizing school admissions consulting, making it reasonably priced for all.”

Obtainable on the Apple App retailer, Apply Genius permits customers to begin at no cost and prices solely $9.99 monthly for limitless entry, answering any school admissions questions one has. And the Apply Genius crew affords a high quality assure: If there’s any reply that’s to not a person’s satisfaction, the Apply Genius crew will personally reply that query by e-mail.

As school admissions charges have plummeted (Harvard accepted solely 3.6% of candidates this 12 months), the admissions course of has grown more and more complicated and nerve-wracking. A latest nationwide survey discovered that over 60% of scholars are overwhelmed by school admissions recommendation, and 76% of scholars really feel excessive stress ranges all through the appliance course of.

“Till now, solely the wealthiest college students and oldsters might afford to pay for somebody to information them by means of this sophisticated and hectic course of,” stated Anthony Colarusso, a Harvard graduate and co-founder of Apply Genius. “Our app modifications this, providing deeply customized recommendation at a extremely reasonably priced value.”

Utilizing a mix of proprietary analysis and top-quality insights, Apply Genius is designed for each college students and oldsters. The state-of-the-art app is extremely straightforward to make use of and options:

  • A Pupil Profile that takes in over 30 distinctive knowledge factors to personalize each reply for every scholar’s circumstances and admissions targets. 
  • An Open Chat characteristic the place college students can ask any school admissions query and get on the spot, customized, skilled recommendation at any time.
  • A Guided Chat characteristic the place college students can ask questions from the 100+ query Prompting Information, filled with crucial school admissions questions, and get a customized reply. 
  • A Chat Historical past the place customers can revisit their saved chats, in order that they always remember the essential school admissions recommendation they’ve obtained.

“To earn admittance to their prime school, college students want to face out from the gang. Apply Genius helps college students do exactly that,” stated Sean Sebastian Darcy, a Johns Hopkins graduate and co-founder of Apply Genius.

Apply Genius helps college students overcome the quite a few challenges they face navigating the faculty admissions course of. Amongst them:

  • School admissions is notoriously unclear as to who will get in and why, and the Web is stuffed with unsound, old-fashioned recommendation.
  • Highschool counselors, particularly at public colleges, are overwhelmed by the variety of college students they have to assist. The nationwide common is 385 college students per counselor, and 24% of public colleges haven’t any counselors in any respect.
  • Personal school consultants are costly – their common fee is roughly $300 per hour, and one fees a charge of $750,000 for his or her companies.

Study extra about Apply Genius at www.getapplygenius.com


Kollegio, the AI-driven platform for school functions, right this moment introduced its official launch to assist college students obtain skilled steering for the faculty software course of. Kollegio seeks to reinvent the faculty entry infrastructure, creating extra equitable alternatives whereas concurrently dismantling the present boundaries that block out a majority of scholars from reaching prime colleges. Kollegio’s superior AI instruments present customized steering and skilled recommendation to empower college students to craft their very best functions. Capabilities vary from serving to college students prioritize schools primarily based on scholar profession targets, GPA, and extracurricular actions, all the best way to reviewing and suggesting edits to particular admission essays. The total launch comes on the heels of Kollegio’s not too long ago introduced $750k pre-seed funding in June.

66% of scholars using Kollegio’s early entry come from households that earn $100,000 or much less in annual family revenue. The highest 3 universities that these college students are looking for to use to incorporate Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. A 2023 research carried out by economists primarily based at Harvard discovered that college students from the highest 1% have been 34% extra prone to be accepted to an Ivy League faculty in comparison with their friends with the identical or related SAT or ACT scores. One benefit that college students from extra prosperous backgrounds profit from are extremely private suggestions supplied by steering counselors on their behalf. The common ratio for a public faculty counselor is 1:400 in California.

Kollegio works alongside college students through the school discovery and software course of. Customized profiles assist decide goal colleges primarily based on skilled targets and grades. College students have the choice to freely write admission essays and obtain AI-provided suggestions or can brainstorm utilizing widespread software prompts. College students can work on admission essays anytime and obtain help to finest match their distinctive schedule and work model. Information on necessary deadlines, software charges, monetary assist, and extra can also be accessible from 1,600 colleges to assist hold college students knowledgeable.

“Kollegio was constructed with the guideline that every one college students, regardless of their background or circumstance, ought to have the identical shot at moving into their dream colleges,” says Kollegio CEO and Co-Founder Senan Khawaja.

Saeed Naeem, the CTO and Co-founder echoed the identical sentiment “No scholar with goals of pursuing increased training must be restricted as a result of their households can’t afford the leg up that the rich minority can.”

To be taught extra about Kollegio, please go to www.kollegio.ai

Kevin Hogan
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