AI Technology Evaluation Guide
This guide is designed to help K-12 leaders make informed decisions about AI technology investments.
Successfully integrating AI into classrooms requires thoughtful planning, strong public infrastructure, and clear guidelines to ensure ethical use, safe implementation, and informed decision-making. This guide is built to support K–12 leaders in asking the right questions and to consider key factors before investing in AI solutions for K-12 education. Specifically, young learners need extra safeguards. AI must be reliable, protected, and teacher-controlled to ensure appropriate use.
Investing in AI isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about creating more effective, accessible, and student-centered learning environments. When designed to enhance educator impact, AI can personalize learning, reduce administrative burden, and deliver actionable insights that improve instruction. With the right approach, AI can help unlock adaptive learning experiences and targeted support, helping every student thrive.
Safety, Privacy, & Ethics
Is the tool COPPA, FERPA, and GDPR compliant, with clear policies on data collection, storage, usage, and sharing—and guardrails to prevent bias or inappropriate outputs?
Accountability
Has the AI vendor established transparent, standards-based policies that align with existing regulations and support responsible use?
Fair and Transparent
Is it clear to families how AI is being used with their children?
NO Efficacy
Does the solution provide clear insights and measurable outcomes?
Does the AI tool support age-appropriate assessments that provide useful data insights?
Instructional Value
Does the tool support learning with developmentally appropriate content aligned to best practices like SoR and UDL, without distracting from instruction?
Teacher Oversight & Control
Can teachers review, edit, and guide AI outputs, with safeguards to ensure student experiences are safe, equitable, and teacher-directed—without generative AI like chatbots?
Age
Appropriateness & Ease of Use
Is the tool intuitive and age-appropriate for the intended audience and educators?
Integrations
Does the tool integrate with existing edtech systems, support interoperability, and simplify teacher workflows?
Is this a plug-in or add-on—or a fully independent, ready-to-use platform?
NO
Trust & Longevity
Is the vendor financially stable, experienced in education, and prepared to support your school or district over the long term? YES NO
Professional Development
Is training and ongoing support provided to help teachers use AI confidently and responsibly? YES NO
Equity & Accessibility
Does the tool support diverse learners—including students with disabilities and language learners—with bias-aware, accessible, and culturally responsive features? YES NO
Stakeholder Communication
Does the tool help schools communicate effectively with families, including multilingual support and ready-to-share guides?
Customization & Efficiency
NO
Can teachers customize AI-generated content and feedback, including lessons and assessments, to align with standards, differentiate learning, and reduce planning time? YES NO
Total Number in the ‘Yes’ Column
Seesaw follows the EDSAFE framework for AI in Education.
The EDSAFE AI Alliance is a global coalition dedicated to promoting the Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) integration of AI in education through policy, research, and practice. They are led by a steering committee of organizations working at the intersection of AI and education, and aims to bring diverse voices to help educate policymakers
Seesaw Value Add + Validation
Seesaw is helping elementary schools support teachers and save them time with safe, effective AI—-fully integrated into our all-in-one LMS . Designed specifically for elementary, it eliminates extra logins, reduces costs, and integrates seamlessly with existing systems.
I feel like it’s happy hour all over again with all of the AI tools, but for K5 we are using Seesaw and that’s our official LMS.
- Joshua Ehret, Instructional Technology Specialist, Wichita Public
Opportunity at Scale: The Case for Public Infrastructure for AI in Education. EDSAFE AI Alliance, Apr. 2025, https://www.edsafeai. org/_files/ugd/f384a6_14ca393d3f7440a781bb00a75a0ae120.pdf.
Privacy & Security
Seesaw is committed to the responsible use of AI in our products and services. Seesaw adheres to security industry best practices and laws to protect the integrity of your data. We never sell your data, advertise third-party products or own the content you add to Seesaw.
Looking for new AI solutions? Use the tools already built into the trusted LMS made for elementary. www.seesaw.com | hello@seesaw.com | 1-855-6-SEESAW
