Where can I find trustworthy research on AI in my child's school without reading academic papers?

Stanford's SCALE AI Hub collects AI-in-K-12 studies with short takeaways, and Harvard's Usable Knowledge and Jill Barshay's Proof Points column explain single studies in plain English. Expect a small evidence base: the field is moving faster than research can keep up.

Is there solid evidence that AI tools help kids learn?

Not much yet. Stanford's 2026 review found only about 20 strong causal studies among 800+ papers, with gains while kids use AI that often fade without it; tools that guide thinking rather than hand out answers look more promising. Brookings' 2026 task force judged that, for now, risks outweigh benefits.

How can I check whether a learning program or app my school uses actually works?

Search it on Evidence for ESSA or the What Works Clearinghouse, which rate programs by the strength of studies behind them; many apps simply have no rigorous studies. ISTE's EdTech Index adds privacy and evidence details, partly supplied by companies.

Which teaching approaches have the best evidence overall?

The UK's Education Endowment Foundation toolkit ranks approaches by cost, impact and evidence strength; feedback, metacognition and small-group or one-to-one tutoring tend to rank high. J-PAL's summaries of randomized trials point the same way on tutoring and teaching at a child's level.

How are kids actually doing in reading and math right now?

National NAEP results show scores still below pre-pandemic levels, and reading for fun among 13-year-olds has roughly halved since 2012. The Education Scorecard lets you look up your own district's recovery.

How do American kids compare with kids in other countries?

PISA tests 15-year-olds, TIMSS tests 4th and 8th graders in math and science, and PIRLS tests 4th-grade reading. U.S. results are usually middle-of-the-pack in math and stronger in reading, with large gaps inside the country.

How much screen time do young kids really get?

Common Sense's 2025 census found children 8 and under average about 2.5 hours a day, with 40% owning a tablet by age 2 and gaming time up sharply. These are parent-reported survey numbers.

How do I judge whether an AI app is safe and appropriate for my child?

UNICEF's 2025 guidance lists ten requirements for child-respecting AI, such as safety, privacy and transparency, that work as a checklist. Common Sense Media's AI risk assessments rate specific chatbots and AI toys using its own testing.

Is my child's school using AI, and are teachers trained?

RAND found about half of U.S. districts had trained teachers on AI by fall 2024, with low-poverty districts ahead; Gallup found about six in ten teachers used AI for work in 2024-25. CRPE reports most districts are working out AI policy on their own, so it is reasonable to ask your school directly.

Where can my child learn how AI works?

Free AI literacy lessons come from Day of AI (started at MIT), aiEDU and ISTE+ASCD, and AI4K12's Five Big Ideas outline what kids can learn at each age. Short, hands-on lessons are a good start; the research on what kids retain is still early.

Which newsletters should a parent read to keep up with AI and learning?

For careful research coverage: Hechinger's Proof Points, Stanford's AI Compass newsletter and EdSurge. For the industry view: Claire Zau's GSV AI & Education. For skeptical takes: Ben Williamson and Audrey Watters.

Who are the main research groups studying kids, technology and learning?

Key groups include the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, MIT's Lifelong Kindergarten and Personal Robots groups, Erikson's TEC Center for early childhood, UW's KidsTeam and Temple's Infant & Child Lab. Each publishes free summaries for families.

Where do new studies on AI and learning appear first?

Often as working papers on EdWorkingPapers or NBER, or at conferences like AIED, Learning @ Scale and Interaction Design and Children, before peer-reviewed journals. Working papers can change, so treat early headlines with care.

Do parents have an accurate picture of how their child is doing in school?

Often not. Learning Heroes' surveys found most parents believe their child is at grade level even when test data says otherwise, partly because report-card grades look good. Comparing grades with test results and asking teachers directly helps.

Where can I talk with other parents and teachers about this?

Large forums like r/Parenting, r/Teachers and Mumsnet's education board offer candid real-world views, though posts are anecdotes, not evidence. Edutopia and researchED connect parents with teachers interested in evidence-based practice.

The Big Index

Where to keep up

Research groups, evidence clearinghouses, journals, newsletters and data to follow the field.

86 entries
76 free
6 must-reads ★

Questions parents ask

Where can I find trustworthy research on AI in my child's school without reading academic papers?
Stanford's SCALE AI Hub collects AI-in-K-12 studies with short takeaways, and Harvard's Usable Knowledge and Jill Barshay's Proof Points column explain single studies in plain English. Expect a small evidence base: the field is moving faster than research can keep up.
- AI Hub for Education (SCALE Initiative, Stanford GSE)
- Usable Knowledge (Harvard Graduate School of Education)
- Proof Points by Jill Barshay (Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report)
- AI Compass in Schools Newsletter (SCALE Initiative, Stanford GSE)
More in Where to keep up
Is there solid evidence that AI tools help kids learn?
Not much yet. Stanford's 2026 review found only about 20 strong causal studies among 800+ papers, with gains while kids use AI that often fade without it; tools that guide thinking rather than hand out answers look more promising. Brookings' 2026 task force judged that, for now, risks outweigh benefits.
- The Evidence Base on AI in K-12: A 2026 Review (Fesler, Martinez, Agnew & Loeb, Stanford SCALE)
- A new direction for students in an AI world: Prosper, prepare, protect (Burns, Winthrop et al., Brookings)
- AI Hub for Education Research Repository (Stanford SCALE Initiative)
More in Where to keep up
How can I check whether a learning program or app my school uses actually works?
Search it on Evidence for ESSA or the What Works Clearinghouse, which rate programs by the strength of studies behind them; many apps simply have no rigorous studies. ISTE's EdTech Index adds privacy and evidence details, partly supplied by companies.
- Evidence for ESSA (Center for Research and Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins)
- What Works Clearinghouse (Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education)
- EdTech Index (ISTE+ASCD)
- Education Endowment Foundation (Education Endowment Foundation (UK))
More in Where to keep up
Which teaching approaches have the best evidence overall?
The UK's Education Endowment Foundation toolkit ranks approaches by cost, impact and evidence strength; feedback, metacognition and small-group or one-to-one tutoring tend to rank high. J-PAL's summaries of randomized trials point the same way on tutoring and teaching at a child's level.
- Education Endowment Foundation (Education Endowment Foundation (UK))
- Education sector (J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab), MIT)
- Campbell Collaboration (Campbell Collaboration)
More in Where to keep up
How are kids actually doing in reading and math right now?
National NAEP results show scores still below pre-pandemic levels, and reading for fun among 13-year-olds has roughly halved since 2012. The Education Scorecard lets you look up your own district's recovery.
- The Nation's Report Card (NAEP) (National Center for Education Statistics)
- Education Scorecard (Education Recovery Scorecard) (Harvard CEPR & Stanford Educational Opportunity Project)
- The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University (Sean Reardon et al., Stanford)
How do American kids compare with kids in other countries?
PISA tests 15-year-olds, TIMSS tests 4th and 8th graders in math and science, and PIRLS tests 4th-grade reading. U.S. results are usually middle-of-the-pack in math and stronger in reading, with large gaps inside the country.
- Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) (NCES (U.S. site for OECD's PISA))
- TIMSS 2023 (IEA & TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College)
- PIRLS 2021 International Results in Reading (IEA & Boston College)
- PISA (OECD) (OECD Directorate for Education and Skills)
How much screen time do young kids really get?
Common Sense's 2025 census found children 8 and under average about 2.5 hours a day, with 40% owning a tablet by age 2 and gaming time up sharply. These are parent-reported survey numbers.
- The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Common Sense Media)
- Common Sense Media Research (Common Sense Media)
- The Family Tech Cycle: Navigating Screens, Devices, and Social Media (Amanda Lenhart, Joan Ganz Cooney Center)
How do I judge whether an AI app is safe and appropriate for my child?
UNICEF's 2025 guidance lists ten requirements for child-respecting AI, such as safety, privacy and transparency, that work as a checklist. Common Sense Media's AI risk assessments rate specific chatbots and AI toys using its own testing.
- Guidance on AI and children (Version 3.0) (UNICEF Innocenti)
- AI Risk Assessments (Common Sense Media, Youth AI Safety Institute)
- Guidance for generative AI in education and research (UNESCO)
Is my child's school using AI, and are teachers trained?
RAND found about half of U.S. districts had trained teachers on AI by fall 2024, with low-poverty districts ahead; Gallup found about six in ten teachers used AI for work in 2024-25. CRPE reports most districts are working out AI policy on their own, so it is reasonable to ask your school directly.
- More Districts Are Training Teachers on Artificial Intelligence: Findings from the American School District Panel (Diliberti, Lake & Weiner, RAND)
- Three in 10 Teachers Use AI Weekly, Saving Six Weeks a Year (Gallup & Walton Family Foundation)
- Center on Reinventing Public Education: AI in Education (CRPE, Arizona State University)
- AI Guidance for Schools Toolkit (TeachAI (Code.org, ETS, ISTE, Khan Academy, World Economic Forum))
Where can my child learn how AI works?
Free AI literacy lessons come from Day of AI (started at MIT), aiEDU and ISTE+ASCD, and AI4K12's Five Big Ideas outline what kids can learn at each age. Short, hands-on lessons are a good start; the research on what kids retain is still early.
- Day of AI (MIT RAISE)
- AI4K12: Five Big Ideas in AI (AAAI & CSTA (AI4K12 initiative))
- aiEDU (The AI Education Project)
- ISTE+ASCD Artificial Intelligence in Education (ISTE+ASCD)
- MIT RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education) (MIT)
Which newsletters should a parent read to keep up with AI and learning?
For careful research coverage: Hechinger's Proof Points, Stanford's AI Compass newsletter and EdSurge. For the industry view: Claire Zau's GSV AI & Education. For skeptical takes: Ben Williamson and Audrey Watters.
- Proof Points by Jill Barshay (Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report)
- AI Compass in Schools Newsletter (SCALE Initiative, Stanford GSE)
- GSV: AI & Education (Claire Zau, GSV Ventures)
- code acts in education (Ben Williamson, University of Edinburgh)
- Second Breakfast (Audrey Watters)
Who are the main research groups studying kids, technology and learning?
Key groups include the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, MIT's Lifelong Kindergarten and Personal Robots groups, Erikson's TEC Center for early childhood, UW's KidsTeam and Temple's Infant & Child Lab. Each publishes free summaries for families.
- Joan Ganz Cooney Center (Sesame Workshop)
- Lifelong Kindergarten (Mitchel Resnick, MIT Media Lab)
- Personal Robots Group (Cynthia Breazeal, MIT Media Lab)
- Temple Infant & Child Laboratory (Kathy Hirsh-Pasek & Nora Newcombe, Temple University)
- KidsTeam UW (Jason Yip, UW Information School)
Where do new studies on AI and learning appear first?
Often as working papers on EdWorkingPapers or NBER, or at conferences like AIED, Learning @ Scale and Interaction Design and Children, before peer-reviewed journals. Working papers can change, so treat early headlines with care.
- EdWorkingPapers (Annenberg Institute, Brown University)
- Economics of Education Program (National Bureau of Economic Research)
- AIED: International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (International AIED Society)
- Interaction Design and Children (IDC) (ACM SIGCHI)
- Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence (Elsevier)
Do parents have an accurate picture of how their child is doing in school?
Often not. Learning Heroes' surveys found most parents believe their child is at grade level even when test data says otherwise, partly because report-card grades look good. Comparing grades with test results and asking teachers directly helps.
- Be A Learning Hero research (Learning Heroes)
- The Nation's Report Card (NAEP) (National Center for Education Statistics)
Where can I talk with other parents and teachers about this?
Large forums like r/Parenting, r/Teachers and Mumsnet's education board offer candid real-world views, though posts are anecdotes, not evidence. Edutopia and researchED connect parents with teachers interested in evidence-based practice.
- r/Parenting (Reddit community)
- r/Teachers (Reddit community)
- Mumsnet Education (Mumsnet)
- Edutopia (George Lucas Educational Foundation)
- researchED (researchED)

Must-reads

OrganizationFree
AI Hub for Education
SCALE Initiative, Stanford GSE, 2025
Stanford's one-stop page for research on generative AI in K-12 schools. It gathers studies, short takeaways, policy briefs and tools, so you can see what is actually known about AI in classrooms before trusting a sales pitch.
scale.stanford.edu
OrganizationFree
Joan Ganz Cooney Center
Sesame Workshop, 2007
Sesame Workshop's independent research lab on kids and digital media. It publishes free reports and toolkits on family tech use, games, reading apps and designing with children, written for parents and designers alike.
joanganzcooneycenter.org
BlogFree
Usable Knowledge
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Short, plain-English articles that turn Harvard education research into practical advice, on topics like reading, math talk, tutoring and kids' development. One of the easiest places for a parent to read real research without jargon.
gse.harvard.edu
OrganizationFree
Education Endowment Foundation
Education Endowment Foundation (UK), 2011
England's education evidence charity. Its free Teaching and Learning Toolkit compares approaches like feedback, homework and tutoring by cost, months of progress gained and strength of evidence. The site blocks automated readers.
educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
DataFree
The Nation's Report Card (NAEP)
National Center for Education Statistics, 1969
The only national test given the same way across U.S. states. Recent results show reading and math scores well below pre-pandemic levels, and only 14% of 13-year-olds reading for fun almost daily in 2025.
nationsreportcard.gov
ArticleFree
Proof Points by Jill Barshay
Jill Barshay, The Hechinger Report
A weekly column that explains one new education study at a time, including many on AI tutors, edtech and reading. Perhaps the best ongoing source of honest research summaries for parents.
hechingerreport.org

All 86

Research labs

★AI Hub for EducationSCALE Initiative, Stanford GSE · 2025 · Organization · FreeStanford's one-stop page for research on generative AI in K-12 schools. It gathers studies, short takeaways, policy briefs and tools, so you can see what is actually known about AI in classrooms before trusting a sales pitch.
★Joan Ganz Cooney CenterSesame Workshop · 2007 · Organization · FreeSesame Workshop's independent research lab on kids and digital media. It publishes free reports and toolkits on family tech use, games, reading apps and designing with children, written for parents and designers alike.
Stanford Accelerator for LearningStanford Graduate School of Education · 2021 · Organization · FreeA Stanford-wide effort that funds teams working on early childhood, learning differences, AI and adult learning. Its stories page is a readable way to follow new Stanford education research, though much of it is aimed at schools and policymakers.
Lifelong KindergartenMitchel Resnick, MIT Media Lab · Organization · Free · Ages 5–8The MIT group behind Scratch and OctoStudio. It argues kids learn best the way kindergartners do: by making, playing and sharing projects. A good place to see what creative, child-led uses of technology look like.
Personal Robots GroupCynthia Breazeal, MIT Media Lab · Organization · FreeBreazeal's lab studies social robots and AI companions that learn alongside children, including robots that tell stories and help young kids build vocabulary. Read it to see where friendly AI learning partners may be heading.
Project ZeroHarvard Graduate School of Education · 1967 · Organization · FreeA long-running Harvard research group on thinking, creativity and understanding. Its free "thinking routines" (like See-Think-Wonder) are simple prompts parents can use at the kitchen table to get kids explaining their ideas.
★Usable KnowledgeHarvard Graduate School of Education · Blog · FreeShort, plain-English articles that turn Harvard education research into practical advice, on topics like reading, math talk, tutoring and kids' development. One of the easiest places for a parent to read real research without jargon.
Raising a Reader in the Digital AgeUsable Knowledge, Harvard GSE · 2026 · Article · Free · Ages 5–8A Usable Knowledge piece on helping children love reading when screens compete for their time. A good sample of the series: research-based, short, and focused on what families can actually do at home.
The Family Tech Cycle: Navigating Screens, Devices, and Social MediaAmanda Lenhart, Joan Ganz Cooney Center · 2026 · Report · Free · Ages 5–8Built from co-design sessions with parents and kids ages 4-14. It describes tech rules as a cycle families keep revisiting, finds parents worn out by confusing controls, and asks companies for safer defaults. Funded by Verizon.
Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) CenterErikson Institute · Organization · Free · Ages 0–5Erikson Institute's center on technology and media for children from birth to eight. It offers guidance for teachers and families on choosing and using digital tools in developmentally sensible ways. The site blocks automated readers.
KidsTeam UWJason Yip, UW Information School · Organization · Free · Ages 8–12A University of Washington lab where children ages 7-11 are design partners, not test subjects, helping researchers invent new technology. Its methods show how kids' own ideas can shape apps and AI tools.
Penn Graduate School of EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania · Organization · FreePenn's education school is a major source of research on literacy, teaching, school policy and learning analytics. Its news pages explain faculty studies in plain terms. Aimed mostly at educators.
Human-Computer Interaction InstituteCarnegie Mellon University · Organization · FreeCarnegie Mellon's HCI institute is home to decades of work on computer tutors, including the research behind cognitive tutors for math. Recent projects test AI tools that help human tutors work with middle schoolers.
The Simon InitiativeCarnegie Mellon University · Organization · FreeCMU's hub for "learning engineering": using data and learning science to keep improving courses and software. It offers OpenSimon, a free toolkit, and runs the LearnLab summer school for researchers.
Temple Infant & Child LaboratoryKathy Hirsh-Pasek & Nora Newcombe, Temple University · Organization · Free · Ages 0–5Hirsh-Pasek and Newcombe's lab studies how children ages 0-10 learn language, spatial skills and memory, and how play drives learning. Families can join online studies. Hirsh-Pasek also co-wrote widely used rules for judging educational apps.

Policy and global bodies

Center for Universal EducationBrookings Institution · Organization · FreeBrookings' education center, led by Rebecca Winthrop, works on what children everywhere need to learn, family-school partnerships and AI. It hosts the Global Task Force on AI in Education. Free reports and commentary.
Technology in education: A tool on whose terms?UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report · 2023 · Report · FreeUNESCO's flagship 2023 report on edtech worldwide. It weighs where technology helps access and quality against hype and harm, and helped spark the global wave of phone limits in schools.
Digital Technologies in EducationWorld Bank · Organization · FreeThe World Bank's edtech team funds and studies technology in schools in low- and middle-income countries, including large trials of AI tutoring. Its briefs are a good check on what works beyond rich countries.
UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and ForesightUNICEF · Organization · FreeUNICEF's research office on children's rights and well-being, including digital life, online safety and AI. Free reports written with children's perspectives in mind.
Education sectorJ-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab), MIT · Organization · FreeJ-PAL runs randomized trials of education programs worldwide. Its policy insights page sums up what dozens of trials say about tutoring, teaching at the right level and edtech, in short readable summaries.
EdTech HubEdTech Hub · Organization · FreeA global research partnership on technology in education, focused on low- and middle-income countries. Its free evidence library and reviews cut through edtech claims with plain findings.
AI Observatory & Action LabEdTech Hub · 2026 · Tool · FreeEdTech Hub's tracker of AI in education around the world. Its Signal Library collects new studies, news and examples, and the lab tests AI tools in real settings. Written for ministries but readable by anyone curious.
Center on Reinventing Public Education: AI in EducationCRPE, Arizona State University · Organization · FreeCRPE tracks how school districts and states actually adopt AI. Its 2026 reports find districts mostly working it out alone and state policy lagging. Good for parents asking what their district is doing.
Education and LiteracyRAND Corporation · Organization · FreeRAND's education research, including national surveys of teachers, principals and districts. Its panels are among the best sources on how often teachers and students really use AI.
More Districts Are Training Teachers on Artificial Intelligence: Findings from the American School District PanelDiliberti, Lake & Weiner, RAND · 2025 · Report · FreeAbout half of U.S. districts trained teachers on AI by fall 2024, double the year before. Low-poverty districts are ahead, and early training focused on easing teachers' fears. A snapshot of where schools stood.

Evidence clearinghouses

What Works ClearinghouseInstitute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education · 2002 · Tool · FreeThe federal government's reviews of education research, with intervention ratings and free practice guides on topics like early reading and math. Federal cuts in 2025 slowed new work, but the existing guides remain a solid reference.
★Education Endowment FoundationEducation Endowment Foundation (UK) · 2011 · Organization · FreeEngland's education evidence charity. Its free Teaching and Learning Toolkit compares approaches like feedback, homework and tutoring by cost, months of progress gained and strength of evidence. The site blocks automated readers.
Campbell CollaborationCampbell Collaboration · 2000 · Organization · FreeAn international network that publishes careful systematic reviews in education and social policy, with plain-language summaries. Its reviews pull together many studies on one question, such as whether a type of tutoring works.
EdWorkingPapersAnnenberg Institute, Brown University · Data · FreeA free archive of new education research papers, many on tutoring, absenteeism, teachers and edtech. These are working papers, not yet peer reviewed, so findings can change, but this is where news often breaks first.
Economics of Education ProgramNational Bureau of Economic Research · Organization · FreeNBER's education economists post working papers on school spending, tutoring, screens, AI and test scores. Papers are free but not peer reviewed yet; many famous education findings appear here first.

Funders and field builders

Digital Promise: AI and Emerging TechDigital Promise · Organization · FreeA nonprofit that connects researchers, schools and edtech makers. Its AI work includes guides for districts, an AI literacy framework and product certifications that check whether an app is designed with learning research in mind.
The Learning AgencyThe Learning Agency · Organization · FreeA nonprofit that pushes learning engineering: open datasets, AI benchmarks for education tasks and contests for edtech builders. Its weekly newsletter is a fast way to follow AI-and-learning research.
Tools CompetitionRenaissance Philanthropy & The Learning Agency · Organization · FreeA big yearly edtech prize ($50k-$300k awards) for tools that improve learning and share data with researchers. Browsing past winners is a good way to discover new, research-minded learning apps.
EdTech IndexISTE+ASCD · Tool · FreeA searchable directory of thousands of edtech products with details on evidence, privacy and standards. Handy for checking an app your school assigns, though listings rely partly on company-supplied information.
EducationChan Zuckerberg Initiative · 2015 · Organization · FreeCZI funds learning science research and free tools for schools, with growing work on AI. It is a major funder in the field, so it shapes which research and products get built.
Learning CommonsLearning Commons (backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative) · 2025 · Tool · FreeOpen, shared building blocks for education AI: a knowledge graph of standards and curricula, and evaluators that check AI-made lessons against research rubrics. Behind the scenes, but it shapes the AI tools kids will meet.
K-12 EducationGates Foundation · Organization · FreeThe Gates Foundation's U.S. school work now centers on math: better materials, teacher support and digital tools. As one of the largest education funders, its priorities ripple through what schools adopt.
Overdeck Family FoundationOverdeck Family Foundation · 2011 · Organization · FreeA funder focused on school readiness, K-8 literacy and math, and kids' future skills, with a strong evidence bent. Its blog and research repository include spotlights on topics like AI tutoring evidence.
Walton Family Foundation-Gallup Gen Z Research HubGallup & Walton Family Foundation · Data · Free · TeensOngoing Gallup surveys of young people and teachers on school, well-being and AI, funded by the Walton Family Foundation. Good for real numbers on how students feel about school and use AI.
Three in 10 Teachers Use AI Weekly, Saving Six Weeks a YearGallup & Walton Family Foundation · 2025 · Report · FreeA 2025 survey of 2,232 U.S. public school teachers. About six in ten used AI for work, and weekly users said it saved them nearly six hours a week. Self-reported time savings, not measured ones.

AI literacy and guidance groups

aiEDUThe AI Education Project · Organization · Free · TeensA nonprofit offering free AI literacy lessons and readiness tools for schools, aimed at making sure all students, not just wealthy ones, understand AI.
EDSAFE AI AllianceEDSAFE AI Alliance · Organization · FreeA coalition that writes frameworks for safe, fair and effective AI in education, including its SAFE benchmarks. Policy-flavored, but useful for knowing what standards a good school AI tool should meet.
AI Risk AssessmentsCommon Sense Media, Youth AI Safety Institute · Tool · FreeCommon Sense rates AI products used by kids, from chatbots to AI toys, for risk, much as it rates movies. Ratings reflect Common Sense's own testing and criteria; useful before handing a child a new AI app.
Common Sense Media ResearchCommon Sense Media · Organization · FreeCommon Sense's research library: national surveys on kids' media use, reports on teens and AI companions, and studies of AI toys. One of the most cited sources of numbers on kids and technology.
AI IndexStanford Institute for Human-Centered AI · Report · FreeStanford's yearly report on the state of AI, with charts on models, costs, policy and an education chapter on AI and computer science teaching. Good for big-picture context on how fast things are changing.
Internet & Technology researchPew Research Center · Data · FreePew's nonpartisan surveys on how Americans, including teens and parents, use technology and AI. Its teen reports, such as how many use ChatGPT for schoolwork, are widely cited and free.

Journals

Computers & EducationElsevier · Organization · PaidA leading journal on digital technology in learning, from games and tablets to AI tutors. Many articles are paywalled; search Google Scholar for free author copies. The site blocks automated readers.
Computers and Education: Artificial IntelligenceElsevier · 2020 · Organization · FreeA fully open-access journal focused on AI in education, so every article is free to read. A good place to find recent studies on chatbots, AI feedback and adaptive learning.
International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in EducationInternational AIED Society (Springer) · Organization · Some freeThe flagship journal of the AI-in-education research community, publishing studies on intelligent tutors and AI learning tools since long before ChatGPT. Some articles are open access; many are paywalled.
Child DevelopmentSociety for Research in Child Development (Wiley) · 1930 · Organization · Some freeA top journal on how children grow and learn, from infant language to teen thinking. Mostly paywalled, but it is where much of the core science on child learning is published.
JAMA PediatricsAmerican Medical Association · Organization · Some freeA leading medical journal on child and teen health that publishes many of the big studies on screen time, social media and development. Abstracts are free; full articles are often paywalled.
Educational Psychology ReviewSpringer · Organization · Some freePublishes review articles and meta-analyses on how people learn, including retrieval practice, feedback and motivation. Reviews here are a good shortcut to the state of a whole topic. Mixed open access.
npj Science of LearningNature Portfolio · 2016 · Organization · FreeAn open-access journal linking brain science, psychology and education. Free to read, with studies on memory, attention, reading and math learning.
AERA OpenAmerican Educational Research Association · 2015 · Organization · FreeAn open-access journal from the main U.S. education research association, covering everything from tutoring to school policy. Every article is free.

Conferences

AIED: International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in EducationInternational AIED Society · Organization · FreeThe main yearly research conference on AI in education, running since the 1980s. Its papers preview the AI tutoring and feedback ideas that later show up in apps.
ACM Conference on Learning @ ScaleACM · Organization · FreeA research conference on learning with millions of users: online courses, large learning apps and AI tools. Papers often use real data from big platforms. The site blocks automated readers.
Educational Data Mining conferenceInternational Educational Data Mining Society · Organization · FreeThe yearly meeting where researchers mine learning-app data to predict struggle, model knowledge and personalize practice. Proceedings are free online.
Interaction Design and Children (IDC)ACM SIGCHI · Organization · FreeThe main research conference on designing technology for and with children, including AI, games and reading tools. The best place to see how kid-centered design research is done.
ISTELiveISTE+ASCD · Organization · PaidThe biggest U.S. edtech conference for teachers, with thousands of sessions and an expo hall of vendors. Next edition: Boston, June 2027. Good for spotting what tools schools will buy next.
ASU+GSV SummitArizona State University & GSV Ventures · Organization · PaidA large investor-heavy education conference in San Diego where edtech companies, funders and policymakers meet. Its talks show where money and AI products in education are flowing.
SXSW EDUSXSW · Organization · Some freeA spring festival in Austin on the future of learning, with talks, workshops and film. Many sessions are posted online free afterward.
Learning Analytics & Knowledge (LAK)Society for Learning Analytics Research · Organization · FreeThe leading conference on using learner data to understand and support learning, including dashboards, prediction and ethics. Research-heavy, but it sets the agenda for adaptive learning tools.
SRCD 2027 Biennial MeetingSociety for Research in Child Development · Organization · PaidThe main conference on child development science, held every two years. New research on kids' learning, language, play and media use is presented here first.

Data and report cards

★The Nation's Report Card (NAEP)National Center for Education Statistics · 1969 · Data · FreeThe only national test given the same way across U.S. states. Recent results show reading and math scores well below pre-pandemic levels, and only 14% of 13-year-olds reading for fun almost daily in 2025.
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)NCES (U.S. site for OECD's PISA) · 2000 · Data · Free · TeensThe U.S. government's page for PISA, the OECD test of 15-year-olds in reading, math and science across about 80 countries. Includes U.S. results and how American teens compare internationally.
PISA (OECD)OECD Directorate for Education and Skills · 2000 · Data · Free · TeensOECD's home for PISA and its education work, including the Digital Education Outlook on AI in schools. Rich comparative data on how countries teach and what students learn. The site blocks automated readers.
TIMSS 2023IEA & TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College · 2024 · Data · FreeInternational math and science results for 4th and 8th graders in about 70 countries, released December 2024. Lets you compare U.S. kids with peers abroad and track gender gaps.
PIRLS 2021 International Results in ReadingIEA & Boston College · 2023 · Data · Free · Ages 8–12The global study of 4th-grade reading in about 60 countries, with data on home reading habits and school practices. The next round, PIRLS 2026, is under way, with results due later.
ICILS: International Computer and Information Literacy StudyIEA · 2013 · Data · Free · TeensMeasures 8th graders' computer, information and computational thinking skills across countries. Results challenge the idea that kids who grow up with screens are automatically good with technology.
Education Scorecard (Education Recovery Scorecard)Harvard CEPR & Stanford Educational Opportunity Project · 2022 · Data · FreeLook up your own school district's learning loss and recovery since the pandemic in math and reading. One of the most useful tools for parents to see local, not just national, trends.
The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford UniversitySean Reardon et al., Stanford · Data · FreeMaps of test-score data for nearly every U.S. school and district, showing average scores and how much students grow each year. Growth often tells you more about a school than raw scores.
Be A Learning Hero researchLearning Heroes · Report · FreeLearning Heroes' parent surveys found most parents think their child is at grade level even when tests say otherwise, often because report-card grades look good. Its "Go Beyond Grades" work explains how to check.
NWEA ResearchNWEA (HMH) · Report · FreeResearch from the maker of the MAP Growth test, drawing on millions of student scores to track learning trends and pandemic recovery. Written by a testing company, but its data is large and frequently cited.

News sites

★Proof Points by Jill BarshayJill Barshay, The Hechinger Report · Article · FreeA weekly column that explains one new education study at a time, including many on AI tutors, edtech and reading. Perhaps the best ongoing source of honest research summaries for parents.
Education Week: Artificial IntelligenceEducation Week · 1981 · Article · Free + paidThe main U.S. trade paper for K-12 educators, with a dedicated AI section covering classroom use, policy and teacher views. Some articles require a free account or subscription.
Education NextHoover Institution & Harvard PEPG · 2001 · Article · FreeA journal of opinion and research on education policy, with a yearly national poll of parents and the public. Tends toward school choice and accountability views; sound for research-backed debate.
MindShiftKQED · Article · FreePublic-media coverage of how kids learn, with stories on play, reading, math, attention and technology. Practical and family-friendly, with a matching podcast.

Newsletters and blogs

AI Compass in Schools NewsletterSCALE Initiative, Stanford GSE · Newsletter · FreeStanford SCALE's free newsletter on AI in K-12 schools. It highlights new studies added to its research repository along with practical takeaways for school leaders and families.
The Cutting EdThe Learning Agency · Blog · FreeThe Learning Agency's weekly articles on the future of learning: AI tutors, assessment, edtech backlash and interviews with researchers. Guest posts mixed in; pairs with its weekly newsletter.
GSV: AI & EducationClaire Zau, GSV Ventures · Newsletter · FreeClaire Zau's widely read newsletter tracking AI products, research and deals in education. Written from an edtech investor's seat, so read it for the industry view.
Educating AINick Potkalitsky · Newsletter · FreeA teacher and researcher's Substack on using AI in writing instruction and K-12 classrooms, with practical classroom stories and thoughtful skepticism.
No More MarkingDaisy Christodoulou · Newsletter · FreeDaisy Christodoulou writes on assessment, writing and AI, including experiments testing how well AI grades student work. Her company sells comparative-judgment assessment.

Communities

EdutopiaGeorge Lucas Educational Foundation · Community · FreeFree articles and videos by and for teachers on classroom strategies, many grounded in research. Parents can find clear explanations of practices like retrieval practice or project-based learning.
r/TeachersReddit community · Community · FreeA huge, candid forum of teachers. Reading threads on AI, phones and homework gives parents an unfiltered look at what classrooms are dealing with. Anonymous posts; treat as anecdote.
r/ParentingReddit community · Community · FreeOne of the largest parenting forums online, with frequent threads on screen time, school and kids using AI. Helpful for real-world tips; advice varies widely in quality.
Mumsnet EducationMumsnet · Community · FreeThe UK's big parenting forum's education board, where parents discuss schools, reading, tutoring and tech. UK-centric but full of practical discussion.