How to Select the Right AI Tools for Schools

AI adoption in schools is accelerating, but this adoption without a strategic plan often creates more problems than solutions. Research shows that about 20% to 40% of the current workload that teachers carry can be automated with the help of current technology. And with the ease AI brings to the table for teachers, it has become crucial to understand why schools must be careful and intentional when selecting the right AI tools for schools.

How to Select the Right AI Tools for Schools: A Step-by-Step Guide

The steps below explain how schools should evaluate AI tools for better decisions:

Step 1: Define the Instructional Purpose & Goals

Schools must begin by clearly identifying why AI is needed. Your purpose for AI adoption could be anything:

• Reducing teacher workload
• Supporting struggling learners
• Improving assessments
• Enhancing engagement

Every AI tool should map directly to a defined instructional outcome. Without this clarity, AI adoption becomes reactive rather than strategic.

Step 2: Ensure Legal Compliance & Student Data Privacy

Before evaluating features, schools must confirm whether the AI tool complies with student data protection laws and child safety requirements. This includes understanding where data is stored, who has access, and how long it is retained.

Step 3: Evaluate Learning Impact & Evidence of Effectiveness

AI tools should be able to deliver some real educational value and not just the surface-level impressive functionality. To better judge a tool, look for pilot results, classroom case studies, or learning improvement metrics that show measurable academic impact.

Step 4: Assess Equity, Accessibility, & Bias Mitigation

Schools must examine whether the AI tool supports diverse learners across language, ability, and access levels. Ethical evaluation includes understanding how bias is identified and mitigated within the system, which is a critical part for schools evaluating AI tools responsibly.

Step 5: Check Technical Compatibility & Scalability

AI tools should integrate smoothly with existing school infrastructure, such as LMS platforms, smart classrooms, or assessment systems. Schools should also consider whether the tool can scale across grades and subjects without requiring frequent system changes.

Step 6: Calculate Total Cost of Ownership & Return on Investment

The cost of AI extends beyond licensing. Schools should also take into account the costs required for training, implementation, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term support. In addition to this, evaluating ROI helps schools avoid tools that appear affordable initially but become expensive over time.

Step 7: Evaluate Vendor Reliability & Support Structure

Reliable vendors provide clear onboarding, responsive support, and long-term product stability. Schools should assess whether the vendor understands educational workflows and can support teachers during real classroom challenges.

Step 8: Pilot, Score, & Make an Evidence-Based Decision

A limited pilot allows schools to test the tool in real classroom conditions. Feedback from teachers, administrators, and students should be scored against predefined criteria to support a data-driven final decision.

Key Features to Look for in an AI Tool

Selecting the proper AI tools for schools becomes easier when you know what features truly matter in classrooms. Here are some features to look out for:

1. Easy to Find Student Insights

   AI tools should allow educators to easily identify learning gaps, performance trends, and engagement patterns without complex dashboards.

2. Teacher-Led Controls

   Teachers must be able to retain control over content generation, difficulty levels, and feedback visibility to ensure AI supports, not overrides, instruction.

3. Built-In Support for Tracking Academic Interventions

   AI tools should help teachers track interventions and progress over time, enabling consistent academic support.

4. Customisable Dashboards

   Different stakeholders require different insights. Custom views ensure teachers, coordinators, and leaders can access relevant data without overload.

5. Strong Data Security

   An AI tool with role-based access can ensure that student data remains protected and visible only to authorised users.

Common Challenges Schools Face When Selecting AI Tools

• No Clear Ownership of AI Evaluation: Without a defined evaluation committee, decisions become fragmented and inconsistent across departments.
• Teacher Resistance to New AI Tools: Resistance often stems from poor onboarding and inadequate training rather than opposition to technology itself.
• Underestimating Implementation Effort: Schools frequently underestimate the time required for training, classroom testing, and adjustment, which may lead to frustration.
• Misalignment with Teaching Workflows: AI tools that do not fit existing classroom routines are quickly abandoned. Hence, it’s important to take your time for judging AI tools and picking the ones that best fit your workflow.
• Overlooking Ongoing Training Needs: For successful and sustainable AI adoption in schools, continuous teacher support is more important than one-time demonstrations.

Prachi Singh

Prachi Singh is a highly accomplished educationist with over 16 years of experience in the EdTech industry. Currently, she plays a pivotal role at Extramarks, leading content strategy and curriculum development initiatives that shape the future of education...Read More