Wendy-Ann Dixon-DuBois
Director, Communications, NewSchools
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Funding Opportunity: GenAI K-12 Math Tutoring Solutions
February 26, 2025 – NewSchools is excited to announce a new funding opportunity to catalyze the development and evaluation of generative AI (GenAI) math tutoring solutions built on specialized foundation models. This initiative aims to harness the power of GenAI to personalize learning and support student success in K-12 math, especially during a time where we are experiencing significant math achievement declines. This opportunity is made possible with support from the Gates Foundation.
GenAI has significant potential to support student success in math, but there are barriers to its widespread usage given issues with accuracy, cost, and alignment with pedagogical best practices. There is an opportunity to catalyze innovations built on specialized foundation models that are trained and fine-tuned for math instructional use cases as a powerful lever for addressing these issues. Targeted product development and research support can help unlock generative AI’s potential to revolutionize education by making high-quality, personalized math tutoring accessible to all students.
In order to realize this potential, NewSchools is launching a new funding opportunity to address key challenges in AI-based tutoring and leverage the promise of this emerging technology. We will support the development of early-stage, GenAI math tutoring solutions built on specialized foundation models with 18-month, up to $300,000 grants. In addition, ventures will receive tailored technical assistance, product feedback, and evaluation support from researchers and experts. Our goal is to share what we learn from this initiative to benefit the broader K-12 community.
What we are looking for
We seek to invest in new GenAI math tutoring solutions that are:
- Aligned with NewSchools’ investment criteria.
- Creating a tutoring approach focused on 1-1 or small group math interventions aligned to core math instruction and individualized to meet diverse student needs. For example, this may include tutoring solutions that directly support students, facilitate collaborative learning between a tutor and small groups of students, or support educators or tutors directly.
- Leveraging evidence-based best practices in tutoring and math instruction, including aligning to state and district standards and providing just-in time scaffolds to help students access and succeed in grade-level material.
- Developing GenAI math tutoring solutions built on specialized foundation models that are trained and fine-tuned for math instructional use cases. This may include models such as Microsoft’s Phi-3, Google’s LearnLM, Meta’s Llama 3.2, OpenAI’s o1, Anthropic’s Claude 3, or Mistral’s Mathstral, understanding that this is a fast changing sector and perspectives on the best models might shift over time.
- Capable of piloting their solutions in U.S. K-12 classrooms by early 2026.
- Willing to participate in a research evaluation project with an external partner.
Eligible organizations include:
- Non-profits, for-profits, and universities
- Teams developing a new GenAI math tutoring solution built on specialized foundation models.
- Teams with an established approach to math tutoring that are interested in exploring the benefits of specialized foundation models. These teams may be using AI for the first time or testing a new foundation model.
Program Details
- Funding Amount: Up to $300,000 per venture, disbursed in two payments
- Grant Period: 18 months (July 2025 – December 2026)
- Support: Ventures will receive tailored technical assistance, product feedback, and evaluation support, as well as opportunities to participate in a community of practice
Key Dates
- Application Opens: February 26, 2025
- Application Deadline: April 18, 2025 at 11:59pm PT
- Funding Announcement: July 2025
For more information and to apply, visit NewSchools’ funding portal.
