WashU’s Institute for School Partnership (ISP), in partnership with Edthena has been awarded one of seven grants by the Research Partnership for Professional Learning (RPPL) for the 2026-2028 funding cycle.
The ISP joins research teams from the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and Vanderbilt University, as well as education-focused nonprofits, including Leading Educators, Throughline Learning, and New Teacher Center, in being selected for funding supported by Overdeck Family Foundation that advances research on how artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen teacher professional learning (PL).
The ISP project, “Coaching with AI: An RPP Study of AI-Enabled Coaching Design and Implementation,” will explore how AI can enhance the efficiency, reach, and quality of instructional coaching while preserving human expertise and teacher agency. As part of the RPPL network, this study contributes to a broader effort to build cumulative, research-backed knowledge about effective professional learning through coordinated research, shared measures, and cross-study learning.
“Through longstanding research-practice partnerships (RPPs) with multiple St. Louis-area school districts, we will implement and study Edthena’s AI-enabled coaching tools, which support coaches in providing timely, personalized feedback, facilitate asynchronous reflection and peer learning, and reduce coordination burdens,” said primary investigator Maia Elkana, ISP’s evaluation director.
Serving approximately 300 PK-12 educators across math, science, and early childhood programs, this project will investigate how AI tools shift coaching practices, professional learning outcomes, and conditions for adult learning. Findings will inform the ethical, equitable, and scalable integration of AI in professional learning, and guide the development of a Blueprint for AI-Enhanced Instructional Coaching, a practical, co-designed toolkit for teachers, instructional coaches, and district leaders.
Read more about the RPPL grant and other recipients here.