Great instructional technology starts with evidence-based design. Speak Agent regularly engages in co-design with teachers and students, usability testing, and feasibility studies. To show evidence of impact, research must be independent, high-quality, have a significant effect, and be reproducible. Speak Agent has seen consistent, significant positive effects over the course of many independent studies.
But efficacy is not enough. A product must be shown to be effective at scale. The massive study (N = 46,929) of Speak Agent across 1,597 classrooms at PGCPS provides Tier-2 evidence of scalable program effectiveness.
Of course success in one district, however large, does not guarantee success in your district. This is why a strong implementation process is critical to outcomes. That’s why Speak Agent provides complete transparency with its implementation guide even before a purchasing decision is made.
Last, but not least, it’s important to partner with a provider that’s dedicated to your success and to student safety. Speak Agent is owned and operated by K-12 teachers who understand and value public education and have a clear vision for how academic language can support instruction in the content areas. This leadership is also evident in our published principles for AI safety.
This is how Speak Agent rose to the top to claim the title of #1 Instructional Technology startup.
EdTech Evaluation Rubric: Learn how Speak Agent stacks up
| Subject | Guiding Question | Good | Better | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Design | Does the provider use evidence to inform its product design? | Usability and classroom feasibility studies done. | Regularly conducts both study types. |  Regularly conducts co-design studies. |
| Efficacy Research | Does the product show evidence of impact through independent research? | Efficacy study shows significant effect size. | Study uses high-quality RCT or QED design. | Reproduced the RCT or QED findings. |
| Effectiveness | Does the product have research that demonstrates effectiveness at scale “in the wild?” | Study with >15% of the student population shows significant gains. | District-wide study with >50% of the population shows significant gains. | Reproduced the gains at a large scale. |
| Implementation | Does the provider have a strong, verifiable track record with implementation? | Offers case studies that show successful implementation. | Shares implementation process prior to purchase. | Refers you to leaders at a similar district to have a candid Q&A. |
| R&D Safety | Does the provider do adequate research before releasing new technologies like AI? | Has a protocol for Safe R&D before releasing AI to students. | Is transparent about its safety principles in public statements. | Able to provide evidence that it follows the safety protocols. |
| Leadership | Is the provider educator-led or do hedge funds call the shots? | Run mainly by educators with K-12 teaching experience. | Founded by teachers with a vision for how to impact K-12 outcomes. | 100% controlled by educators, not by private equity or hedge funds. |
= Speak Agent meets this standard
