Featured Resources
-
As classroom technology and generative AI evolve at breakneck speeds, education leaders face a critical choice: rely on flashy, general-consumer tools or invest in secure, purpose-built infrastructure. The Project Unicorn Q2 Brief cuts through the digital noise to show why robust data standards, modernized data architecture, and evidence-based procurement are the ultimate guardrails for student safety and academic success.
Download the Q2 Interoperability Brief to equip your leadership, technology, and procurement teams with the standards-based toolkits, rubrics, and templates needed to build a safe, future-ready digital ecosystem.
-
2026 Quarter 1 AI & Interoperability Brief Release
Interoperability is foundational to AI success in education, and building an underlying structure grounded in data standards and data maturity is key to implementing AI that will truly benefit schools and students.
The 2026 Quarterly AI and Interoperability Brief Series explores the intersection of interoperability and AI, highlighting the latest trends, case studies, and tools you can use to improve your educational technology ecosystem.
-
Currently, the lack of standardized, national definitions for core service terms creates a systemic ‘transfer gap.’ This lack of clarity often results in significant delays for students waiting to receive comparable services in a new district. To address this, researchers convened an expert panel to establish a much-needed consensus on these terms.
-
AI Data Use and Protection - Worksheet
In the rush to adopt an AI tool, don’t let data security become an afterthought. The AI Data Use and Protection Worksheet is designed to help cross-functional leaders—from the CISO to General Counsel—a clear, standardized vetting process.
This worksheet allows teams to create a side-by-side risk matrix for every vendor, allowing them to make a safe, confident, and informed decision before entering a vendor agreement.
-
Considerations for the School Districts in Considering Large Scale AI Model Deals
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and frontier AI models rapidly reshape the educational landscape, school systems face a dual challenge: harnessing these tools' transformative potential while rigorously safeguarding student data, privacy, and well-being. Procurement is no longer just about purchasing; along with AI literacy, it is the first line of defense in responsible AI governance.
The following slide deck is available for consideration and understanding.
-
Considerations for the School Districts in Considering Large Scale AI Model Deals
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and frontier AI models rapidly reshape the educational landscape, school systems face a dual challenge: harnessing these tools' transformative potential while rigorously safeguarding student data, privacy, and well-being. Procurement is no longer just about purchasing; along with AI literacy, it is the first line of defense in responsible AI governance.
For years, Project Unicorn has championed the need for data to flow seamlessly and securely between systems to inform instruction and operations. Simultaneously, the EDSAFE AI Alliance has led the global charge on the SAFE (Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Efficacy) benchmarks for AI adoption in education.
Now, as "frontier models"—highly capable, large-scale AI systems—enter our schools, these two missions must converge. Procurement is the intersection where safety meets connectivity.
We developed this resource to bridge the gap between technical data governance and ethical AI implementation, responding to practical needs from our work leading 29 school district policy labs and 10 state policy labs. These questions are designed to help district and state leadership vet tools not just for what they can do, but for how they fit into a secure, interoperable, and learner-centered ecosystem. Whether you are evaluating a standalone AI app or integrating a large-scale frontier model, this guide can be part of your blueprint for responsible innovation.
Resource Database
Privacy and Equity in the New School Year
As local and state governments, businesses, and institutions across the country implement the first phases of reopening after weeks of lockdown, schools are beginning to plan for learning this fall…
DQC Data Linkages Enable Individual Support and Shared Success
This infographic illustrates that, when all the important people in their lives have appropriate access to information, individuals get the support they need to succeed.
The First Three Steps for Parents
Parents: Heard the term “data interoperability” but don’t know what it means or how it relates to your child’s education? Check out this resource for more information!
Leveraging Data and Technology to Improve Student Outcomes (National PTA):
Protecting the safety of children and their school records online, while ensuring access to high quality digital educational opportunities, is critical in the 21st century. This issue brief outlines policies that ensure children’s identities are protected online, and families and students have reasonable control over the collection, storage and use of relevant personal education information.
Privacy, Security, and Interoperability Convening Read-Outs
Read major takeaways, lessons, and highlights from the event held by Project Unicorn and Future of Privacy Forum in December 2018.
Parents Value, Trust, and Rely on Education Data (DQC)
On behalf of the Data Quality Campaign, Harris Poll surveyed 914 US parents with children ages 5–17 about their attitudes toward data collection and data use in schools. This infographic displays key findings from the 2018 poll, demonstrating that parents value, trust, and rely upon publicly reported education data and individual data about their child to make important decisions to support their child’s educational success.
Parents: Raise Your Hand and Ask Schools How They Protect Student Data (FPF)
With all of the new educational technology in classrooms, it can be hard to know what questions to ask. Here are the 7 most important questions that parents should ask about student privacy during this school year.
Parent Resource on Education Data (NPTA/DQC)
In partnership with National PTA and DQC, this one-pager offers parents a set of questions to ask school leaders about their student's education data and its collection and use in schools.
You Need Data to Personalize Learning
This infographic from the Data Quality Campaign shows how critical data is to personalizing education.
Parent Toolkit for Student Privacy (Parent Coalition for Student Privacy)
In collaboration with the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood this guide offers guidance on what privacy rights your child has in federal law, what to look for in school vendor’s Privacy Policies, and tips on how to advocate for your school or district to adopt best practices in ensuring your child’s sensitive data isn’t breached or abused.