Reimagining K-12 Assessments with AI: Renaissance Philanthropy and Google.org Launch Global Call for Innovative Ideas

The future of K-12 education is evolving rapidly, and artificial intelligence is transforming how students learn, teachers teach, and schools measure academic progress. Recognizing this shift, Renaissance Philanthropy, with generous support from Google.org, has launched a global Request for Information (RFI) inviting innovators, researchers, educators, organizations, and technology experts to submit groundbreaking ideas on how advanced technologies can revolutionize K-12 assessments.

The initiative aims to identify innovative approaches that can make assessments more continuous, actionable, and closely connected to classroom instruction. Rather than simply measuring what students know at a single point in time, Renaissance Philanthropy seeks ideas that leverage AI to provide richer insights into student learning, reasoning, and educational growth.

Responses submitted through this open call will help shape future funding opportunities, including the prestigious Tools Competition, while also informing partnerships and broader efforts to strengthen education systems through innovation.

Application Deadline: 31 July 2026 (11:59 PM Eastern Time)

About the Call for Ideas

Traditional assessment methods have remained largely unchanged for decades despite major advancements in educational technology. Most assessments continue to measure learning through isolated tests that capture only limited information about a student’s abilities.

Renaissance Philanthropy believes that artificial intelligence presents an unprecedented opportunity to rethink educational assessment entirely.

Through this Request for Information, the organization hopes to gather innovative concepts that demonstrate how AI and emerging technologies can improve the way student learning is measured, understood, and supported.

Rather than funding a single solution immediately, this initiative is designed to collect promising ideas from across the education ecosystem that may later receive support through future funding initiatives and collaborative partnerships.

Why K-12 Assessments Need to Change

According to Renaissance Philanthropy, today’s assessment systems no longer reflect the realities of modern education.

Current K-12 assessments often:

• Measure learning only during scheduled testing periods
• Capture only a limited portion of student knowledge and abilities
• Provide educators with insufficient information for instructional decision-making
• Fail to identify learning challenges until students have already fallen behind
• Focus primarily on final answers instead of the learning process itself

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into education, there is an opportunity to redesign assessments so they become dynamic tools that continuously support learning instead of simply evaluating performance.

AI-powered assessment systems could provide deeper insights into:

• Student thinking processes
• Problem-solving strategies
• Higher-order reasoning
• Learning progression
• Areas where students need additional support
• Skills development over time
• Readiness for future learning

This approach could enable educators to respond earlier and more effectively to student needs.

Areas of Interest

Renaissance Philanthropy and Google.org are particularly interested in innovative ideas addressing the following priority areas.

1. AI Integration and Assessment Innovation

Applicants are encouraged to explore how artificial intelligence can significantly expand what educational assessments are capable of measuring.

Potential ideas may include:

• AI-powered learning analytics
• Intelligent assessment platforms
• Adaptive assessment systems
• Continuous learning measurement
• Personalized feedback systems
• Automated insight generation for teachers

The goal is to demonstrate how AI can make assessment more meaningful and actionable for educators and students alike.

2. Alignment with High-Quality Instructional Materials

Another key focus is improving the connection between assessments and classroom instruction.

Ideas may address:

• Curriculum-aligned assessments
• Assessment tools that integrate directly into teaching materials
• Better alignment between assessment results and classroom instruction
• Improved implementation of high-quality instructional resources

This would help teachers better understand student progress within the context of what they are actually teaching.

3. Improving Assessment Quality and Design

The organizers also seek ideas that improve the overall quality of educational assessments.

Potential areas include:

• More valid assessment methods
• Fair and equitable assessment practices
• Accessible assessment tools
• Richer evidence of learning
• Better measurement of complex skills
• Authentic performance-based assessments

Innovative assessment models should go beyond traditional multiple-choice testing to better reflect real-world learning.

4. Enhancing Student and Teacher Experience

Assessment should support learning rather than create unnecessary burdens.

Submissions may explore ways to make assessments:

• More engaging for students
• Easier for teachers to administer
• Less stressful
• More interactive
• More useful for classroom decision-making
• Better integrated into everyday learning

Improving user experience can increase the value of assessments for everyone involved in education.

5. Connecting Assessment to Student Support

Another priority is using assessment data to improve student support systems.

Ideas may focus on:

• Early identification of learning challenges
• Intervention planning
• Progress monitoring
• Student support coordination
• Personalized learning pathways
• Data-informed educational decision-making

Better assessment systems can help ensure that students receive timely assistance before learning gaps become more significant.

How Artificial Intelligence Could Transform Assessment

Artificial intelligence has the potential to fundamentally reshape educational assessment by moving beyond simple right-or-wrong scoring.

Instead, AI can help educators understand:

• How students think through problems
• Where misconceptions occur
• Which learning strategies students use
• How reasoning develops over time
• What students are ready to learn next

As AI tools become more common in classrooms, assessments must also evolve.

Instead of focusing solely on final outputs, future assessments should capture the complete learning journey, including reasoning, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving processes.

This represents a major shift from periodic testing toward continuous learning insights.

How Submitted Ideas Will Be Used

Responses collected through this Request for Information will not only help Renaissance Philanthropy understand emerging opportunities in AI-enabled assessment but will also inform future investment decisions.

Selected ideas may contribute to:

• Future funding opportunities
• The Renaissance Philanthropy Tools Competition
• New research collaborations
• Strategic partnerships
• Field-building initiatives
• Development of next-generation educational technologies

The organization hopes these contributions will accelerate innovation across the broader education ecosystem.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should prepare and submit their responses through the official submission platform before the application deadline.

Applicants should ensure their ideas clearly explain:

• The educational challenge being addressed
• How advanced technologies or AI provide a solution
• The expected impact on K-12 assessment
• How the idea supports educators and students
• Opportunities for implementation and scalability

Apply Now

Important Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 31 July 2026.

Late submissions may not be considered.

Click HERE for Terms and Conditions

For more questions, reach out to kristyn.manoukian@renphil.org.

About Renaissance Philanthropy

Renaissance Philanthropy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ambitious philanthropic initiatives in science, technology, and innovation.

Founded by Tom Kalil and Kumar Garg—former senior advisors to U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama—the organization works to identify breakthrough ideas, advise philanthropic investments, and incubate high-impact initiatives that address major public challenges.

One of its flagship education initiatives is the Tools Competition, which supports innovative education technologies, research, and public goods capable of transforming learning at scale through collaboration with leading global funders.

Conclusion

The Renaissance Philanthropy and Google.org Request for Information represents a significant opportunity for innovators across the global education community to influence the future of K-12 assessment.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape education, this initiative seeks bold ideas that move beyond traditional testing models toward more continuous, insightful, and learner-centered assessment systems. Whether you are an educator, researcher, nonprofit leader, technology developer, startup founder, or education innovator, your ideas could help shape future funding opportunities and contribute to the next generation of educational innovation.

With the 31 July 2026 deadline approaching, interested applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals and help redefine how student learning is understood, supported, and measured in the age of AI.

For more Competition (Request for Information/Call for Ideas) opportunities, visit OFY HERE.