LM Mar 2025

models can’t access. Second, we’ve built a robust permissioning system to ensure only authorized users can access sensitive information. Third, we offer multiple ways to interact with the assistants, including email and integration with existing systems, making them more accessible and practical for daily use.

What tools and AI solutions is ECRA making available?

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As part of our expanded partnership with IASA, we’ve created a free demonstration using the Illinois School Code. At ecragroup.

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How accurate are the AI Assistants, and how do you handle potential misinformation? While not perfect, they’re incredibly accurate with local data. We’ve implemented two key safeguards. On the front end, we tune parameters so assistants

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com/ILschoolcode , you’ll find a ChatGPT-like interface where you can ask questions about the Illinois School Code. This demonstrates how districts could apply similar technology to their local information. Beyond this, we can train AI assistants for various areas within your district: board policy and actions, human resources, courses and pathways, and parent communication. For example, you could ask questions about district policies, benefits programs, or curriculum planning. AI Assistants can even serve as a parent concierge, answering questions from lunch menus to district procedures.

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only answer when they have high confidence in the response. They’re trained to decline answering and refer to a human expert when uncertain. On the back end, we maintain visibility through comprehensive logging of questions and rating of answers, allowing for continuous quality improvement through reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). This helps us identify and address any accuracy issues quickly.

What are the first steps for implementing these AI assistants?

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What’s your advice for districts looking to get started?

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Start by trying our Illinois school code assistant to understand the potential. Then, choose an area where you’ve struggled with information

Don’t try to extract 100% of the value immediately. Apply the 80-20 rule - identify areas where you can get 80% of the value with well-documented

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access but have well-documented resources. The two areas superintendents typically start with are board policies and human resources, as these tend to be well-documented and structured. It’s important to understand that AI isn’t a magic solution - it actually exposes inconsistencies or gaps in documentation. That’s why starting with well-organized areas is crucial.

information. Start small in an area you feel confident about, and don’t worry about perfection as long as the AI assistant can recognize its limitations and refer questions when needed. To get started, try our Illinois School Code Assistnat at ecragroup.com/ILSchoolCode or email ILSchoolCode@ ecragroup.ai. Superintendents can also reach out to me directly at johngatta@ecragroup.com to discuss implementing these solutions in their districts. We’re excited about this partnership with IASA, which builds on our long history together from Vision 2020 to Vision 2030. This expansion into AI represents an important new chapter in supporting Illinois school districts.

How do these AI Assistants from ECRA Group differ from ChatGPT or other AI models? While the foundational technology is similar, there are three key differences. First, we can train these assistants on your local, internal data that public AI

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LM Feb 2025