IT Efficiency: Strategies from Leading K-12 Districts
We've all heard about how generative AI will one day transform education…
While we wait for that, leading K-12 districts are leveraging AI tools for districtwide operations today.
Here’s what we’ve learned through our experience with 500+ school districts nationwide:
Districts across the country have been able to revolutionize ticketing and workflows with the help of generative AI software tools
Your tech stack could probably be slimmed down — and the“do more with less” mentality isn’t going away
Secure AI can go beyond the classroom to streamline and automate districtwide processes and operations
AI successes across the country
Sean Brinkman, Chief Technology Officer from Dallas Independent School District (TX), recently shared what AI is doing for his district:
Increasing customer satisfaction with real-time, accurate answers (available in multiple languages on a 24/7 basis)
Improving district responsiveness through workflow efficiencies and reduced staff workload
Offering an interactive resource that helps the external community find information and internal staff streamline processes like enrollment
“We all know the story of having an HR department, a technology department, a communications departments, school leadership, and other teams each in a separate workflow. At Dallas, we’ve been able to put them all in one system — see everything on one pane of glass. And we’ve been able to get faster, more efficient, and have the same conversations together through the same, simple tool.”
Tami Lundberg, Chief Technology Officer from Fresno Unified School District (CA), talked about her experience, as well. For her team, generative AI tools are:
Boosting accountability and improving interdepartmental communications thanks to automated keyword routing that sends every incoming inquiry to the right person or team
Enhancing security while increasing access for every stakeholder with a SIS-integrated, totally secure, 24/7 customer service platform
Transforming community engagement and centralizing communications across 100 campuses
“It’s not just one tool or solution that solves these types of issues in your district — it’s a customer service culture. Once you have that, you start looking for a process or a tool that allows you to make sure you have the temperature of the community. It’s about getting feedback from the community (good, bad, real) and having the data from that feedback so you can do something with it!”
AI implementation: Faster (and easier) than you’d think
K12 Insight’s AI-powered chatbot provides a superior chatbot experience without hallucinations, cited answers, and high levels of security. It’s easier than ever to deliver instant and accurate answers with Let’s Talk Assistant — and in three easy steps, you can have a chatbot live on your website.
Gather web pages, documents, and other information you want to use.
Upload to Let’s Talk’s Resource Center.
Turn on your chatbot to begin delivering accurate, fast, and friendly responses.
Bring the power of AI to your school district
How to get started: Questions to ask your team
The next step? Start the discussion with your team. Here are some questions we’d recommend asking to get a sense of the current state of customer service, AI interest, and workflow efficiency in your district:
Do we have a definition of what superior customer service means to us?
How many calls/emails do we receive about every initiative, department, or situation?
How many platforms are we using to manage customer service, workflows or communications today?
How are we ensuring customer inquiries are answered in a timely manner?
How are we ensuring data drives our decisions?
Are we responding to perceived customer sentiment? Or data-supported feedback?
Are we doing everything we can to build trust within our community?
Is IT ticketing part of the districtwide flow? Or totally siloed from other departments?
Do we think our customers are expecting AI features, like a 24/7 chatbot?
An AI checklist for K-12 leaders
To get out ahead of the AI wave, make sure you’re seeking a platform that includes:
Automated workflows and ticketing escalations
An AI-powered data dashboard with critical metrics
A centralized location for all customer interactions and analytics for visibility, reporting, and metrics
A generative AI chatbot and automated generative responses to save staff time and deflect tickets
A plan for and history of high security and a strong data privacy agreement
A dedication to protecting student data
- Guardrails and bias control
FAQs: What is AI for customer service?
How can K-12 school districts use generative AI for customer service? Chatbots help K-12 leaders take AI beyond the classroom — there’s a new line of defense for districtwide operations!
Do you have any examples of school districts successfully using AI for customer service? Check out Robbinsdale Area Schools’ utilization of an AI-powered chatbot and how Scottsdale Unified School District is streamlining communication chaos with automated workflows.
Why does customer service matter for K-12 school districts? A new study published by researchers at Rice University and the University of Texas at San Antonio found public schools can reverse student attrition and revitalize themselves by embracing a customer-focused approach.
How can K-12 leaders make sure they’re improving customer service districtwide? Here’s how to measure success — three customer service ROI metrics for school leaders.