Strategic Data Project AI Statement

A guiding principle of our work at SDP is grounding decision-making with evidence. Our approach to AI usage should be no different.

We recognize that AI tools offer genuine benefits, particularly in reducing time spent on certain tasks and supporting experimentation and ideation. We also acknowledge that there are significant risks, including the potential for inaccurate, inconsistent, or misleading outputs, and the challenges of insufficient validation and monitoring of AI-generated work.

Given these considerations, we remain firm in our commitment: decisions about the use of AI in educational data analysis must rely primarily on the professional expertise and judgment of humans. In exercising that judgment, we must consider appropriate contextual considerations specific to our work to keep positive educational outcomes at the forefront.

Our ultimate goal is to develop leaders who are able to think critically, act ethically, and serve as responsible caretakers of education data. AI is a tool that can help with that mission, not a substitute that can drive meaningful improvement in educational outcomes for students and educators.