Focus Area
AI
Our Clients
Corwin
HMH Into Reading
HMH ¡Arriba la Lectura!
Pearson
PURSUE Project at Claremont McKenna College
RESPeCT Project at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Portfolio
Publications
Conference Presentations
AI is rapidly reshaping both work and education. Cobblestone evaluates programs that build AI skills in students and employees, and programs that use AI technology to improve teaching and learning. We bring extensive experience in educational evaluation, from K-12 to higher education, and we draw on emerging research on AI's impact in training and educational settings to design evaluations suited to this new landscape.
18+
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
DELIVERING EXPERT EVALUATIONS SINCE 2008
SECURED BY OUR CLIENTS
$1,500,000
On a recent survey of our clients, 20 out of 21 respondents said that Cobblestone was successful in helping their organization secure external funding.
On a recent survey of our clients, 20 out of 21 respondents said that Cobblestone was successful in helping their organization secure external funding.
See Our Work
Publications
Conference Presentations
Work
Examples
Funders like the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Education, and the National Science Foundation have indicated that funding AI-related projects is a priority. We work with clients from proposal development through final reporting, drawing on our extensive experience across federally funded education and workforce programs to deliver credible and actionable evidence about the impact of AI initiatives.
Our approach typically addresses:
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Adoption and use: Are students, employees, or educators using the AI tools or training as designed, and how does that use vary across participants?
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Implementation fidelity: Is the AI component being delivered as planned, and what barriers or adaptations are showing up along the way?
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AI skill development: Are participants developing skills that align to the U.S. Department of Labor’s AI Literacy Framework? Key outcomes include AI knowledge, exploration, application, evaluation, and responsible use.
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AI technology’s impact on learning: Are AI teaching and learning tools leading to increased knowledge and skill acquisition in foundational topic areas?
We design evaluations that address the specific questions reviewers and funders now expect, how AI is actually being adopted and used, whether the technology is implemented as intended, and whether it is producing the outcomes the program set out to achieve.
Our Approach
I have worked closely with Cobblestone for over seven years across numerous large‑scale education research and evaluation studies. Throughout our partnership, their work has consistently reflected the highest standards of methodological rigor, objectivity, and integrity. They are thoughtful partners who help sharpen research questions, select appropriate designs, and interpret findings responsibly... I trust their work deeply and highly recommend them as a research partner.
Renee Behring
HMH Efficacy Research Director
Rebecca and the Cobblestone team brought experience and expertise to the evaluation and assessment component of our grant. They helped us develop meaningful assessment plans and developed comprehensive but easily digestible reports for our grant agencies. They were great!
Catherine L. Reed, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Claremont McKenna College
See Our Work
Conference Presentations & Publications
Work
Examples
See Our Work
Conference Presentations & Publications
Work
Examples
FAQs
The approach depends on what the AI initiative is meant to do. For programs building AI skills in participants, students, or employees, we measure growth in AI knowledge, application, and responsible use, drawing on standardized dimensions. Depending on the construct, we select instruments that objectively measure content knowledge or use self-report of attitudes. We track this over time to show funders where participants started and how far they progressed. For programs using an AI tool to enhance learning, for example a tutoring bot supporting a math curriculum, we measure adoption and fidelity, whether students actually use the tool as intended and whether it is delivered as designed. We also measure the outcome the tool is meant to affect, such as knowledge and skill acquisition in the subject area. Whichever situation fits your program, we work with you early to identify the right outcomes and instruments before data collection begins.
Evaluation costs vary based on scope, timeline, data collection methods, and the complexity of the program being evaluated. Small-scale evaluations may run $10,000–$25,000; comprehensive multi-year federal grant evaluations are typically budgeted at 5–10% of total grant funds. We provide detailed proposals with transparent cost breakdowns, and we are experienced in right-sizing evaluation plans to fit realistic budgets without sacrificing rigor. Contact us to discuss your project and get a sense of what a well-designed evaluation would involve.
Federal education grants — including those funded by the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and U.S. Department of Labor — typically require an independent external evaluation as a condition of the award. Requirements vary by program and funding opportunity, but evaluations are generally expected to assess both implementation (Is the program being delivered as designed?) and outcomes (Is it achieving its goals?). Federally funded evaluations often involve Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight, required reporting to program officers, and alignment with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) or other federal accountability frameworks. Cobblestone has extensive experience navigating these requirements across a range of federal grant programs.