Independent evidence on what AI is doing to learning and human attachment.
Higher Learning Lab is an independent research nonprofit that studies how AI affects student learning and human attachment. Using the Evidence Tracker and the CERIC-T appraisal protocol, HiLL reviews claims made by research literature, publishes clear evidence for journalists, legislators, and educators, and reports findings, including students most at risk and vulnerable in both K-12 and higher education. HiLL does not accept funding from AI developers or edtech vendors.
There are four ways to work with us. Pick the one that fits.
Use a free resource
Literature reviews, practitioner guides, and data briefs. CC BY‑NC. Citable. No signup, no paywall.
Contract our services
Program evaluation, applied research, and grant writing & technical assistance — scoped to your context.
Partner on a grant
Bring HLL in as a co-investigator, evaluator, or fiscal partner on federal, state, or foundation proposals.
Support this work
Foundation grants and individual gifts fund the Evidence Tracker and keep every resource free. No money from AI developers or edtech vendors.
The Evidence Tracker: AI, learning, and attachment.
- Claim-level appraisal of the research, published monthlyEach study is reviewed with the CERIC-T protocol by two human coders. Does the evidence support the claim, by what reasoning, and does it hold for the students most at risk? Verdicts are plain-language and public, built for journalists, legislators, and educators. Preview now; full launch 2027.See the preview and methods →
Who we mean by vulnerable students.
- Early childhood through collegeLearners whose circumstances make them more susceptible to harm, more reliant on whatever support exists, less likely to benefit equally, or less visible in the research meant to protect them.Read the full definition →
Use a free resource.
Evidence-based publications and growing. Every resource is freely available under CC BY‑NC with a stable canonical URL and citation metadata. No signup wall, no email gate.
Contract our services.
Three engagement types, each scoped to context. Every engagement is led by Genevive Bjorn, Ed.D., co-creator of the CERIC Method, and brings the methodological rigor of peer-reviewed research to applied settings where the findings need to be defensible and useful.
01 Program Evaluation
Rigorous, mixed-methods evaluations of educational programs, student support services, and institutional initiatives — for grant reporting, accreditation, or strategic decision-making.
Example: 3-year evaluation of a campus foster-youth retention program for a state university.
Inquire about an evaluation
02 Research Partnerships
Collaborative applied research that answers the questions your institution actually needs answered — co-designed, co-authored, and built for use, not the file drawer.
Example: Qualitative study of first-gen sense of belonging at a regional state system.
Discuss a partnership
03 Grant Writing & TA
Technical assistance from an organization that has been on both sides of the grant table — proposal development, narrative work, logic models, and post-award reporting.
Example: ED grant proposal narrative and evaluation plan for a community college consortium.
Request grant-writing TA
Partner on a grant.
If you’re writing a proposal that needs an external evaluator, a research partner with K–12 and higher-ed expertise, or a 501(c)(3) fiscal partner for a community-based component — we may be the right fit.
Recent fits include
- Federal grants requiring an external evaluator with mixed-methods experience
- Foundation proposals on foster-youth educational continuity
- State-level postsecondary equity initiatives requiring research design
- Cross-institutional collaborations needing a neutral data steward
Active funders in our network: U.S. Department of Education, state higher-education agencies, regional & community foundations, and university research offices.
Support this work.
Higher Learning Lab is funded by foundation grants, individual gifts, and contract services — never by the students we serve, and never by AI developers or edtech vendors. Funding supports the Evidence Tracker, the CERIC-T appraisal protocol, and free public resources for educators.
Foundations and institutional funders: write to [email protected] for a one-page overview and budget.
“Whatever AI does to learning and attachment will be felt first by the students with the least margin for error. Higher Learning Lab exists to put independent evidence about that in front of the people who decide.”
Tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Higher Learning Lab is a 501(c)(3) public charity. EIN 99-2223618.
New research reviews
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