In a year marked by rapid technological advancement and increasing focus on student-centered education, PowerSchool has emerged as a prominent leader in educational technology, recently recognized as a Gold Stevie® Award winner in the Use of Artificial Intelligence in EdTech category at the 2025 American Business Awards®. This accolade not only underscores the company’s commitment to innovation but also highlights the seismic shifts underway in K-12 learning environments as artificial intelligence reshapes how educators, administrators, and families support student success.
The American Business Awards®, often dubbed the “Oscars of the business world,” represent the pinnacle of achievement for organizations across a broad swath of industries in the United States. In 2025, more than 3,600 nominations—spanning sectors from technology to finance, nonprofit to entrepreneurial startups—were submitted for consideration in a crowded field that places a premium on innovation, resilience, and business impact. To be honored with a Gold Stevie® places PowerSchool among a select cadre of industry leaders recognized for delivering tangible value and pioneering market solutions.
According to Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards, "Organizations across the United States continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation. The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence, and hard work." For EdTech, where measurable impact and robust privacy safeguards have become must-haves, this distinction carries considerable weight, echoing growing expectations among educators and policymakers alike.
However, these advances come with a heightened need for vigilance: robust privacy safeguards, continued external review, and a long-term approach to equitable implementation will be critical as AI becomes further embedded in core instructional processes.
PowerSchool’s continued investment in AI innovation, responsible practices, and cross-district collaboration position it as a leading player at this pivotal moment. As the company moves forward, it will be important for educators, families, and decision-makers to remain active partners—helping shape not just the technical dimensions of these platforms, but also the ethical and pedagogical visions that drive them.
For schools, families, and communities, PowerSchool’s evolving story is one to watch closely—a microcosm of the larger EdTech revolution. The road ahead is filled with both promise and challenge, but with careful stewardship and persistent dialogue, solutions like PowerBuddy could well define the next chapter in educational excellence.
Source: Business Wire PowerSchool Honored as Gold Stevie® Award Winner in 2025 American Business Awards®
The Significance of a Stevie® Gold Award
The American Business Awards®, often dubbed the “Oscars of the business world,” represent the pinnacle of achievement for organizations across a broad swath of industries in the United States. In 2025, more than 3,600 nominations—spanning sectors from technology to finance, nonprofit to entrepreneurial startups—were submitted for consideration in a crowded field that places a premium on innovation, resilience, and business impact. To be honored with a Gold Stevie® places PowerSchool among a select cadre of industry leaders recognized for delivering tangible value and pioneering market solutions.According to Maggie Miller, President of the Stevie Awards, "Organizations across the United States continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation. The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence, and hard work." For EdTech, where measurable impact and robust privacy safeguards have become must-haves, this distinction carries considerable weight, echoing growing expectations among educators and policymakers alike.
PowerBuddy™: Redefining the AI Assistant in K-12 Education
At the center of PowerSchool’s award-winning submission sits PowerBuddy™, the company’s proprietary AI-powered assistant. Developed on Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Services, PowerBuddy is built to provide secure, actionable support for teachers, students, families, and administrators. What sets PowerBuddy apart from other AI initiatives in the EdTech space is its emphasis on personalization and privacy—delivering individualized learning paths and data-driven insights, while upholding responsible AI principles.Key Features and Impact
- Personalized Learning: PowerBuddy leverages advanced natural language processing capabilities to analyze a student’s performance, suggest differentiated learning materials, and recommend targeted interventions. By bridging data from multiple PowerSchool platforms—such as Schoology Learning (a comprehensive learning management system), Naviance CCLR (college and career readiness), and Performance Matters (assessment and analytics)—PowerBuddy delivers granular insights that can inform lesson planning, remediation, and enrichment activities.
- Data Simplification: Educators are often required to synthesize overwhelming amounts of student data, which can be time-consuming and prone to oversight. PowerBuddy’s analytics tools surface relevant trends, helping teachers quickly spot at-risk learners or areas of curricular weakness.
- Family & Administrative Support: For families, PowerBuddy offers guidance on academic progress, upcoming assignments, and postsecondary planning. Administrators benefit from streamlined reporting tools and predictive insights that support district-wide goal-setting and resource allocation.
Measurable Outcomes
- PowerBuddy has already facilitated over 30,000 study sessions.
- The tool has generated more than 15,000 test items—a boon for educators seeking to rapidly deploy formative and summative assessments aligned with curriculum standards.
- Over 12,000 college and career readiness activities have been supported globally, indicating a direct impact on postsecondary preparation for students.
Responsible AI: Promise and Prudence
One of the distinguishing elements of PowerBuddy is its grounding in PowerSchool’s Responsible AI principles, a framework designed to safeguard student data privacy, promote algorithmic transparency, and ensure equity in AI-driven recommendations. Given recent controversies surrounding AI-generated educational content—ranging from data bias to inadvertent privacy violations—PowerSchool’s proactive approach to responsible AI is both timely and strategically prudent.Architecture and Privacy
PowerBuddy is built upon Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Services, which offer enterprise-grade security, compliance, and reliability. According to Microsoft’s published documentation and independent assessments, Azure’s infrastructure is certified for government and education workloads—a critical factor for K-12 institutions managing sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII). PowerSchool asserts that all AI-driven data analysis occurs within secure, FERPA-compliant environments, and that families, students, and educators retain ownership and control over their data.Equity and Access
The potential for AI to inadvertently perpetuate bias remains a valid concern, especially when algorithms are deployed across diverse learning communities. PowerSchool claims to employ ongoing audits and bias-mitigation protocols, but as with most proprietary systems, details of these processes are not fully public. Independent reviews of PowerSchool’s equity practices are still limited, warranting continued scrutiny as adoption scales. This lack of comprehensive external validation is a notable risk factor that district technology leaders should monitor.A Closer Look: Integration and Adoption in the Classroom
The true test of any EdTech innovation lies in its classroom implementation. PowerBuddy integrates directly with PowerSchool’s flagship products, capturing a substantial cross-section of everyday school workflows.Schoology Learning
As one of the most widely adopted learning management systems in North America, Schoology Learning enables teachers to organize digital assignments, communicate with students, and track progress. With PowerBuddy integration, educators can ask the AI assistant to recommend supplemental resources for underperforming students, automate grading rubrics, or generate low-stakes quiz questions—all while operating within a familiar user interface. Early adopters have reported time savings on lesson planning and increased engagement among students who benefit from the personalized prompts PowerBuddy generates.Naviance CCLR
The Naviance platform, which specializes in college and career readiness counseling, is enhanced by PowerBuddy’s ability to suggest tailored postsecondary options based on a student’s interests, academic strengths, and local labor market trends. For counselors balancing large caseloads, this means spending less time on rote tasks, and more time on meaningful, one-on-one guidance.Performance Matters
Data-driven instruction hinges on assessment analytics, and the Performance Matters analytics suite leverages PowerBuddy to transform raw test scores into actionable steps. Teachers can instantly drill down on standards mastery, growth over time, and subgroup performance—helping to close achievement gaps more effectively.Strengths: What Sets PowerSchool and PowerBuddy Apart
Scale and Market Penetration
PowerSchool’s extensive K-12 footprint is unmatched among EdTech competitors. With more than 90 of the top 100 largest U.S. public school districts on its client roster, the company wields outsized influence on how digital learning platforms are experienced by students and teachers.End-to-End Ecosystem
Unlike point-solution EdTech startups, PowerSchool offers what some analysts call a “digital campus” approach—linking central office operations, academic instruction, communications, talent management, special education, and family engagement in a single platform. This interconnectedness is a key differentiator, enabling a seamless flow of data that makes AI-driven insights more granular and timely.Strategic Partnerships
The PowerBuddy project’s use of Microsoft Azure underlines a commitment to stability and compliance, giving district technology leaders greater confidence in cloud adoption.Recognition and Validation
Third-party recognition from awards programs like the Stevie®—alongside a growing body of case studies and academic research on AI in K-12—bolsters PowerSchool’s credibility and market perception as a trustworthy partner in digital transformation.Potential Risks and Unanswered Questions
Despite its many strengths, PowerSchool’s new capabilities raise several important challenges and areas for caution.Data Privacy and Security
AI-powered EdTech tools present lucrative targets for cybercriminals. While PowerSchool highlights its secure approach, education sector breaches—including instances involving other large vendors—are on the rise nationwide. District IT administrators must continually assess whether vendors are meeting not just the letter but the spirit of local and federal data protection laws, including FERPA, COPPA, and state-level statutes.Opaque Algorithms
Although PowerSchool touts its Responsible AI practices, it is not fully transparent about the underlying logic driving PowerBuddy’s recommendations, nor has it invited independent researchers to audit its models. For parents and educators wary of “black box” systems, this lack of full algorithmic transparency remains a sticking point.Accessibility Gaps
PowerSchool’s suite claims global reach, but disparities persist in how AI-driven solutions serve low-income, rural, and under-resourced districts. Factors such as bandwidth limitations, device access, and staff training influence how effectively PowerBuddy can be utilized. Without dedicated supports, there’s a risk that the “AI dividend” may bypass those who need it most.Proprietary Lock-In
PowerSchool’s all-in-one product clouds deliver seamless workflows but can also pose risks of vendor lock-in, making it costly or difficult for school systems to switch solutions should needs or budgets change. Decision-makers must balance the convenience of a unified ecosystem against the value of ongoing interoperability and data portability.The Evolving EdTech Landscape: PowerSchool in Context
PowerSchool’s recognition at the Stevie® Awards highlights how artificial intelligence is quickly moving from experimental pilot to essential infrastructure in K-12 learning. The PowerBuddy project exemplifies the shift to personalized, data-powered teaching at massive scale—aligning with broader educational trends such as competency-based learning, actionable analytics, and greater student agency.However, these advances come with a heightened need for vigilance: robust privacy safeguards, continued external review, and a long-term approach to equitable implementation will be critical as AI becomes further embedded in core instructional processes.
PowerSchool’s continued investment in AI innovation, responsible practices, and cross-district collaboration position it as a leading player at this pivotal moment. As the company moves forward, it will be important for educators, families, and decision-makers to remain active partners—helping shape not just the technical dimensions of these platforms, but also the ethical and pedagogical visions that drive them.
Looking Forward: Opportunities for Schools and Districts
For school systems contemplating the adoption of AI-driven EdTech tools, PowerSchool’s recent achievements provide a valuable case study in both the promise and pitfalls of emerging technology. As PowerBuddy’s capabilities continue to evolve, districts will need to:- Invest in Ongoing Staff Training: AI can only be as effective as its users’ ability to engage with it thoughtfully. Districts should prioritize professional development on generative AI, data interpretation, and student privacy.
- Demand Greater Transparency: School leaders should push vendors for detailed documentation on how AI recommendations are generated and what steps are being taken to mitigate algorithmic bias.
- Promote Responsible Adoption: This includes cultivating inclusive feedback loops with students, parents, and educators to ensure that deployments are meeting real needs and not unintentionally reproducing inequities.
- Monitor and Respond to Security Threats: With cyber threats on the rise, regular audits and contingency planning are essential.
Conclusion: Gold Standard or Work in Progress?
In securing a Gold Stevie® Award, PowerSchool has demonstrated how large-scale AI integration can elevate teaching and learning while responding to evolving expectations for safety, personalization, and efficiency. Yet, as with all technology transformations, true success will be measured not only by innovation but by the degree to which real learners and educators benefit—without sacrificing privacy, agency, or equity.For schools, families, and communities, PowerSchool’s evolving story is one to watch closely—a microcosm of the larger EdTech revolution. The road ahead is filled with both promise and challenge, but with careful stewardship and persistent dialogue, solutions like PowerBuddy could well define the next chapter in educational excellence.
Source: Business Wire PowerSchool Honored as Gold Stevie® Award Winner in 2025 American Business Awards®
