Val Verde Unified School District uses Microsoft Copilot to speed up IT and business operations

Overview

Val Verde Unified School District, a Southern California district of 19,000 students, piloted Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT across administrative and business departments after its Board of Education directed staff to test generative AI. Director of Information and Instructional Technology Matt Penner used Copilot as a code assistant to fine-tune a custom state-reporting application that integrates data from the student information system, finishing the task in five hours instead of ten. About 150 employees were testing the AI tools, including HR staff improving job interview questions and staff summarizing hundreds of unopened emails into a manageable list.

The challenge

Val Verde's Board of Education directed district leaders to evaluate and test generative AI to enhance teaching, learning and business operations, in a district where staff faced time-consuming tasks like fine-tuning custom reporting applications, sorting through hundreds of unopened emails, and drafting interview questions and board documents.

The solution

Val Verde piloted Microsoft Copilot (having standardized on Microsoft 365) and purchased some ChatGPT subscriptions across administrative and business departments. Director Matt Penner used Copilot as a code assistant to fine-tune a custom state-reporting application integrating data from the student information system. Staff also used the tools for HR interview questions, drafting board documents and project plans, improving emails, and summarizing unopened inboxes.

Reported business value

Using Copilot, Penner finished the custom reporting application task in five hours instead of ten. About 150 employees were testing the AI tools. In one case, Copilot summarized a risk management director's 400 unopened emails into a more manageable list of 37.