Telo AI for Special Education
Telo AI is being adapted for students with IEPs: the same patient, 1-on-1 practice model districts already use with English Learners, aligned to each student’s IEP goals. We are inviting districts to shape it with us in a 2027 pilot.
The 1-on-1 time students need is the hardest time to staff
Progress on IEP goals depends on repeated, individual practice. In most Special Education programs, the adults available to provide it are already stretched.
7.5 million students
Ages 3 to 21 received special education services under IDEA in 2022-23, or 15% of all public school students.
Source: NCES Fast Facts
45 states
Report special education teacher shortages, substantially more than for any other subject area.
Source: Learning Policy Institute data, June 2025, reported by CEC
50 students
Median monthly caseload of a school-based speech-language pathologist, when SLPs judge 40 to be manageable.
Source: ASHA 2024 Schools Survey
What we are building with pilot districts
The same 1-on-1 model, adapted for students with disabilities. Pilot districts help us decide how it works in real programs.
Patient, repeatable 1-on-1 sessions
Students practice at their own pace, as often as they need, with a partner that never judges and never runs out of patience.
Aligned to IEP goals
Practice adapts to each student’s IEP goals and pace. Teachers set the goals, the topics and the rules.
More time for higher-touch work
While students practice, teachers and aides are free for small-group and individual instruction.
Daily living and social-emotional practice
Practice for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL), alongside speaking practice.
Telo AI is a practice tool. It does not diagnose or treat any condition, and it supports, never replaces, the work of teachers, specialists and the IEP team.
How the pilot works
Three steps, from your application to a pilot designed around your students.
Apply
Tell us about your district and your programs in the form below. It takes about 5 minutes.
Talk with our team
We reach out within 1 business day to learn about your students, your staff and your goals.
Shape the pilot together
Pilot districts define with us the classrooms, the IEP goal areas and the success measures for the 2027 pilot.
Responsible AI, by design
Telo AI is FERPA compliant, and these commitments go further. They are how Telo AI is built, for every student.
Nothing recorded, nothing kept
Telo AI listens and responds in real time, then lets the conversation go. It never stores audio, images, video or text transcripts of a session.
Never used to train AI
Conversations with students and teachers are never used to train our AI models.
No data sent to AI companies
Telo AI runs on open-source AI models that we host ourselves. Conversations are never sent to outside AI providers.
Filtered, age-appropriate answers
Every response is filtered before a student hears it, so conversations stay safe and age-appropriate.
Students log in through Clever or ClassLink, and Telo AI stores no student names. Before a pilot starts, we review with your team how IEP information is entered and protected.
Apply for the 2027 pilot
Fill out the form and we’ll reach out within 1 business day. Prefer email? Write to schools@mytelo.ai.
We’ll respond within 1 business day. Your data is never shared.
Special Education pilot FAQ
Who can apply?
Public school districts, charter schools and networks, and special education cooperatives in the United States.
When do pilots start?
Pilots start in 2027. Tell us your preferred timing in the form and we will plan the pilot around your calendar.
Is Telo AI a therapy or a medical device?
No. Telo AI is a practice tool for students. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and does not replace speech-language, behavioral or other services. It gives students more 1-on-1 practice time on the goals their IEP team sets.
Which students and programs can take part?
We decide it together. Tell us in the form which programs you would like to include, such as resource and inclusion settings, self-contained or life skills classrooms, autism programs or speech-language services.
How is student data protected?
Telo AI is FERPA compliant. It never stores audio, images, video or text transcripts of a session, never uses conversations to train AI models, and never sends them to outside AI providers. What Telo AI keeps is the learning insights teachers see in their dashboard and each student’s preferences, linked to a student ID, never to a name.
We already use Telo AI with English Learners. Can we join?
Yes. Tell us in the form. The Special Education version uses the same 1-on-1 model, and English Learners who also have an IEP can be part of the pilot.
How would we purchase after the pilot?
Telo AI is an awarded TIPS vendor and is approved through the Region 19, 7 and 18 cooperatives (see our purchase order page). Purchasing options for the Special Education version will be confirmed with pilot districts.
Questions before you apply?
Our team responds the same day. We’re happy to talk through your programs before you fill out the form.