Building an Evidence-Ready Future with Coschool: A Collaborative Journey in EdTech Impact
By Nicola Pitchford and Natalia Hernandez
As EdTech continues to shape the future of learning, especially in online and hybrid environments, a robust evidence base ensures platforms do what they promise. Evidence-driven design isn’t just about validation: it fuels smarter decision-making, fosters transparency, and creates tools that truly resonate with teachers and learners. In this post, we outline our recent work with Coschool and their journey towards evidence.
The ICEI + Coschool Collaboration: What It Means to Be Evidence Ready
In 2024, ICEI was commissioned by Coschool, a pioneering social enterprise in Latin America, to guide them through the ESSA IV-aligned Evidence Ready process: a rigorous, research-backed approach to demonstrating impact.
ICEI’s Evidence Ready Service includes three core deliverables tailored to Coschool’s strategy:
Logic Model – mapping out inputs, activities, and intended impacts.
Theory of Change – grounded in scientific literature, it outlines how and why the intended change is expected.
Theory of Action – a practical roadmap that identifies key capabilities, gaps, and strategies for growth.
In addition, a research roadmap and a comprehensive literature review underpin the report. The literature review outlines how the product aligns with the latest and best science of learning.
Together, these tools become a blueprint for building a strong evidence portfolio. They’re not just about evaluation, but also about evolution.
The Evidence-ready service approach is aligned with ESSA IV standards and follows a comprehensive review of evidence-based practices for EdTech. As such, it ensures global relevance and credibility.
Meet Coschool: Blending Tech with Heart
Coschool is redefining education in Latin America. Their mission? Equip students, teachers, and entire school communities with the social-emotional skills needed to thrive in today’s world.
From immersive, experiential programs to deep-rooted collaborations with public and private institutions, Coschool champions an evidence-based, human-centered model. Their approach seamlessly integrates educational technology with hands-on facilitation, ensuring that tools never replace people but empower them.
Coschool’s vision is bold: an education system where empathy, emotional intelligence, and leadership are as vital as literacy and numeracy. And thanks to their collaboration with ICEI, they’re one step closer to scaling that vision sustainably, credibly, and with measurable impact.
We asked Coshool the following questions about their experience with collaborating with the ICEI through the Evidence Ready Service. Here’s what they said.
Why did Coschool commission the ICEI Evidence-Ready Service?
Henry May, the CEO of CoSchool shared:
At Coschool, impact isn’t a slogan—it’s the reason we exist. We were among the first education companies in Colombia to earn B Corp status, and almost everything we build is designed with the public-sector and vulnerable communities in mind.
Yet in a crowded marketplace it can be hard to prove—rather than simply claim—that our programmes change lives.
The Evidence-Ready Service gives us an independent, internationally recognised signal that we take evidence seriously. Rigorous data collection and evaluation are embedded in our strategy, not bolted on as an after-thought.
We are accountable to all stakeholders. Clients, government partners and team members can see that decisions are driven by outcomes, not anecdotes.
We are ready to scale responsibly. As we expand into new regions, a clear evidence standard helps ensure fidelity and impact remain high.
What did the process feel like?
Bringing ICEI on board felt less like hiring a consultant and more like gaining two senior teammates who cared about our mission as deeply as we do.
ICEI Pushed our thinking. Their constructive challenges surfaced blind spots and sparked fresh ideas.
Co-created solutions. Workshops were true thought-partnerships, not tick-box exercises.
Delivered tangible value. The refined logic model, theory of change and practical next steps are already guiding internal planning and investor conversations.
The report produced as part of the Evidence-ready service led CoSchool to earn the widely respected international certification of impact by EduEvidence
What are the benefits for Coschool?
Credibility & visibility. A respected third-party assessment strengthens our position with funders, government agencies and corporate partners.
Sharper internal focus. The exercise has catalysed a company-wide commitment to MEAL and a robust Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) framework.
Evaluation-readiness. As we embark on outcome-based-finance projects and independent impact evaluations, the groundwork is now in place.
In short, Evidence-Ready doesn’t just affirm what we’ve achieved—it equips us to achieve far more, for many more learners, in the years ahead.
Curious about how your EdTech product can become evidence-ready?
Connect with @ICEI or follow @Coschool to learn more.