When Ed Buckley and Marlee Strawn founded Tampa-based Scholar Education in 2023, the goal was simple. The entrepreneurs wanted to utilize cutting-edge technology to create tools that could benefit both students and teachers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This mission led to the development of two artificial intelligence-powered assistants, BaxterBot (student-focused) and PAWfessor Bruce (educator-focused). Both were named after Buckley\u2019s dogs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
These platforms can help create individualized lesson plans, evaluate performance and provide real-time support. They have been used by thousands of individuals across Florida.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, Buckley and Strawn are preparing to launch a telehealth psychology practice, currently known as Scholar Health. Artificial intelligence will play a key role. The first student evaluations will be performed this month.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere the market really pulled us to was helping teachers manage accommodations for students,\u201d Buckley explained. \u201cAlong the way we just kept hearing, totally unsolicited, \u2018hey, that\u2019s great\u2019 and \u2018that\u2019s helpful,\u2019 but the real problem is upstream of having the accommodations.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said that completing evaluations and preparing lesson plans for children who have learning challenges or special needs is a time-consuming process. Psychologists are \u201ccompletely overwhelmed\u201d with the current amount of students who need assistance, Buckley believes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTechnology is really great at unlocking time and capacity for expert clinicians when you focus the AI on the administrative side, the note taking side and a lot of the follow-up side,\u201d he said. \u201cThis lets the clinician maximize their human-to-human interaction with the students.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Conversations about the practice began in the fall of 2025. By March, Buckley and Strawn were committed to the idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scholar Education has already hired the initiative\u2019s head of clinical psychology. The professional will be revealed later this month. Additionally, the organization plans to hire more practitioners over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, if you\u2019re a family, you can wait up to a year to get the evaluation and the plan written,\u201d Buckley said. \u201cTo think that a kid could lose almost an entire school year is just tragic.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another option is private practice. However, he added, it is not usually covered by insurance and there are still wait lists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many industries have solved this waiting in line issue by pairing expert clinicians with AI,\u201d Buckley explained. \u201cFor us, it is \u2018how do we get people out of lines that they never should have been stuck in in the first place\u2019?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With the technology, evaluation reports can be prepared in a matter of weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scholar Education is also developing an AI-powered education plan writer. This can help schools develop customized learning experiences for students.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt always leaves the clinician at the center,\u201d he said. \u201cThe evaluations are done by psychologists, and the school psychologist will still have the final authority over the plan. We\u2019ll just be there to help and compress timelines on that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The practice will be cash pay, Buckley added. However, the Scholar Education team is \u201ctrying to make the cost significantly less than what the market is charging right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scholar Health will be introduced in the Tampa Bay region first. In 2027, Buckley hopes to launch the venture in at least 10 other states.\u00a0<\/p>\n