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New York City schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels asked principals this week to hold off on purchasing educational software until the Education Department finalizes guidance on artificial intelligence later this summer.
The software purchasing freeze is the most concrete step city officials have taken to limit schools’ access to AI and educational technology products amid growing pushback from families and educators over the potential harms for students.
Samuels made the request in a Monday email that was first Tweeted by independent journalist Susan Edelman and obtained by Chalkbeat.
“This necessary pause is part of our work to ensure proper protocols are in place while supporting our students and staff and making sure that any digital tool used in classrooms is properly assessed for safety and privacy,” Education Department spokesperson Nicole Brownstein said in an email.
The Education Department released its long-awaited initial AI guidance in March, sparking an outpouring of criticism that it did too little to curb AI use. Scores of parents and educators, along with more than half the members of the CIty Council, signed a push for an AI moratorium in city schools.
Samuels acknowledged in May that the city had “missed the mark” with its initial guidance and indicated that the final version would have more stringent rules on AI use, especially for younger students. Officials originally said the revised version would be released in June, but told the City Council last month that they were delaying it. The Education Department hasn’t given an updated timeline.
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At the June hearing, Education Department officials struggled to answer questions about how many schools were using products with AI and which products they were using. With purchases largely made at the school level, they are not always tracked — an issue the state comptroller recently flagged as a significant concern. Officials have since sent out a survey asking schools which software products they use.
It’s not clear how many schools will be affected by the purchasing pause. Samuels noted that software required for “mandated services or school opening needs” would be exempt.
Several principals said the impact of the purchasing pause could be far-reaching at a time when school leaders are trying to get their plans in place for next year. Many schools rely on software programs for basic functions such as grades and attendance along with academic support.
Even when schools have used software programs for years, they often have to submit new purchase orders for the programs every year, making those programs potentially subject to the purchasing freeze.
One Manhattan principal, speaking on condition of anonymity to preserve their working relationship with district leadership, worried about the drastic changes so close to the start of the new school year and wished the Education Department could have finalized the guidance earlier.
“We have already built budgets, planned interventions, and made decisions about programs for next year,” the principal said. “Changing direction in July makes summer planning significantly more complicated and creates uncertainty about whether schools will have access to the tools they planned to use.”
Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org