Committee on Education meeting
June 24, 2026, 1:00 PM
Jointly with the Committee on Technology.
The committee held an oversight hearing on artificial intelligence, student data, and privacy in NYC public schools. Members also heard Int 0412, which would require disclosure of school admissions policies and procedures, plus bills ordering studies of how language access, income, and geography shape access to special education (Int 0853) and to early elementary gifted and talented programs (Int 0684). Proposed laws on annual reporting of algorithmic tools approved for school use and quarterly reporting of data breaches involving those tools were heard as well, with no votes taken.
What was discussed
- Chairs Dinowitz and De La Rosa open the AI-in-schools oversight hearing Education Chair Eric Dinowitz and Technology Chair Carmen De La Rosa opened the joint oversight hearing on artificial intelligence, student data, and privacy in city public schools; both cited a State Comptroller audit finding gaps in DOE data policies and dozens of data breaches, and noted many
- Council Member Zhuang introduces the education-access study bills Council Member Susan Zhuang presented her 'education access for all' package, Intro 684 (studying how language, income and geography affect access to early gifted-and-talented programs) and Intro 853 (the same for special education), arguing that geography, income and home language should not limit
- Chair Dinowitz introduces the algorithmic-tools reporting bills Chair Dinowitz introduced his two preconsidered bills requiring annual public reporting on algorithmic tools approved for use in schools and quarterly reporting on data breaches involving those tools, framing them as turning AI oversight 'from a matter of trust into a matter of accountability.'
- Swearing in the NYC Public Schools panel Chair Dinowitz administered the affirmation to the large panel of New York City Public Schools witnesses before testimony began.
- First Deputy Chancellor Giunta testifies on the DOE's AI guidance and the bills First Deputy Chancellor Danielle Giunta testified that DOE published March AI guidance, collected 6,491 feedback responses over a 45-day window, and is now strengthening it around developmental appropriateness, distinguishing tool types, and student safety; she said the department supports the
- At what age is student-facing AI appropriate, and which tools are approved for students? Chair Dinowitz pressed on whether DOE has set an age for student use of large language models and which tools students can access; First Deputy Chancellor Giunta said there is no developmental age framework yet, Supervising Superintendent Hulla described early-childhood screen limits (30 minutes a
- What evidence shows these AI tools help student learning? Chair Dinowitz repeatedly asked what peer-reviewed evidence DOE relied on to approve AI tools; Supervising Superintendent Cheng cited meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials showing benefit when AI is used under educator guidance, while Dinowitz countered that a limited District 28
- What is DOE's position on AI-detection tools and academic integrity? Chair Dinowitz asked about AI-detection tools given false-positive rates that flag multilingual learners and students with disabilities; Deputy CIO Strickland said DOE has no approved AI-detection tools (only long-standing plagiarism detection), and First Deputy Chancellor Giunta said the department
- What training do teachers get to use AI? Chair Dinowitz asked what training and certification DOE provides teachers using AI tools; Chief Academic Officer Pate said DOE built a central AI-guidance course completed by more than 8,300 staff and is partnering with the UFT on teacher-facing professional development, while acknowledging the
- How transparent is DOE about vendor contracts and data agreements? Technology Chair De La Rosa asked about the delayed AI 'playbook,' vendor non-disclosure agreements, and contract registration; First Deputy Chancellor Giunta said the playbook is being reworked in response to feedback and all contracts are registered in Checkbook, and Chief Privacy Officer Doyle
- What monitoring tools and apps are running on student devices? Technology Chair De La Rosa asked about classroom-monitoring software and approved apps; Deputy CIO Strickland said some schools purchase GoGuardian to keep students on task (its Beacon module is prohibited), YouTube is blocked unless a principal requests it, and the free version of Play Prodigy is
- Why couldn't DOE answer questions about the gifted-and-talented and special-education bills? Council Member Susan Zhuang criticized DOE for bringing no one prepared to answer on her gifted-and-talented and special-education access bills; Early Childhood staffer Veronica Chellar and enrollment staffer Lianna Wright said demographic data is published by district, and Chief of Special
- Why hasn't DOE written the data-security policies the Comptroller required? Council Member Alexa Avilés cited the State Comptroller audit finding DOE has no written data-classification or backup policies as required by state law; Chief Privacy Officer Doyle said DOE complies with privacy laws, disagrees with some findings but accepted the recommendations, and will issue a
- Does DOE have a policy for teachers using AI to plan lessons or grade? Council Member Phil Wong warned against students and teachers taking AI output at face value and asked DOE's policy on lesson planning and grading; Supervising Superintendent Cheng said the March guidance prohibits AI for assessment and grading and that DOE does not encourage teachers to generate
- Is DOE using biometric tools, and how will it evaluate AI products? Council Member Shahana K. Hanif asked about biometric recognition and how DOE will vet AI tools; Deputy CIO Strickland said no biometric detection tools are used (they are barred by law), and Chief Academic Officer Pate and Director Tara Carrozza described a 'tool scorecard' being beta-tested with
- Is the guidance process backwards, and where is DOE's digital-literacy vision? Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez said DOE's process of issuing guidance and then collecting feedback for a playbook felt backwards and left principals feeling forced into using tools, and asked for a clear digital-literacy vision; First Deputy Chancellor Giunta agreed the department is resetting
- Where are parents and language access in the AI conversation? Council Member Rita C. Joseph pressed on parent engagement, language access, and teacher training; Chief Academic Officer Pate said superintendents ran their own community engagement and named the top three feedback concerns as cognitive offloading, safety and privacy, and Chief of Special Education
- Why doesn't DOE require a digital-literacy and civics curriculum? Chair Dinowitz argued DOE is empowered to require a digital-literacy and AI-civics curriculum without waiting for state guidance; Supervising Superintendent Cheng said media literacy is already required and DOE is collaborating with the state and higher-education partners, while Dinowitz insisted
- When will the revised AI framework arrive and how will it keep pace? Council Member Virginia Maloney urged DOE to move faster and asked when the revised framework and its 'agile governance' will come; First Deputy Chancellor Giunta could not commit to a date but promised clarity on age-appropriate use, and Chief of Special Education Suzanne Sanchez noted a 15-lesson
- Which AI engines is DOE actually using, and under what licenses? In a second round, Council Member Phil Wong asked which AI tools staff use and whether they were vetted; First Deputy Chancellor Giunta and Deputy CIO Strickland said Gemini and Copilot are used (ChatGPT by some staff), riding on existing Microsoft and Google licenses with free and paid tiers, and
Agenda
6 items
- Int 0960-2026 A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to quarterly reporting on data breaches of algorithmic tools in schools Hearing on P-C Item by Comm
- T2026-2084 Oversight - Artificial Intelligence, Student Data, and Privacy in NYC Public Schools. Hearing Held by Committee
- Int 0412-2026 A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the disclosure of school admissions policies and procedures Hearing Held by Committee
- Int 0684-2026 A Local Law in relation to requiring a study on how language access needs and geographic location affect access to early elementary gifted and talented programs Hearing Held by Committee
- Int 0853-2026 A Local Law in relation to requiring a study on how language access needs, income, and geographic location affect access to special education programs and services Hearing Held by Committee
- Int 0959-2026 A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to annual reporting on algorithmic tools approved for use in schools Hearing on P-C Item by Comm