Maloney questions DOE on exceptions for useful technology and evaluation capacity

The second question I want to ask is about exceptions for useful technology.

So I come to this conversation as a former product manager with full visibility in tech of the things that can go wrong and also

benefits that come with technology like assistive technology, one of the exceptions you called out, multilingual learners, making sure our students don't fall behind with SAT prep and testing,

AI literacy, because we all know our students are going to encounter tech in the wild, and then workforce development like coding, robotics, et cetera.

So how is DOE evaluating these exceptions, and whether it's a use case where technology is appropriate or a specific software that you want to approve, and how are you going to staff this exceptions list?

Yes, thank you.

Can you just, the last part, how are we going to...

Have the capacity.

Have the capacity.

Yes, you mentioned this is a seismic shift in how people learn.

The use cases and tools that are being created are numerous.

One is what's the criteria to determine what is appropriate for students?

And then two, how will you have the capacity to continuously evaluate this ever-evolving ecosystem?

All right, I will have Suzanne, who jumped up from Dial, talk a little bit about that for our students with disabilities and multilingual learners, which live under the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning.

Laura Lai shared a little bit of, or actually a very comprehensive outline of how the five pilots came in.

And we also are joined today by Tanisha Mitchell, who has helped design and pilot some of the AI literacy modules that our schools will be going.

And to your point about monitoring, before I turn it over for a little bit more nuance in those conversations,

is we're really going to be relying on our technology and schools coalition to help us with that and with subcommittees that are studying different aspects of this policy as it implements across the year.

But Suzanne, you look like you are ready to say something.

Suzanne Sanchez, Chief of Special Education for New York City Public Schools, and I want to

Just acknowledge and thank you and the council for your thought for our students with disabilities throughout this entire process.

And in terms of efficacy of device and support and how do we know this tool works for this student, when it comes to students with disabilities, the

exceptions that are in place for them are student-specific and specific to a specific device or tool.

We employ a team of experts.

It's our Center for Assistive Technology.

And this group of, they are experts in assistive technology.

They vet and try and test any tool that is before it is recommended on a student's IEP.

And so they are trying it out, making sure that it's going, if it's a speech-to-text tool, if it's a word vocabulary tool, if it's an eye gaze that's giving a child full access who doesn't have mobility,

they are testing these tools in-house before we recommend them on a student's IEP.

And also checking in throughout the school year.

How is the device or the program supporting that student's access to learning?

What are the outcomes we're seeing?

And it is an iterative and fluid process for which we make adaptations and changes to along the way.

And one thing I would also call out is that we also drive some assistive technology innovation by this process by saying to certain vendors, hey, we see our students need X, your product is providing Y.

Let's look at how you can shift and change that so that our students are getting the actual assistive technology supports that they need, and that is following that review process.

And so that's how we navigate, monitor, track, and revise for students with disabilities around anything related to assistive technology.

It would be helpful if I turned this on when I did.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Tanisha Mitchell.

I am the Executive Director of Computer Science Education for New York City Public Schools, and I am grateful to be here with you all today.

Council member, you had asked some questions in terms of how we are understanding and assessing what is happening with our students.

I can speak more towards the AI literacy that is part of the exceptions that we have listed as part of our AI guidelines.

So as you all know, this is a new effort

to ensure that broadly across New York City public schools, there is guidance and understanding what AI literacy is in a way that we can norm upon across New York City public schools.

As part of the AI guidelines, we have developed a two 45 minutes

offering for high school students to ensure that high school students have a broad understanding and a foundation of what

AI literacy is.

So what is AI?

What is it not?

Understanding data privacy and appropriate uses when it comes to school.

That is meant to support students in getting a strong foundation.

We are planning to pilot it later this year.

And so for us, the way we are going to track that is having a mixture of formative assessments, as Chair Dinnowitz has shared earlier.

There will be a range of surveys to understand what is happening when it comes to that learning progression.

And also,

this will be administered through Central itself.

And so we are taking a deeper stance in understanding what is coming in front of our students.

I will also share, along with AI Literacy, Laura Lai has given some information about this earlier.

There will be a 12 to 15 hour AI Literacy course that will be offered to students who are within a career readiness pathway.

So what that means is if they are in a CTE school, a career technical education school, or if they are participating in pathways when it comes to work-based learning and thinking about future radio at NYC,

any student that will be participating in one of those career readiness pathways or will be participating in one of the approved pilots that Laura Lai discussed earlier will also go under

AI literacy course.

This will be monitored through Central as well to support an understanding of students and what they are learning.

And we will also provide those reportings across for their schools.

Thank you, Council Member.