District technology staff and committee members told the board on Jan. 8 they are monitoring a data-privacy change from Google that could affect classroom add-on services such as Translate and YouTube, and said the district will decide on Translate access after a District Privacy Officer meeting scheduled in January.

An information-technology presentation noted that Google has signaled changes to certain add-on services (not core Google Classroom products). The district reported that continuing some add-on services could require explicit parent permission because of student-data concerns; the district's privacy review and counsel are evaluating options and alternatives. The district said it expects to make a decision about Google Translate toward the end of January, and that mitigation options for YouTube (for example, embedding single clips without exposing a search bar) are under consideration.

Why it matters: The issue touches student privacy and classroom access to translation tools and video content. Teachers and students use tools such as Translate and YouTube; the district is weighing legal/privacy obligations against classroom needs.

The committee also reported other technology items: a breakdown of Chromebook devices by grade and plans tied to the budget process; requests for more professional learning on ParentSquare and Canva; and a district subscription to Magic School AI, for which staff training is being scheduled. The district said it had received a contract through BOCES and a staff trainer will attend building-level sessions to support lesson planning, assessment creation and responsible student use of AI tools.

Ending: The district will review legal guidance from the State Education Department and its DPO, confirm a Translate decision by the end of January and continue professional-learning and rollout plans for the Magic School AI tool.