Mount Diablo Unified adopts strategic technology plan, pilots AI tools for teachers and students

The Mount Diablo Unified School District Board of Education voted June 25 to adopt the district’s annual strategic technology plan for the 2025–26 school year and to begin a districtwide pilot of two education-focused artificial intelligence platforms.

The action came after a presentation from the district’s technology leadership describing network upgrades, a digital-tool approval process and a new action step that specifically calls out AI for teaching and learning. The board approved the plan on a 4-0 vote with one trustee vacancy.

Why it matters: The plan sets district priorities for classroom technology, connectivity and staff training. Board members said they wanted to see classrooms using these tools in practice and asked for future site visits so trustees can observe instruction that integrates AI. The district said roughly 25% of teachers already use some AI tools in some form; the pilot is intended to provide vetted, equity-minded access across sites.

What the district will do: Matt Rosso, incoming director of technology innovation, Robert Sidford, outgoing director of technology, and Aaron Vallejo, educational technology coordinator, described major elements of the plan. Rosso said the plan includes ongoing network modernization and a core app approval process so IT can support fewer, better-vetted tools. Vallejo said the district added an AI action step because “it is a very, trending and very important aspect of education” and staff want a framework to make AI “available to our students and to our teachers, in a safe and educative way.”

The district will pilot two education-focused platforms, Magic School AI and Brisk (as described by staff), with paid district-wide versions available through December of the coming school year. Staff told the board the pilot will focus on professional development for teachers, teacher-facing analytics and tools that can be scaffolded for classroom use. “Given the number of people that are already using AI, we think it’s very important to provide guidance on how to use that, with our students, and to make sure there’s equity in the use of that,” Vallejo said.

Teachers will be trained on safe, instructional uses and the district will collect surveys, testimonials and task-force input — including a student advisory review — to decide whether to expand any platform. Staff emphasized analytics and district customization as rationale for selecting the platforms; for example, staff said Magic School AI offers scaffolded lesson‑planning prompts and district-customizable chatbots.

Board reaction and next steps: Trustees praised outgoing director Sidford’s work and welcomed Rosso. Trustee comments emphasized classroom observation and close monitoring: one trustee asked staff to arrange site visits so the board can see AI being used in instruction. The board approved the plan unanimously. Staff said they will report back with pilot results and recommended next steps during the school year.

Provenance: Presentation and vote take place during the agenda item for the annual technology plan and AI initiatives (transcript blocks beginning at 1381.6499 and continuing through 2285.7).