Board tables Varsity Tutors data-sharing agreement after parent, teacher concerns about AI and privacy

The New Haven Board of Education voted Dec. 8 to table a proposed data-sharing agreement with Varsity Tutors that would allow after-school access and online tutoring for Hill Central and East Rock students.

Leslie Blato, president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, urged the board to pause the item despite the vendor presenting at a prior Finance & Operations meeting. Blato cited three concerns: lack of parent notification, potential increases in student screen time via AI-enabled services, and the climate/energy footprint of AI tools. "Have we contacted the parents of the children at Hill Central and East Rock? We have not," she said, and asked that parents and students be part of the review.

Board members discussed timing and committee jurisdiction. Several members, including Doctor Joiner and Mister Wilcox, recommended that the Teaching & Learning committee review the program before a full-board vote, noting the item has an after-school rather than in-class use case and that the district has not yet completed parent outreach. Miss Downer moved to table the agreement (covering Jan. 6, 2026–Jan. 25, 2027); the motion was seconded and carried in a roll-call vote.

The board also instructed the superintendent and relevant committees to evaluate the program—s educational value, privacy protections, parent-notification practices and any live-instruction components before reconsideration at a future meeting. No vendor representatives responded at the meeting; the vendor—s prior Finance & Operations presentation was referenced by board members.