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Ulster BOCES offers AI maturity assessment pilot to Onteora; trustees press on ethics and training
Summary
Ulster BOCES lead trainer Julianne Ross Kleinman offered the district a no‑cost pilot of a K–12 AI maturity assessment and roadmap on May 6; trustees welcomed the offer but urged emphasis on ethics, data privacy and stakeholder participation.
Julianne Ross Kleinman, supervisor of instructional services at Ulster BOCES, presented an AI readiness and maturity assessment tool on May 6 and offered to pilot the rubric with the Onteora Central School District at no charge.
Kleinman described the Kosen/AESA generative-AI maturity tool as a seven‑domain rubric that helps districts assess policy, leadership, vendor management and instructional readiness. "This is a marathon, not a sprint," she told the board, stressing that the work requires ongoing training, stakeholder engagement and periodic revision.
Program details and support Kleinman said she is one of 12 lead trainers selected nationally to support K–12 districts, and that the project—supported by organizations such as AESA and funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—includes training, a self‑assessment rubric and a roadmap with gap analysis and prioritized steps. She said the recommended starting point is the executive‑leadership domain because strategy, policy and stakeholder alignment drive downstream work.
Board reaction: ethics, privacy, timeline Trustees asked about pilot timelines, staffing and ethical safeguards. Trustee Knudson highlighted the importance of ethics, specifically naming "ethical AI use" and policy as a concern. Kleinman said her background as a district data coordinator and a data‑privacy officer informed her selection and that training she has received (including work through MIT and Harvard programs and the Kosen trainer pathway) includes attention to ethics and legal safeguards.
Kleinman said the pilot can be scheduled flexibly—work could begin over the summer or in September—and that it requires forming a stakeholder group that includes administrators, technology staff, teachers and students. She also described a related BOCES "AI circle" that would provide a cohort model and classroom‑embedded support for teachers.
Next steps Trustees thanked Kleinman and indicated interest in piloting the tool; no formal vote was taken. Kleinman said she would help districts gather evidence, build a roadmap and return with recommendations as the district defines its pace and priorities for AI integration.
Kleinman emphasized ongoing caution: "Ask questions like, who built this? What data does it collect? And how will it help students?"
