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East Hartford outlines personalized professional‑learning path and AI roadmap for teachers and students
Summary
The board heard a district presentation on a personalized professional‑learning model and a multi‑year, equity‑centered AI integration plan that includes Magic School licenses for students and staff, ethics training and plans to embed ISTE standards; district leaders credited a state grant (about $100,000) for much of the initial implementation.
Anna Capobianco, the district’s supervisor of professional learning and evaluation, told the board the East Hartford Public Schools is shifting to a personalized pathway model that aligns educator professional learning with evaluation goals and allows teachers to select sessions that meet individual needs. "We are one of the only districts in the state at this time that are effectively implementing this type of model," Capobianco said, describing mandatory and optional sessions the district has offered.
Capobianco outlined five AI‑related steps the district has adopted: Magic School fundamentals for educators, Magic Student for secondary classroom use, a focus on AI responsibility and district ethical guidelines, a district keynote with EdAdvance to set systemwide expectations, and a push to design "AI durable assignments" that emphasize critical thinking and authentic process. She said more than 80% of educators chose to attend at least one district session this year, indicating strong uptake.
The presentation said all secondary students have a Magic Student license and that last year East Hartford was one of seven districts in the state selected to participate in a state pilot. The superintendent later told the board that a grant of about $100,000 helped cover much of the implementation costs, and that routine expenditures will be incorporated into the district’s regular budget moving forward.
Capobianco said the district will continue to embed ISTE standards and an AI literacy and digital wellness plan into curriculum and professional learning during the 2026–27 year to emphasize safe and equitable classroom use. "Right now, East Hartford is doing this the best of anywhere that I've seen," she told the board, characterizing the district’s planning as intentional and equity‑centered.
The presentation closed with an invitation to board members to request more detail from the superintendent’s office about budget implications and timeline sequencing. There was no formal board action tied directly to the presentation.
