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Hastings board reviews three-year instructional technology plan; AI pilot and device-use norms highlighted
Summary
Board heard a draft 2026—2029 instructional-technology plan that proposes educator professional learning, an AI pioneer-teacher cohort and home-school device norms; trustees pressed for clearer timelines and a public posting of the AI position statement.
The Hastings-on-Hudson Board of Education spent its meeting reviewing a draft instructional technology strategic plan required by the state and aimed at guiding the district's work through 2029. Dr. Samsky, who introduced the plan, said the committee developed three goals: expand professional learning for purposeful technology use, pilot and set protocols for classroom AI, and strengthen home-school collaboration on healthy device habits.
Dr. Samsky said the plan's first goal prioritizes a shared definition of when technology is "purposeful and effective," building a rubric to assess instructional use and inventorying classroom applications to ensure compliance with education law (EdLAW 2-d) and student privacy safeguards. "We want technology that elevates authentic learning, not a substitution for it," Dr. Samsky said while outlining action steps to assess applications, define norms and consider educational-technologist roles.
The board pressed for clarity on timing, vendor reviews and baselines. A trustee pointed out a scheduling typo in the draft (a winter 2027 reference that should read winter 2026); Dr. Samsky said that would be corrected. Trustees and staff also discussed practical implications such as whether to continue one-to-one devices, move to cart-based access in some grades and how monitoring tools could be used without eroding trust with teachers.
On Goal Two, the plan proposes a "pioneer cohort" of teachers to trial AI tools by grade and discipline, survey students on AI use and integrate AI literacy into media-literacy coursework. Dr. Samsky described the board's intent: "We will develop coherent protocols so there's consistency around expectations and academic integrity when AI is used."
Trustees and community members asked where the district's existing AI position statement can be found; administrators said the statement currently lives within the draft plan and will be posted as a public link after minor revisions. The plan also recommends surveying students and developing disclosure expectations for assignments that permit or forbid AI.
Board members asked about teacher appetite for the changes and were shown survey results indicating mixed preferences: many teachers support limited, purposeful digital work but favor analog approaches for some grades or tasks. The presentation emphasized that professional development, a shared rubric and ongoing review of student-performance data will be central to measuring impact.
Administrators said next steps include posting the final draft for public review, correcting scheduling errors, identifying the pilot cohort and returning with a more specific timeline for staffing, training and budget implications. The board did not take a formal vote on the plan at the meeting; administrators said the plan is in final draft form and will be placed in the public record.
The meeting also included updates on grants and student initiatives and routine business.
