Following strong opposition to an artificial intelligence policy proposed earlier this year, the New York City Department of Education ordered principals last month to halt software purchases while officials drafted new guidelines. With the start of the school year fast approaching and the new policy still pending, principals worry they will be unable to use essential software programs—such as digital gradebooks and teacher-parent communication platforms—on the first day of school.
Four public school administrators stated that they are currently unable to make routine software purchases, including for programs they have used for years that do not rely on artificial intelligence. A Brooklyn high school principal remarked, “Two weeks before school starts, we still aren’t sure which software we can use and which we can’t,” adding, “It’s a real hassle.”