Good news: AI contracts rejected by the PEP last night!

En español aquí.

Oct. 30, 2025

1. A pretty amazing meeting of the Panel for Educational Policy occurred last night. Three AI contracts did NOT get approved by the Panel, despite a push by the DOE to keep rapidly expanding the risky technology in classrooms around the city. Thanks so much to the parent leaders, the teacher and student who spoke in opposition – and to those of you who sent your comments to the Panel.

My brief comments are posted on the blog here.  I pointed out that the AI Working Group appointed by the Chancellor to propose guidelines and guardrails for the use of AI has not even begun our work.   In fact, we have been sidelined and refused the information we need to go forward, including the names of the AI programs currently used in schools along with their privacy policies. The DOE has refused to provide this information, claiming the companies have non-disclosure agreements, which if true is pretty scandalous in itself.

If you sent in comments and would like to have them shared, please send them to me at leonie@classsizematters.org and I’ll post them as well. Soon I’ll also post a video of those who spoke so well last night.

2. Other good news: the Panel unanimously passed a resolution, calling on the DOE to accelerate the acquisition of city-owned space to allow for smaller classes. They also passed a resolution in opposition to renewing a five-year contract for the same set of busing companies who have had their contracts renewed for the last 45 years, despite a record of horrible service.

Instead PEP members want these contracts to be renewed for only a few months and then renegotiated and a new RFP issued, with more accountability and oversight attached. Their reso calling for  a short-term renewal passed unanimously, despite the fact that hundreds of rowdy bus drivers and attendants showed up to argue for another five years, presumably because some of these companies have threatened to shut down Nov. 1 and lay off workers if they don’t get their way. More news on this here, and on Sunday’s Talk out of School podcast.

Altogether it’s a new day for the PEP, which is showing more independence and gumption, presumably because Mayor Adams, who appoints the majority of members. has checked out and has only a few months left in office.

3. One more important issue: Early voting has already begun, and will run through Sunday, with the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 4. You can find your voting site and hours here. While Class Size Matters as a 501C3 non-profit cannot weigh in on which candidates to vote for, we can weigh in on propositions. We urge you to vote “NO” on ballot measures numbers two to four, which would further weaken the already inadequate city planning process for community input and would fail to ensure that schools are built along with new housing. Already the requirement to build new schools is far too weak, leading to neighborhoods throughout the city where classrooms are too overcrowded to lower class size to mandated levels, or provide the supportive and humane conditions that NYC students need to thrive.