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Connecticut Asks Seven School Districts to Pilot AI Program

The program is geared toward students in grades 7-12 and will provide them with hands-on experience with various AI tools to help them with their education, according to the state.

Someone writing "A.I." in white chalk on a black chalkboard.
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(TNS) — The Connecticut state Department of Education has asked seven school districts across the state pilot a new artificial intelligence program.

East Hartford, Rocky Hill, Lebanon, Waterford, Westport, Seymour and the Odyssey Community School in Manchester are using the program through June 2025 so CSDE can introduce a "state-approve AI tools into classroom instruction," according to the announcement.

The program is geared toward students in grades 7-12 and will provide them with hands-on experience with various AI tools to help them with their education, according to the state.

AI technology allows computers to perform tasks that usually are meant for humans to do. Through this new program, students will get access to different forms of AI technology, including one that can give them feedback on their work and another that provides one-to-one tutoring.

"The AI pilot districts will serve as innovation hubs, sharing best practices to guide future AI integration efforts across the state," said Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, in a statement.

The pilot program kicked off in January and "throughout the six-month pilot period, CSDE will monitor implementation and outcomes, sharing best practices to guide future technology integration efforts across the state," the announcement stated.

Along with getting access to various forms of AI technology, students will also learn how to critically analyze AI-generate content and how to communicate with the technology to get the response they are looking for.

Educators in the seven districts will have professional development to "maximize the tools' benefits and assess their impact on teaching and learning," the announcement says.

All Connecticut school districts, however, have access to a Digital Citizenship Curriculum to provide educators with "standards-aligned, research-backed materials designed to promote online safety, digital ethics and student well-being," according to CSDE.

"In today's technology-driven world, digital citizenship education and the integration of artificial intelligence are vital to preparing students for learning and success in the future," Russell-Tucker said.

© 2025 The Register Citizen, Torrington, Conn.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.