Blackboard To Give Away Anonymous Communications Service to K-12 Schools
Blackboard has launched a new service that allows for anonymous texting between students and school staff.
The service, TipTxt, is designed to let students report school safety issues, abuse, bullying, and other incidents privately. Blackboard is making the service free to K-12 schools, though the purchase of a dedicated line is required to use the service.
Quakertown Community School District in Pennsylvania piloted the TipTxt service. According to Superintendent of Schools Lisa Andrejko, the service helps students communicate who would otherwise be too afraid or shy to report problems. "Some students tend to not be as comfortable with face-to-face and text is how they communicate. Using technology to report situations and alert school officials without having to be in their presence or be seen is a very effective means of communication and helpful in anti-bullying efforts. With TipTxt, we can help students report bullying without fear of retaliation."
TipTxt is available now. It includes TipTxt mailbox, texting service, implementation, free support services. The service is free to any public, private, or parochial school in the United States, but schools need to purchase a dedicated TipTxt line, which runs $125 per year. Additional details can be found on Blackboard's site.