Information Technology

Information, news and features for the education sector IT professionals


Creating Ed Tech Stickiness: 10 Tips for Success

"Ed tech whiplash," or the constant addition and removal of tech solutions in schools, is a real issue and has been negatively impacting teachers and students for years. During the 2022–23 school year alone, K–12 school districts accessed, on average, 2,591 different ed tech tools. As a former director of technology in public education, I saw educators struggle to keep up with the always-growing list of ed tech tools being implemented in their schools. And I also saw teachers become heavily invested in solutions that improved efficiency and efficacy in their classrooms, only for the solution to be removed within a short time due to a lack of "ROI." This type of back and forth is not only frustrating for teachers, but it leaves students with a lack of consistency in their learning environment.

SchoolStatus Acquiring ClassTag, Will Integrate Its Mobile App, Newsletter, and Automation Tech

K–12 data and communications software provider SchoolStatus has acquired ClassTag, a unified family communication and engagement platform for educators, schools, and districts, according to a news release.

$375M Added to State, Local Cyber Grant Program, Deadline to Apply is Oct. 6

The Department of Homeland Security has added $374.9 million in grant funding to the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, which is entering its second year, the agency said in a news release.

image shows cover of a new brief from CISA titled K-12 Digital Infrastructure Brief: Defensible and Resilient

New Public, Private Help for K–12 Cyber Defense Efforts Announced at White House Summit

The Biden-Harris administration has unveiled new public sector efforts and private sector commitments to bolstering cyber defenses across the nation’s public schools, including a new Government Coordinating Council within the U.S. Department of Education to facilitate formal collaboration between “every level of government and the education sector.”

Chromebooks See Minor Contraction as Tablets Continue Plunge

Four of the top-5 tablet makers saw double-digit declines in shipments in the second quarter of 2023 — including Apple — according to recently released preliminary market data. Meanwhile Chromebooks declined only slightly in the quarter, with the top-2 companies seeing positive gains.

chart shows survey responses from K-12 teachers and parents about how aware they are of their school safety preparedness

New Report Reveals Parents' and Teachers' Critical Perspective on School Safety

A new report from Motorola Solutions reveals parents’ and teachers’ top concerns and how much they know about and are confident in their schools’ safety planning and emergency response preparation.

Pie chart and bar graph shows the tech consent practices in U.S. K-12 schools revealing most schools do not get consent from parents for ed tech their kids use

Majority of School Apps Advertising to Kids Even In SOPIPA States, ISL Data Shows

A new in-depth analysis from Internet Safety Labs’ 2022 K–12 EdTech Safety Benchmark Findings reveals alarming data about advertising in apps widely used by schools and finds that state privacy laws and third-party certifications claiming to keep students’ data private are often not making kids any safer.

a pyramid chart shows the types of cyber threats recorded in the first half of 2023

K12 Schools See Massive Spike in Malware and CryptoJacking in First Half of 2023

K–12 schools and other education organizations in the United States are experiencing a “massive spike” in malware, encrypted threats, and cryptojacking so far this year, even as ransomware attacks have slowed, according to SonicWall’s 2023 Mid-Year Cyber Threat Report.

Governance, Strategy Needed in Enterprise Generative AI Adoption

The current wave of popularity for generative AI is just "scratching the surface." The real impact will be felt in enterprises — including education — which, over the next seven years, will see growth in the hundreds of billions of dollars, according to a new market analysis, "Generative AI Business Outcomes: Identifying Enterprise Commercial Opportunities."

Image is proposed logo for FCC smart device cyber trust labeling program with the words U.S. Cyber Trust Mark

FCC Proposal Would Create Voluntary Cybersecurity Label for Smart Devices

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has introduced a proposal to create a “voluntary cybersecurity labeling program” for smart devices in an effort to boost transparency and protection against cyber threats in the growing Internet of Things market.