Information Technology

Information, news and features for the education sector IT professionals


New Data: Nearly Half of Schools Providing Home Internet Access to Students Who Need It This School Year

Survey results released today by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics shows that as of the start of the 2022–23 school year, almost half of K–12 public schools reported providing internet access to students who need it at their homes, and almost three quarters are providing training on digital literacy for their students.

7 Questions about SchoolStatus with CEO Russ Davis

THE Journal’s “7 Questions: Ed Tech Explainer” series gives ed tech leaders an opportunity to summarize their solution(s), explain how their product helps educators and schools, and give a quick overview for K–12 decision-makers — sort of an extended (but not too extended) elevator pitch. For this installment, SchoolStatus Founder and CEO Russ Davis explains how SchoolStatus works in a school tech ecosystem, how it helps educators and students, and how it's pivoted over the past year.

A Cybersecurity Firm Assessed a State's Entire Education System, Finding Thousands of Security Risks

Cyber Security Works, an IT risk management company and partner agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, recently conducted an assessment of an entire state’s public education system, analyzing the security posture across 180 school districts and charter schools, and it found 2,221 potential IT security problems, including scores of vulnerabilities known to have been weaponized by cyber criminals.

Four Ways IT Pros Can Boost Data Protection

A longtime technology professional specializing in data protection and disaster recovery shares four types of tools every K-12 school district should be using to bolster their data protection systems and boost their cybersecurity resilience.

Website and Communications Provider Edlio Acquires App-Maker SchoolInfo, Expands K-12 Product Suite

K–12 CMS website, digital payments, and communications provider Edlio has acquired SchoolInfo, which makes mobile app solutions for schools and districts, the companies announced in a news release.

List of All K-12 Schools Known to be Impacted by Illuminate Breach of Student Data

An updated list of all K–12 schools in the U.S. known to have been impacted by the breach of student data resulting from a cyberattack on Illuminate Education's systems in January 2022.

ASUS Introduces 21-Hour-Battery Detachable Laptop for Education Users

Computer maker ASUS has announced the launch of its ExpertBook B3 detachable (B3000) laptop, designed for student education. Its 21-hour-long battery life is one of its major attractions, the company said in a recent release. It features top-up 15-second charging to provide 45 minutes of use.

School Website Provider Finalsite Acquires Anthology's Blackboard K12 Community Engagement Division

Finalsite, a website provider for K–12 schools, today announced it has acquired Anthology’s Blackboard K–12 Community Engagement division, which includes Blackboard Web Community Manager, Blackboard Connect, Blackboard Reach, Blackboard Mass Notifications, and the Blackboard Mobile Communications App, according to a news release.

Edmodo Users: One Week Left to Save Your Data Before It’s Deleted on Sept. 23

Edmodo will permanently shutter on Sept. 22, and educators who have used the platform will no longer have access to their accounts, their instructional content, nor their student data, the company said — here's how to export all the teacher and student files and data before the platform shuts down and deletes all accounts and associated files and data.

LAUSD Chief Gets Unlimited Emergency Spending Powers After Vice Society Claims Stolen Data From Ransomware Attack

New details about the Labor Day weekend ransomware attack on Los Angeles Unified School District have trickled out over the past week, indicating that district officials may be negotiating with the threat actors to preserve district data stolen during the incident — and that they are definitely diving into major IT and cybersecurity upgrades.

Whitepapers