Research & Forecasts


a bar chart shows the top five areas that school districts have spent ESSER Funds on

As ESSER Spending Ramps Up, Experts Offer Tips to Make Sure Students Truly Benefit, Now and Later

The pace of K-12 school districts' spending of ESSER Funds has picked up significantly this school year, and education leaders and researchers have shared tips and guides to help district leaders efficiently evaluate — or re-evaluate — their options when making procurement decisions, to ensure students benefit and stakeholders don't come to see spending decisions as failures.

Report: Ed Tech Aids Learning and Eases Student and Staffing Issues

The adoption of technology could facilitate student learning and social interaction. It could also ease the burdens on educators from staff shortages, according to a new report.

Ransomware Up 627% in Latest Internet Security Report

Despite an observed decrease at the network level of detected malware last quarter, ransomware at the endpoint level surged 627%, according to the latest Internet Security Report from data security provider WatchGuard. What's the explanation?

STEM Educators Report Shortage of STEM Faculty in Their Schools

New findings released today indicate a shortage of STEM faculty in high schools and middle schools.

Student Mental Health in Decline During 2022–2023 School Year

A report released this month shows declining student mental health in K–12 schools during the current school year. These declines are affecting academic performance, particularly in math and reading scores.

AR/VR Headsets See Major Decline as Mixed Reality Emerges

Augmented and virtual reality headsets experienced a double-digit decline over the last year. Worldwide, AR/VR headset manufacturers shipped 8.8 million units in all of 2022, down 20.9% over the previous year, according to a new report.

Tablets and PCs to See Dramatic Decline in 2023

One of the few bright spots for tablet and PC manufacturers is schools, as the overall market for these computing devices is expected to fall 11.2% this year, reaching 2019 levels.

Security Appliances Top $6.1 Billion in a Single Quarter

The security appliance market saw a substantial increase year over year, with five manufacturers dominating in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Report: Girls' Aptitude Far Exceeds Interest in STEM

A review of data from more than 225,000 female middle and high school students has revealed a major gap between the aptitude of girls for STEM and their interest in pursuing STEM careers. It also found their interest exceeds aptitude in some non-STEM disciplines.

Android and iOS Phones Declining in 2023

Weak demand and a slower-than-expected global market recovery are pushing mobile phones into a decline, with no recovery expected until 2024, according to a new forecast by market research firm IDC.