565 Schools, Over 1M Students in NY Impacted by Illuminate Data Breach, NYSED Says; 2nd Colorado District Notifies Parents

The New York State Education Department says 565 schools in the state — including over 1 million current and former students — were among those whose private student data was compromised during a January cyberattack on Illuminate Education’s systems, and officials have opened an investigation, NYSED told THE Journal.

Online Safety Provider Family Zone Announces Agreement to Acquire Qustodio

Australia-based online monitoring and safety provider Family Zone today announced it will acquire competitor Qustodio and its subsidiaries in a deal valued at $52 million, according to a news release.

Ransomware Hit 56% of K-12 Organizations Worldwide in 2021, Sophos Survey Finds

Cybersecurity firm Sophos today released its annual State of Ransomware report showing ransomware attacks nearly doubled in 2021 from the year before, and 56% of K–12 IT professionals responding, representing 320 districts, said they were a victim of ransomware last year.

Six Steps School Leaders Should Take to Reduce Teacher Turnover

In the wake of the pandemic, with more than half of teachers considering leaving the profession sooner than later, a school administrator from Tennessee shares key steps help reduce teacher turnover.

How To Build a Computer Science Curriculum with Existing Staff

When Indiana began requiring all public K-12 schools to teach computer science curriculum, a smaller district created a program that meets the mandate and gets teachers and students excited with the equipment and staff they already had, adding instructional guides and educator support from Codelicious.

Student: Online School Has Helped Prepare Me to Pursue My Dreams of a NASA Career

Wisconsin high school senior Naleah Boys explains how fully virtual public school has helped her inch closer to her dreams of building rockets for NASA.

Applications Now Open for $159M in Education Innovation and Research Grants from ED's OESE

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education has begun accepting applications for $159 million in grants budgeted for the Education Innovation and Research Program, which aims to develop, implement, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students; and to rigorously evaluate such innovations.

Civil Rights Investigation: Los Angeles Unified Failed to Meet Needs of Students with Disabilities During Pandemic

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights has resolved an investigation of the Los Angeles Unified School District with an agreement requiring it to provide educational services and compensatory services for the 66,000 students with disabilities for whom the district “failed to provide services” for as required by law, according to a news release.

Imagine Learning, Gale, Discovery Education Top List of New Statewide Ed Tech Expenditures by Mississippi

The Mississippi Department of Education’s provision of no-cost subscriptions to digital learning solutions for districts statewide, launched in January, is helping to close learning gaps for students in schools taking advantage of the six opt-in platforms, according to a news release, with a majority of Mississippi districts already using the subscriptions or planning to begin this summer.

Kiddom to Add CenterPoint's Illustrative Mathematics-Certified and EL Education-Aligned Assessments to Its Platform

CenterPoint Education Solutions, a nonprofit provider of assessment and curriculum solutions and professional learning, today announced that its Illustrative Math-Certified interim assessments and EL Education-Aligned interim assessments will be accessible on the Kiddom platform for the 2022-2023 school year.

Louisiana Public Broadcasting Renews Partnership with Discovery Education

Louisiana Public Broadcasting has extended for another year its long-term partnership with digital learning platform Discovery Education, which allows public schools in the state to subscribe with the state picking up a portion of the cost.

Pearson Acquires Mondly Online Language Learning Platform

Digital learning company Pearson today announced it has acquired language-learning platform Mondly, providing a path for Pearson to add self-study to its line of instructional and assessment solutions, according to a news release.

Leadership Roles Announced for McCollum, Peck, Tuley, Fisher, Kamal, and Fierro

THE Journal welcomes submissions about new hires and promotions among ed tech industry executives and K–12 public school administrators in the United States. Contributed news items will be published regularly on THEJournal.com; the archives can be accessed at any time at THEJournal.com/articles/list/people-on-the-move.

PresenceLearning Ordered to Pay Super Duper $3.25M in Copyright and Trademark Infringement Suit

A federal judge in New York this week approved a judgment ordering PresenceLearning, provider of online special education and therapy services for K–12 schools, to pay competitor Super Duper Inc. $3.25 million plus legal fees in a copyright and trademark infringement and unfair competition lawsuit filed in late 2020.

Presentation Proposals Sought for Aperture 2022 SEL Vision Summit; Deadline is May 13

SEL assessment provider Aperture Education is accepting presentation proposals through May 13 for its 2022 SEL Vision Summit. The virtual event focused on professional development is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2022, themed “Leading a Legacy.”

Snap Mobile Acquires 8to18 and SchoolCNXT

Snap Mobile, parent company of the Snap Raise high school fundraising platform, today announced it has acquired CNXT Digital, the software company consisting of 8to18 and SchoolCNXT, furthering Snap Mobile’s goal to become a full-service administrative support platform for high school administrators, athletic directors, coaches and group leaders, according to a news release.

SquadLocker Teams Up With STEM Fuse on Custom Apparel Curriculum

Schools participating in esports through digital curriculum provider STEM Fuse now have access to a program teaching students about custom apparel design, manufacturing, and retail, thanks to a new partnership with SquadLocker, the companies announced today.

Submit Your News About K–12 Admin, Edtech New Hires & Promotions

THE Journal invites submissions about new hires and promotions among ed tech industry management and K–12 school administration in the United States.

Survey of Principals Lists Their 'Most Effective Strategies' to Boost Teacher Morale

A survey of 557 K–12 principals across the United States revealed the “most effective strategies” administrators are using to boost teacher morale — putting this week’s National Teacher Appreciation Week theme into focus.

Youth Esports Provider Vanta Leagues to Expand into High Schools in the Fall

Youth esports organization Vanta Leagues has announced it will expand its programming to include high school students beginning this fall, raising the maximum player age to 18 from 14, making Vanta’s free esports set-up guide and league organization structure accessible at no cost to high schools nationwide.

Upcoming K–12 Grants