FTC Suit Against Edmodo a Warning Shot for Ed Tech, Data Privacy Attorneys Say

Edmodo, an online learning platform founded in 2008 that was widely used by teachers around the globe until it shuttered last September, has been ordered to pay $6 million by the Federal Trade Commission for collecting personal data from children without parents' consent and using that data for advertising, in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule, and for unlawfully outsourcing its COPPA compliance responsibilities to schools, the agency said.

The Need for Powerful Identity and Access Management Throughout Districts

Districts seeking to optimize their IT, and specifically, their cybersecurity efforts, must focus on deploying common sense tools and operational resilience plans that will help defend against cyber attacks as well as respond in the wake of a successful hack.

1EdTech's TrustEd Apps Management Suite Tops 10K; New Product Certification Coming

Software interoperability advocates at 1EdTech have unveiled key updates and milestones for its TrustEd Apps Management Suite, including plans for a new TAMS product certification and the growth of TAMS to more than 10,000 ed tech solutions either certified or vetted by 1EdTech, according to a news release.

Amplio Launches Speech-Language Innovation Grant Program; Deadline to Apply is July 28

Special education services and compliance software provider Amplio Learning has opened applications for its new Speech-Language Innovation Grant program, which will award over $500,000 in services to 15 K–12 school districts' special education programs, according to a news release.

Cobalt Iron Upgrades NAS Protection Backup and Recovery Features at No Additional Cost

Data protection company Cobalt Iron has provided, at no cost, new features to its Compass NAS Protector backup platform. The improvements are designed to speed up backups and make NAS data management easier.

Delcom Group Auvik Partner on Automated Network Management Solution for Schools

Auvik, a provider of cloud-based network management software, has announced new partnership with K–12 IT consulting firm Delcom Group to make Auvik's automated monitoring solutions accessible to school districts, according to a news release.

Enterprise Adoption of Wi-Fi 6E Sees Momentum as 6 GHz Band Gains Acceptance

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E helped propel the enterprise market for wireless LAN devices 67.4% year over year in the United States in the first quarter of 2023, according to a new market analysis.

Funds For Learning Invites E-rate Applicants to Participate in Annual Survey by June 30

E-rate compliance services provider Funds For Learning is holding its 13th annual survey for E-rate applicants through June 30, 2023, and is seeking participation from K–12 school IT and cybersecurity leaders.

New Platform Supports Compliance and Monitoring for Special Ed

Red Cedar Solutions Group has launched a new platform called Stepwell, a district-level system that provides insights for special education compliance and monitoring.

PowerSchool Adding Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to Performance Matters and LearningNav

Cloud-based software provider PowerSchool today unveiled a new integration with Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service that, starting this fall, will give PowerSchool subscribers access to OpenAI's large language models within the Performance Matters and LearningNav solutions, which are part of PowerSchool's Personalized Learning Cloud.

PublicSchoolWORKS Updates Software Suites to Match New School Safety Laws

In preparation for new school safety laws taking effect this summer and fall, compliance software PublicSchoolWORKS has updated its EmployeeSafe Suite and StudentWatch Suite to guide K–12 safety and compliance leaders through the various new state and federal reporting requirements, according to a news release.

Snapshot: IoT Malware Jumps 700%

ABI Research released a startling statistic: Malware targeting IoT devices climbed 700% during the pandemic.

Snapshot: PCs and Tablets Continue to Plummet

The forecast for PCs and tablets continues to get gloomier.

Territorium is First in U.S. to Earn CLR 2 and Open Badges 3 Certifications

Ed tech provider Territorium has become the first U.S. company to earn certifications in CLR 2.0 and Open Badges 3.0 from 1EdTech, furthering its mission to standardize digital credentials — or "comprehensive learner records" — that are easily shared between digital wallets, the company said.

New & Upcoming K–12 Grants