District Pays Cyber Ransom as Business Decision

A New York school district superintendent has gone public with some of the details of a ransom his school system paid earlier this summer to regain access to school systems. Rockville Schools and its insurance company paid $88,000 in bitcoin through a third-party negotiator. The original ransomware demand was for $176,000, according to Superintendent William Johnson.

Google Adds Analytics Tool to Track G Suite Usage

Google is introducing a new analytics offering that allows G Suite for Education administrators to get insights into how different Google solutions are being utilized within their organizations.

After Ransomware Attack, District Hopes to Mandate Security Awareness

An Illinois school district is working "around the clock" to bring its network back up after a ransomware attack. The problems struck Rockford Public School District 205 on Sept. 6, 2019, during the same week its 28,000 students returned to the classroom.

Dumpster Data Breach Drives District to Dissect Disposal Details

As an elementary school was being closed down in Wisconsin, student records were pitched into a dumpster. The discovery led Oshkosh Area School District to activate its data breach protocol.

School Districts Upgrade to WiFi 6

Hamilton Southeastern Schools and Octorara Area School District are two early adopters of WiFi 6 hardware to improve their wireless network capabilities.

Supporting Early Childhood Data Governance Policies

A new resource from the Early Childhood Data Collaborative looks into how state policymakers can support efforts to make more educated investments in early childhood programs through solidifying data governance bodies in each state.

Students Less Insecure About School Safety Than Their Parents

A wide-ranging survey on a multitude of education topics among adults and high schoolers found that the students viewed school safety differently from their parents.

Grant to Fund More Research into Ed Tech Best Practices

The Jefferson Education Exchange has received a $400,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to extend the nonprofit’s efforts to find ways for schools to share information about their experiences using education technology tools.

States Adopting New Mindset on Assessments

Even as many states are backing away from high-stakes testing in math and English language arts that take place at the end of the school year, that doesn't necessarily mean they're "backsliding," according to a new report. Rather than "rolling back" advancements in test quality, accessibility and rigor under the weight of political pressures or demands for reductions in time spent on testing, some states are reforming their approach to assessment in innovative ways.

Amazon Introduces Alexa Education Skill API

The new set of application programming interfaces will give developers the ability to create Alexa skills that can be integrated into their education technology systems and platforms

Free Chrome Plugin Pinpoints Non-Accessible Web Content

A new plugin for Google Chrome helps users identify web content that isn't accessible. The uTester Developer Plugin from User1st specifically highlights content that doesn't comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.

Group Calls on FCC to Lift 'Significant Funding Limitations' in E-rate Program

CoSN wants the FCC to revamp its funding program for school internet access and network infrastructure projects to address cybersecurity needs.

Alabama SD Reduces School Bus Idle Times with New Software

Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama recently installed Verizon Connect, a GPS fleet tracking software, that has significantly reduced school bus idling times by almost 80 percent.

Common Sense Urges Congress to Uphold California Privacy Law

The nonprofit children advocacy organization wants Congress to resist a call from tech giants to preempt state laws that put privacy-related restrictions on the data that they collect.

FBI Launches Student Online Safety Challenge

The federal program helps students to recognize and protect themselves against suspicious online practices through interactive activities.

Florida Panhandle Schools Add Telehealth Portals

Sixty-three public schools in Florida's Panhandle are delivering mental health and other services to students via telehealth portals.

Impero Launches App to Enhance Public Safety Communications

The EdAware app gives school staff more flexibility to record and report concerns about student safety.

Michigan SD Upgrades Security with Police Grant

The $132,545 grant will be used to install 102 new security cameras throughout the district, with 48 being installed at Pontiac High School.

Mobile Fab Lab Brings "STEAM Education on the Go"

Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania debuted a new mobile fab lab that brings “STEAM education on the go.” The van is equipped with the latest in science technology that will prepare students for the workforce.

New Smart Glasses Offer Real-Time Collaboration for Faster Repairs

Global technology company, Epson debuted the Moverio Assist, a new augmented reality headset that lets field technicians and remote experts collaborate in real-time to accelerate repairs and complete tasks.

Security Measures Added to Colorado Schools Through DHS Grant

Weld RE-5J School District in Johnstown, Colorado received a grant totaling nearly $350,000 from the Department of Homeland Security to overhaul its security system at two schools.

Online Student Monitoring Platform Prevents Suicides

Thirteen school districts are utilizing Gaggle’s safety solutions to track and respond to safety issues and threats by monitoring online learning collaboration tools utilized by students.

Rhode Island SD Implements Software to Cut Student Distraction

The Warwick School Committee in Rhode Island unanimously approved the implementation of a software called GoGuardian Teacher to curb student distraction while using technology in the classroom.

Samsung Announces STEM Classroom Challenge

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest gives classrooms the opportunity to compete for funding to develop projects that serve their local communities.

Interactive Tool to Compare Academic Achievement Nationwide Debuts

The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University is introducing an interactive interface to show schools, districts and counties compare against the national average in three measures of academic performance. The interactive data tool provides the public with information on test scores and learning rates broken down by race, gender and family income rates that can be shared as charts, maps and download PDFs.

Khan Academy Debuts School Districts Offering

The new solution gives school district leaders insights on how to help teachers maximize the learning potential of each student.

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