Meeting 'Invasions' and Rise in Malware Characterize K–12 Cybersecurity in 2020

American schools suffered 408 information security attacks in 2020, according to the public disclosures they made. That was 18% higher than districts experienced in 2019.

Free Resources to Help with Remote Learning in 2021

As the pandemic continues wreaking havoc in education through the current school year, districts, schools, teachers and parents are being more selective about the technology they choose for instructing and engaging students. While hundreds of education companies, nonprofits and other organizations made their software and services free during the immediate switch to remote learning, many have become more thoughtful about how they help educators master online and blended instruction. We've winnowed through our original collection and sprinkled additions throughout, to bring you this updated set of free resources to help with remote learning in 2021.

9 Policy Priorities for Closing the Digital Divide

A nonprofit that promotes "open, affordable, high-quality broadband connections" has issued a roadmap for 2021, laying out what it will be pursuing in its mission of supplying internet access to an estimated 42 million unconnected people in the United States.

Cybersecurity Training Elusive in K–12

K-12 educators haven't, for the most part, received basic cybersecurity training. Just 43 percent said their schools had provided such training, while 48 percent said they hadn't and eight percent said they didn't know or weren't sure.

Learning Loss Hit K–8 Hard from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020

New research has confirmed that students in grades K-8 are experiencing learning loss in math and reading due to COVID-19 disruptions.

United States Invests $1.3 Trillion in Ed

In terms of overall spend, the United States tops every other country in education, investing $1.3 trillion across all levels. That's more than seven times the next top contender, Germany, which spends $189.4 billion on education. However, we're only number 8 in terms of education spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product.

Preschoolers Losing Learning Opportunities in Pandemic

K-12 students aren't the only ones who have experienced learning loss due to the pandemic. According to new research, children ages 3 to 5 have also lost important learning opportunities over the last year.

How Districts and Schools are Spending their CARES Act Funding on Technology

With the first round of CARES Act funding the education sector has received billions, and it stands to get even more in the second round, which was approved in December. This session offers insights on how districts are spending at least a portion of that money on technology to address teaching and learning and operational needs in the short-term and long-term and how they're weaving E-rate discounts into their decision-making.

Addressing IT Security During Remote Learning

It’s an education technology leader’s worst nightmare: During remote learning, the K–12 education segment has become not only the No. 1 target for ransomware, but it also makes up the majority of all ransomware attacks. We’ll learn about the scope and impact of these troubling developments and explore strategies that schools and districts have employed in response.

New Push Made for FCC to Add Funding for Cybersecurity to E-rate

A group of K-12 organizations has banded together to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to incorporate cybersecurity purchases into the E-rate program.

Electric School Buses to Add WiFi

Starting now, electric school buses from IC Bus, a subsidiary of Navistar, will be adding WiFi as a standard feature, in a new agreement with Kajeet, a company that produces devices for internet access in education.

G Suite for Ed Gets New Name and Pile of New Features

Google announced a spate of changes to its education offerings, including a renaming of its education bundle of productivity applications and a limit to free storage for schools and colleges.

Google Expects 40 New Chromebooks This Year

Google just announced that the education world would see 40 new Chromebooks along with accessibility improvements during this year.

The IT Director's Guide to Hyflex: Setting up the Optimal Teaching and Learning Studio for Your Educators

Coordinating technologies to support effective synchronous, asynchronous and in-person learning has become the major challenge for K–12 IT leaders in the last 12 months. That scenario is likely to continue into the foreseeable future, regardless of what happens with a COVID-1 vaccine. This discussion provides tactics for equipping your teachers with the gear they need to accomplish the job.

Microsoft Intros New Windows 10 Computers for Students

Microsoft recently announced a set of low-cost student computing devices from several vendors, updated its student pen and introduced an update to Microsoft Teams.

Nearpod to Be Acquired by Renaissance

Renaissance is adding to its portfolio of ed tech companies with the acquisition of Nearpod.

E-rate Opens Latest Application Window Even as Educators Push for Program Expansion

The latest E-rate application filing window has opened and will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Mar. 25, 2021. This will be the 24th year that the program, run by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), has funded communications technology for schools and libraries. This year's program introduces a few tweaks, meant to address equity and streamline the application process. But what's left unfunded are some of the larger wishlist items put forward by the education sector to address the digital divide.

Microsoft Immersive Reader Now Freely Available in Canvas LMS

Instructure, which produces the learning management system Canvas, recently announced that it is making Immersive Reader from Microsoft freely available in its application.

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