$34 million? Schools say no thanks
Turning their backs on millions of dollars--and potentially controversial changes that come attached to the money--a divided Broward County, Fla., School Board rejected signing on to the state's…
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Latest posts by Laura Ascione (see all)
- 10 reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 ASAP - November 11, 2025
- How AI is streamlining special education - November 3, 2025
- How Windows 11 is powering the next generation of K-12 innovation - October 23, 2025
Schools face tough economic road ahead
While some economists point to signs that the nation's economy is improving, others say the U.S. faces a much slower climb out of the recession--a scenario that will…
Duncan: Schools ‘need to be more creative’
Education leaders in the United States must work to close the digital divide and ensure that all students have access to top-notch technology, while at the same time…
FTC: Virtual worlds pose real threat to minors
Minors are able to access explicit content in virtual worlds without much difficulty, and the operators of those virtual worlds should take steps to keep that content away…
R2D2: A model for using technology in education
The Read, Reflect, Display, and Do (R2D2) model is intended as a problem-solving wheel that represents phases of learning--from reading and exploration, to reflective writing, to visualization of…
Software helps students with autism
Using software that includes both on- and off-computer activities led to significant gains in the communication and social skills of students with autism, a Los Angeles Unified School…
2010 e-Rate filing window opens
The 2010 filing window for the federal e-Rate program opened Dec. 3, and interconnected voice over IP (VoIP) and text messaging used for educational purposes are two services…
Avg. school district IT director makes $87,898
Despite the slumping economy, technology personnel working in public school district central-office positions saw a 2.1-percent increase in average salary over the past year, with district-level technology directors…
Students learn dangers of distracted driving
Amid alarming statistics about the number of teens who text or use cell phones while driving, school districts are starting to play a role in educating their students…
FCC proposes web-safety education rules
e-Rate applicants would have to certify that they are teaching students about internet safety, according to a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
FCC proposes web-safety education rules
Schools and libraries receiving federal e-Rate funding would have to submit proof that they have implemented internet safety education programs along with their e-Rate applications, according to a…
Educators focus on dropout prevention
As education leaders align their programs with the goals set forth by Education Secretary Arne Duncan under the Obama administration, a major point of emphasis is turning around…
Report: Top students spurning STEM fields
For years, educators have heard dire warnings about a supposed decline in the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates from U.S. colleges and universities, and…
Educators share H1N1 preparedness plans
As H1N1 virus-related illnesses continue to increase, schools are hoping to keep students healthy and avoid closures--but many already have plans in place to sustain learning and keep…
Free web filtering catching on in schools
As schools struggle with shrinking budgets and try to work around technology funding cuts, many are turning to OpenDNS, a free network security service that provides content filtering,…
How tech drives success in Title I schools
A new report examines how districts can make the most of education technology funds, and an accompanying guide identifies effective school technology tools. Together, these resources are intended…
e-Rate wants to be user friendly
When the filing window opens later this fall, applicants will find no major changes to next year's e-Rate, the $2.25 billion-a-year federal program that provides discounts on telecommunications…
Experts: Prepare now for autism’s rising flood
As the number of school-age children diagnosed with autism continues to rise at an alarming rate, parents and special-education teachers are trying desperately to make school leaders aware…
San Diego explores effective ed-tech integration through TPACK
The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has embraced a concept called Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in its professional development model, to ensure that the smart use…
San Diego’s vision aligns with Obama’s plans for school transformation
San Diego's plan to reinvent teaching and learning echoes many of the key focal points of the Obama administration's plan for advancing school reform across the country. These…
1-to-1 computing in the spotlight
South Dakota, Maine, and Wyoming top the list of states with the highest percentage of schools that have ubiquitous (one-to-one) computing programs for their students--while California ranks last…
TPACK explores effective ed-tech integration
As technology becomes an increasingly important tool for teaching and learning, a relatively new concept--focusing on how educators can effectively and effortlessly tailor technology to their instructional practices--is…
$650M in new grants target innovation
U.S. schools will have a chance this fall to compete for part of $650 million in new "innovation" funds that are intended to reward districts that have designed…
Momentum building on STEM education
As part of the Obama administration's emphasis on bringing education into the 21st century, it comes as no surprise that policy makers have trained their focus on STEM…
Let retiring ‘Boomers’ transform schools
An innovative and potentially ground-breaking approach to 21st century education is placing baby boomer retirees from STEM fields into "learning teams" with educators in an attempt to give…
Layoffs prompt teachers to move online
In what could be a result of widespread teacher layoffs, some virtual schools and online learning providers are reporting huge increases in teaching applications for the coming school…
Hard times push Catholic schools toward crisis
In a trend that has been intensified by growing economic worries, declining enrollment in Catholic schools across the nation is forcing many of those schools to close. Key…
Free online course helps students plan careers
A free online learning program from Microsoft is helping middle and high school students think about careers they might like to pursue and the skills necessary to attain…
Free online course helps students plan careers
A free online learning program from Microsoft is helping middle and high school students think about careers they might like to pursue and the skills necessary to attain…
ED to fund unified student data systems
Backed by a strong and unprecedented federal investment in education, the Obama administration has identified multiple objectives intended to help revamp the nation's education system--and a persistent use…
Pa., Maine faced with ed-tech budget woes
Two states are taking very different approaches when it comes to managing spending cuts and sustaining education technology budgets. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed cutting…
Project seeks to measure ed tech’s value
An ambitious new research project aims to revolutionize education by showing that well-implemented technology initiatives can save states money after an initial investment. Key words: school technology implementation,…
Carnegie Corporation: ‘Do school differently’
Urging the nation to "do school differently," a new report recommends a set of concrete actions for federal, state, and local education leaders to take to transform math…
Dueling curricula put copyright ed in spotlight
A clash over education materials from two copyright awareness organizations has thrust copyright education in the national spotlight, while giving educators and students some new resources for understanding…
21st-century skills movement grows
Illinois, Louisiana, and Nevada have become the latest states to join the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), a national effort to integrate 21st-century skills into teaching and…
Project makes digital video more accessible
A new partnership will expand the availability of closed captioning (CC) and audio description (AD) in multimedia educational content--giving students who are hearing or visually impaired, are English…
Ed-tech leaders brace for smaller budgets
The majority of ed-tech leaders said they expect their school technology budgets for the 2009-10 school year to decrease at least somewhat, if not substantially, despite available funding…
Google Wave has great potential for education
Google Inc. later this year will unveil Google Wave, a new species of eMail and instant messaging that lets people communicate and work together with richly formatted text,…
School security breaches on the rise
Increases in physical and network security breaches among K-12 school districts are hampering schools' efforts to improve their overall security, according to the third annual School Safety Index,…
Study: Virtual schools can help cut costs
New research suggests that more K-12 public school students will take classes online and will have longer school days in the next decade--and academic improvement and cost savings…