Raising Bids to Raise the Bar in Edtech

A large part of CoSN’s mission is to participate in edtech-related policy discussions at both national and state levels. Their agenda includes: Ensuring ample funding for educational technology, enhancing the effectiveness of the E-rate program, safeguarding the privacy and security of student data, and fostering digital equity. Policy initiatives are structured around CoSN’s focus on four critical policy areas: E-rate and broadband access in classrooms, educational technology funding, privacy and data security, and digital equity. 

As part of #CoSN2024, the Advocacy Auction raises money for those efforts. Members volunteer a variety of items and experiences and attendees bid them up. Last year the event raised over $80K.

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Crunch the Numbers: New Data on Student Wellbeing, the Skills Gap Crisis, and Tech Usage in Utah

The Social Institute, whose mission is to empower millions of students to navigate their social world — including social media and technology — in positive, healthy, and high-character ways, released its 2024 Student Insights Report: How Social Media, Tech, and Current Events Impact Student Well-Being. This report reflects insights shared by more than 29,000 students in TSI’s Annual Student Survey and more than one million responses from its K-12 collaborative learning platform, #WinAtSocial — making it the largest data set of its kind, spanning grades 3 – 12 in schools across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Each year, The Social Institute asks students nationwide to share insights into trending apps, positive ways to navigate common but complex social situations, everyday challenges faced online and off, and what adults should know about well-being, social media, and technology. Educators can use the insights to gain a deeper understanding of their students, helping them to improve school culture and community well-being.

Among this year’s key findings:…Read More

Why experts say now is the time to assess your district’s edtech use

Key points:

For much of the past 12 years, Casey Rimmer sometimes felt like a “dream killer” when it came to the edtech tools used in her district. As the executive director of curriculum and instruction for Union County Public Schools, a district of over 41,000 students outside Charlotte, N.C., she was often tasked with letting teachers know why a potential new tool wasn’t approved for use.

Lately, though, the district has flipped the script. Now they ask teachers to check the tool’s data privacy policy and age requirements when making a request, so they have a better understanding of why a tool is—or isn’t—a good fit. When teachers feel part of the discussion, it often leads to productive conversations, she explains. …Read More

Missouri Makes the Most of Student Data

Last week, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in partnership with SAS, launched the Missouri Data Visualization Tool (MO DVT), a web-based application that offers easy-to-use reports and analysis on academic performance, including achievement and growth data aggregated by subject, year, and grade. MO DVT was created in response to stakeholder questions about interpreting and using Missouri Growth Model data.

I was able to get into the weeds with Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven & Dr. John White, VP of SAS Education Visualization and Analytics Solutions (EVAAS) to discuss the genesis and strategic goals of the MO DVT, the integration with Missouri’s broader educational strategies, and how quality data is improving decision-making in Missouri schools.

According to both Margie and John, the tool allows educators to access longitudinal data on student performance, track progress over time, and identify areas for improvement. It provides insights at both individual student and group levels, enabling teachers to tailor instruction to meet diverse student needs. Additionally, it supports decision-making at the policy level by analyzing academic impacts, such as the effectiveness of a four-day school week.…Read More

An alarming number of educators are jumping ship

Key points:

While finding their work meaningful, a majority of education professionals experience burnout above the national average, according to a recent study. In fact, more than 20 percent plan to switch to a related field and more than 30 percent look to change careers altogether. 

Soliant, a healthcare and educational staffing company, published the report to help the industry better understand and address educator burnout, staffing challenges, and opportunities facing U.S. schools. …Read More

Crunch the Numbers: New data on student tech use; Chromebook predictions; and the impact of pandemic relief funds

Qustodio today released their 5th Annual Report, offering valuable insights into children’s digital habits across 2023. “Born connected: The rise of the AI generation”, reveals the app use and technology habits of children aged 4-18, detailing trends in screen time, social media and communications, mobile gaming, online entertainment, learning tools, and for the first time in the report’s history, use of artificial intelligence tools.

Qustodio’s report, involving over 400,000 families and schools, studies the popularity of apps and platforms used by children around the world, with further insights into habits in major world markets, including the US, UK, France, Spain, and Australia. In addition to revealing children’s favorite apps and platforms of 2023, the study also investigates the time invested over the year, detailing children’s screen time on popular apps such as TikTok, YouTube, Roblox, and Snapchat.

The extensive report also features surveys and interviews with families actively involved in their children’s digital wellbeing, giving insight into how parents and guardians navigate parenting in an increasingly online world and the tools they use to keep their children safe as technology, the internet, and artificial intelligence evolve at a rapid pace.…Read More

iCEV Recognizes Putnam County Schools as the District’s Student Becomes the 100,000th Certification Earner on the iCEV Testing Platform

Lubbock, TX – Putnam County Schools in Tennessee is recognized by iCEV, a leading producer of Career & Technical Education (CTE) curriculum, industry certification testing, and data management, for having the 100,000th certification earner on the iCEV Testing Platform.

Serving more than 12,000 students across 22 schools, Putnam County Schools has long been recognized as a leader in promoting equitable access to CTE programs and career opportunities. In Putnam County Schools, CTE courses are aligned to relevant industry certifications that will help earners begin successful careers.

“It’s important that we provide equal access to all of our students,” said Jaclyn Vester, CTE Program Director for Putnam County Schools. “We want to make sure all of our students are leaving with the tools they need to be college and career ready.”…Read More

3 data management considerations for district leaders

Key points:

As data analytics comes of age for the K-12 sector, educators are increasingly turning to data insights to help identify students’ learning abilities and areas of opportunity, enhancing operational efficiencies, and helping teachers’ professional development. Naturally, administrators are often enticed to engage powerful, enterprise-grade solutions like PowerBI or Tableau. After all, if it’s good enough for a Fortune 500 company, it’s good enough for a school district, right? 

Not so fast.…Read More

SchoolStatus Announces Acquisition of SchoolNow, Enhancing Its Communication Capabilities for K-12 Schools

Ridgeland, Mississippi – SchoolStatus, a leader in K-12 data-driven solutions that empower student success, today announced the acquisition of  SchoolNow, a unified digital publishing platform for K-12 that streamlines how schools engage families and their communities.

SchoolNow combines ADA-compliant websites, mobile apps, social media, text, voice, and email into an all-in-one system created to broaden and deepen the school experience with families. Through this acquisition, SchoolStatus will be able to integrate SchoolNow’s comprehensive communication capabilities into its student success platform designed for K-12 educators and leaders. Users of the SchoolStatus platform will be able to easily create and update their website—the most important owned communication asset for districts. 

“SchoolNow is an excellent addition to our recently launched student success platform, SchoolStatus, as both companies share the common goal of solving schools’ biggest challenges in communication and making it easier for schools to connect and engage with families,” said Russ Davis, CEO and founder of SchoolStatus. “Integrating SchoolNow’s technology will further allow SchoolStatus to offer our district partners the leading solutions for improving student achievement and attendance—delivering another piece of the puzzle.”…Read More

Here’s how to protect schools from cyberattacks in 2024

Key points:

Identity theft and data breaches are on the rise and K-12 schools are one of the biggest targets. In fact, from 2016 through 2022, there have been more than 1,600 publicly reported cybersecurity-related incidents at K-12 public schools, affecting millions of current and former students. And now in 2024, it’s reaching a crisis point. Exposure of private information can have long-term impacts for not only schools, but for the students they serve. 

It’s why the nation is now taking a closer look at data vulnerabilities in K-12 schools. In late 2023, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a $200 million program to gather data on schools’ cybersecurity and firewalls, to examine how we can best protect students, teachers and schools. It’s largely in response to the recent influx of ransomware gangs targeting K-12 schools. As cyberattacks against schools continue to increase in severity, schools must take it upon themselves to implement extra protections against online threats. …Read More

Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Education

Key points:

  • AI is a powerful catalyst for enhancing teaching effectiveness in many ways
  • AI augments teaching by offering real-time insights, and fostering PD
  • Discover more about why AI in education is essential for learning

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of education, ushering in a new era of innovation and transformation. AI technologies are reshaping traditional educational models, offering innovative tools that adapt to individual student needs, streamline administrative tasks, and provide valuable insights through data analytics. From intelligent tutoring systems to immersive virtual reality experiences, AI is transforming how knowledge is imparted and acquired. While the potential benefits are immense, there are also ethical considerations, concerns about data privacy, and challenges associated with equitable access.

This dynamic interplay between technological advancement and educational evolution underscores the significance of understanding and harnessing the impact of AI to create a more adaptive, inclusive, and effective learning environment.…Read More