Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

ParentPowered PBC Appoints new Chairman of the Board: Luis Duarte, Partner at Imaginable Futures, as Company Ushers in the Next Phase of Growth

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – ParentPowered PBC, an education technology company that provides Ready4K research-based digital family engagement programs, today announced the appointment of Luis Duarte as the Company’s Chairman of the Board. A Director on ParentPowered’s Board since 2020, Duarte’s appointment to Chairman recognizes his entrepreneurial and impact investing experience, significant Company contributions, and commitment to the continued growth of ParentPowered.

“I feel very privileged to take on this role at such an exciting time for the Company. ParentPowered is uniquely addressing the needs of PK-12 school districts and supporting parents and caregivers at a time when deeper family engagement is having an indelible impact on improving educational outcomes. ParentPowered is innovating the family engagement experience in thoughtful, evidence-based ways which will benefit all ParentPowered stakeholders for years to come,” said Duarte.

Duarte, who grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico, has guided his life’s work towards social impact. He is a serial entrepreneur, has been a long-time impact investor, and is currently a partner at Imaginable Futures, a philanthropic investment firm. Prior, Duarte served as the Chief Philanthropy Officer of ZOMALAB and as Investments Director at Gary Community Ventures (GCV), where he led the areas of innovation and impact investing. Together, Duarte’s current and past experiences will play a crucial role in elevating ParentPowered’s voice in education.…Read More

Carnegie Learning Awarded LEVI Grant to Double the Rate of Middle School Math Progress by 2027

Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Learning, a pioneer in AI-driven education technology, curriculum, and professional learning solutions for K-12, has been selected by the Learning Engineering Virtual Institute (LEVI) as one of seven teams committed toward accomplishing an ambitious goal: to DOUBLE the rate of middle school math progress for low income students by 2027.

The seven teams – Carnegie Learning, Carnegie Mellon University, Eedi, Rising Academies, the University of Colorado Boulder, Khan Academy, and the University of Florida – are committed to harnessing the potential of AI and machine learning to develop innovative, affordable interventions to enhance middle school math education. Carnegie Learning has particularly deep collaborations, as a partner with three of the seven teams –  Carnegie Mellon University on the LEVI Plus grant, and the University of Colorado Boulder/Saga, who are using Carnegie Learning’s award-winning MATHia as part of their intensive tutoring.

Carnegie Learning’s solution is MATHstream, which customizes avatars using generative AI to increase students’ motivation and engagement. It’s the only adaptive, interactive video streaming program for grades 6-12 where teachers who are high-profile math influencers deliver targeted instruction in an engaging, game-based environment.…Read More

Renaissance Named One of Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women™ 2023

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ —  Renaissance, a leader in pre-K–12 education technology, announces that the company has been recognized as a  2023 Best Workplace for Women by Fortune and the Great Place To Work Institute. This accolade is a testament to Renaissance’s ongoing commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that empowers women at all levels of the organization.

Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women list is a comprehensive analysis that considers the experiences of women employees across various roles, demographics, and backgrounds. The rankings are determined by the  Great Place To Work survey responses from self-identified women employees, which are compared to those of their peers. The analysis also evaluates the influence of demographic backgrounds and position within the organization on the overall workplace experience.…Read More

Fixing the K-12 cybersecurity problem

Key points:

In early September, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced a voluntary pledge for K-12 education technology software manufacturers to commit to designing products with a greater focus on security. In the announcement, CISA mentioned that six leaders in the education software industry had already committed to the pledge: PowerSchool, ClassLink, Clever, GG4L, Instructure, and D2L.

“We need to address K-12 cybersecurity issues at its foundation by ensuring schools and administrators have access to technology and software that is safe and secure right out of the box,” said CISA director Jen Easterly. “I want to thank ClassLink, Clever, D2L, GG4L, Instructure, and PowerSchool, who have already signed this pledge and for their leadership in this area. We need all K-12 software manufacturers to help us improve cybersecurity for the education sector by committing to prioritize security as a critical element of product development.”…Read More

Research-Based Digital Family Engagement Program Set to Expand Student Support

SAN FRANCISCO/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ —  ParentPowered PBC, an education technology company that provides research-based digital family engagement, today announced the appointment of Terri Soutor as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Melissa Palmer as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). These moves coincide with ParentPowered’s preparations for substantial growth as it continues expanding its product portfolio to further enhance student support.

Soutor is an experienced C-suite leader and go-to-market strategist, skilled at building and growing education technology companies. As CEO at FastBridge Learning, Soutor scaled the company over a four year period to $11M ARR at a 45% annual growth rate and delivering more than 25 million assessments to over 1.6 million students across the country and earning the company the honor of becoming the second fastest-growing private company in the Twin Cities. Her business acumen, leadership and accomplishments have been publicly recognized. She made the list of CEOs in The Real Power 50 by Minnesota Business and was a recipient of a Titan of Technology award from Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. She has served since early 2022 on the ParentPowered Board of Directors and brings an in-depth understanding of the organization’s mission to support student learning.

“We are poised to make a real difference in student learning with a dedicated team and a mission that truly matters. I’m proud and excited to lead the charge and amplify our impact together,” said Terri Soutor, ParentPowered’s incoming CEO.Tweet this…Read More

A new battle in the war for cybersecurity in schools: Part 1

Last month, the Biden administration announced new actions and private commitments to bolster the nation’s cyber defense at schools. Administration leaders, school administrators, educators, and education technology providers convened at the White House to discuss how to strengthen the nation’s schools’ cybersecurity amidst growing ransomware attacks.

Frank Pilero, Supervisor of Technology and Data for the Linwood Board of Education in Southern New Jersey, was one of the participants. He shared his experiences of the day and insights on cybersecurity in education during this conversation with eSchool News, which is the first of a three-part series devoted to this issue. Frank emphasized that while cyber threats are prevalent, schools can take proactive steps to protect themselves. Click below to listen and scroll down for the key takeaways along with the government’s approach to tackling this never-ending battle.

Key takeaways include:…Read More

Clearlake Capital-Backed Discovery Education to Acquire DreamBox Learning  

Charlotte, NC — Discovery Education, a global education technology company backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”), today announced it has agreed to acquire DreamBox Learning®, a PK-12 education technology provider serving more than 6 million students and 600,000 educators nationwide. DreamBox Learning’s current investors Elliott Investment Management L.P. and TPG’s The Rise Fund will retain minority stakes in the company.  Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, DreamBox Learning offers the only dual-discipline solution rated “Strong” by Johns Hopkins University’s evidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading. Through its high-quality adaptive learning solutions independently proven to accelerate student growth, DreamBox Learning empowers educators with data analytics and content-specific professional development solutions to complement instruction.

“Discovery Education is excited to welcome DreamBox Learning, a brand synonymous with quality, research-based math and reading edtech solutions to our growing family of services,” said Discovery Education Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Cowdrey. “Combining an expertise in learning science with adaptive, effective instructional solutions, DreamBox Learning’s solutions can help students excel regardless of who they are or where they live. Through this latest acquisition, Discovery Education is better positioned to broaden its impact on student success by providing our existing network of partner school systems access to DreamBox Learning’s collection of supplemental math, reading, and professional learning solutions.” …Read More

SIIA Announces 2023 CODiE Award Winners for Education Technology

WASHINGTON (PRWEB) — In celebration of the 38th annual SIIA CODiE Awards, the  Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) today announces the 50 winners of the 2023 CODiE Awards in Education Technology. The winners were presented during a virtual awards celebration hosted on the  NewSky XR secure online platform on June 22.

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. Educators and administrators serve as judges for the first-round review of all nominees. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80 percent of the overall score. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products. The scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. Details about each winner are listed at  https://siia.net/codie/2023-codie-education-technology-winners/.

“The winners of the 2023 EdTech CODiE Awards serve as prime examples of exceptional products, services and groundbreaking innovation that enables learners of all types to connect with educators and educational materials,” said SIIA President Chris Mohr. “We take great pride in acknowledging this year’s honorees, who represent the pinnacle of excellence and offer solutions to the pressing challenges learners encounter today, such as accessibility, equity, personalized learning and more. Congratulations to all the deserving recipients of this year’s CODiE Awards!”…Read More

3 new school grant opportunities

Key points:

Each day, teachers are tasked with doing more and more with increasingly fewer resources. And despite federal emergency funding to help schools provide staff and resources as the pandemic abates, school leaders still grapple with funding challenges.

School grants are often one-time funding opportunities, and while they are not permanent policy changes, grants often help students earn much-needed scholarship money, gain valuable experiences, and they also connect teachers with classroom resources or professional development.…Read More

Reflection Sciences Appoints Isaac Van Wesep as Incoming Chief Executive Officer

MINNEAPOLIS (PRWEB) — Reflection Sciences, the executive function company, has appointed  Isaac Van Wesep as Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1. The appointment will drive innovation, growth and the pursuit of the company’s mission to ensure every child gets the executive function support they need to achieve academic, career and personal success.

Van Wesep has a deep understanding of education technology and a passion for improving educational outcomes for all children. His expertise will be instrumental in guiding Reflection Sciences as it continues to lead the growth of cognitive science tools to enhance learning, curriculum and child development.

“After working closely with Isaac over the last two years, it’s clear he has the vision, energy and executive function skills to build on Reflection Sciences’ leadership in executive function,” said Co-Founder and Board Director Stephanie Carlson, Ph.D. “The science is now very clear that executive function skills significantly predict student achievement in core areas such as math, literacy and social-emotional skills. Measuring and improving executive function skills is the way forward to support student success.”…Read More