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.

E-rate spending reveals schools’ tech evolution

Schooling has changed in many ways in the last two years, but while remote learning, mask policies and increased federal spending in education have gotten lots of attention, another trend has gone nearly unnoticed.

But thanks to the availability of detailed E-rate data, this sea change is now being recognized. E-rate is the federal government program that provides discounts of up to 90 percent for schools and libraries to bring high-speed internet into their building(s) and create internal networks for online access. For years, E-rate applicants have leveraged E-rate to bring fast internet service into their organizations, cobbling together funds and seeking out providers. But today, a new trend is emerging—more funds are being requested to improve internal networks, allowing the flood of devices now used in schools and libraries to effectively get online.

E-rate funding requested in Category One, which includes data transmission services and internet access, has declined for five straight years, largely a function of increasing marketplace competition and decreasing per-megabit prices.  But funding requests for Category Two services have soared in the same time period. Category Two funds can be spent on wireless access points, network switches, data cabling and other resources essential for on-campus connections.…Read More

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How online tutoring helps us close learning gaps and support teachers

A report published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms that the pandemic greatly impacted students’ academic progress across all grade levels and instructional models.

Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) has leveraged pandemic relief funds to invest in additional resources for our district community. In addition to enhancing our summer school program, we are helping teachers support their students—and close learning gaps—by providing access to online, high-impact tutoring services. 

While we originally implemented online tutoring for our virtual school only, we were so impressed by the results that we decided to scale the service across our district. Now, every student has unlimited access to high-quality tutors—regardless of their grade level or academic standing.…Read More

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Elementary and Secondary Emergency School Relief (ESSER) Funds Allow for Improved Indoor Air Quality in U.S. Schools

DALLAS (August 18, 2022) – ActivePure, the world’s leader in air and surface purification technologies, is now available for educational institutions through special funding from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). In 2020, the DOE introduced the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, a signature part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to help schools improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and return their students back to the classroom. These funds offer students, teachers, staff and parents greater peace of mind with cleaner air and improved safety throughout educational facilities, buildings and classrooms.

In the wake of a global pandemic, indoor air quality (IAQ) has increasingly become a priority in many sectors of the economy, including office buildings, healthcare facilities and especially educational institutions where millions of students and teachers spend hours every day learning in confined physical spaces. The risk of airborne pathogens and community spread has created an operational imperative for organizations to ensure better ventilation, cleaner air and a safer learning environment.

Through these timely ESSER funds, school systems can now bring their students back into classrooms after years of virtual learning, providing the financial ability to evaluate 21st century solutions for indoor air quality and invest in more robust air purification and ventilation systems. The $122 billion of ARP ESSER funds were made available earlier this year to all 52 state education agencies, giving state leaders the discretion to disperse the funds among local public and charter schools to bring buildings up to date.

“I am proud that, with the approval of these plans, states have 100% of their funds and robust plans to help schools remain open and help students thrive,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a January 18 press release. “We are urging states and school districts to deploy funds now to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Omicron variant, on our school communities.”

The transition to online learning for students across the United States created challenges for students, teachers and parents alike. Recent reports have indicated lower test scores, as well as lower literacy and math skills compared to previous years, for students who participated in virtual learning options throughout the pandemic. The implementation of air purification technologies plays an important role in not only ensuring a healthier, in-person learning environment but also minimizing the possibility of widespread outbreaks in the future.

“At the end of the day, healthy indoor air quality is an essential right and one we all care about,” said Joe Urso, CEO and chairman of ActivePure. “The pandemic and remote learning have caused our kids to fall behind in school. It’s our duty to provide them with safe indoor air so they can get back into the classroom and realize their full potential. By doing what is necessary to protect students, teachers and staff, we protect our future.”

While most schools in the United States are opening for full-time in-person instruction, poor IAQ in buildings continues to affect the learning environment. A recent Harvard Public Health study found that poor air quality negatively affects cognitive function, leading participants in poorly-ventilated areas to score lower than their counterparts in environments with the latest air purification technologies.

Educational facilities across the United States have already begun taking proactive steps toward healthier learning environments by installing ActivePure Technology. Florida’s Sarasota School District, for example, has installed units powered by ActivePure Technology across its campuses to help facilitate the transition back to in-person learning. The addition of these units has allowed students and teachers to remain in the classroom without the need for constant shifts between in-person and virtual learning.

Indoor air quality is affected by numerous factors in addition to airborne viruses, including poor ventilation, pollutants, bacteria, cleaning products, building materials and mold. Older buildings tend to be at higher risk for fostering environments with worse air quality because of poor upkeep, pests and mildew. And, while increased ventilation will help, the increased energy needed to power HVAC units, has a significant environmental impact. ActivePure reconciles this conflict by neutralizing air and surface contamination through technology which is innately energy sparing.

ActivePure Technology is an advanced air and surface purification technology with a worldwide presence in educational institutions, hospitals, professional sports teams, the US military, office buildings and entertainment venues. The patented technology uses the unique process of Advanced Photocatalysis, creating oxidizing molecules that actively seek and eliminate air and surface pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mold and more. Studies have shown ActivePure to be over 99.9% effective in reducing the presence of SARS-Cov-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, within a 60-second testing period.

Those interested in learning more about the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) can read more here.

To learn more about ActivePure and its efforts to create healthier learning environments, please visit ActivePure.com.

ABOUT ACTIVEPURE:
Privately held ActivePure has been the global sustainable leader in active, 24/7 surface and air purification systems for healthcare and educational institutions, commercial and public facilities, hospitality and residential applications since 1924. Patented ActivePure Technology has been proven in independent university and laboratory testing to control and neutralize indoor contaminants effectively. It is the only product in its class recognized by the Space Foundation as Certified Space Technology and inducted into the Space Foundation Hall of Fame. In addition, the ActivePure Medical Guardian is registered and cleared as an FDA Class II Medical Device. The early stage of ActivePure was developed for use in space exploration and has since evolved for use in commercial and consumer products used to reduce exposure to pathogens, including RNA and DNA viruses, bacteria and molds, by up to 99.9% in the air and on surfaces. For more information, please visit ActivePure.com or call 888-217-4316.

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Maplewoodshop Partners with the Northeast Carpenters Apprenticeship Fund to Introduce Middle School Students to the Trades

(East Orange, N.J.) – Maplewoodshop, a leader in teaching woodworking to elementary and middle school students, announced its partnership with the Northeast Carpenters Apprenticeship Fund (NCAF), one of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters’ Training Funds, to help increase the number of high school students in CTE programs throughout the Northeast. With this partnership, schools that work with Maplewoodshop will now also have the opportunity to utilize the Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF) Career Connections curriculum from NCAF.

“We’ve worked together with dozens of schools to offer hand tool versions of CITF Career Connections projects,” said Mike Schloff, CEO of Maplewoodshop. “Growing this partnership is very exciting as it will allow us to introduce the trades to more students and expand potential apprenticeship opportunities.”

The Maplewoodshop program, now in more than 120 locations nationwide, trains non-CTE educators to teach woodworking with hand tools via digital and live teacher training, curriculum, and ongoing support. Maplewoodshop also provides hand-powered tools, proprietary workbenches, and a purpose-built tool chest to enable any classroom to become a woodshop.…Read More

South Carolina Department of Education Partners with Vector Solutions to Help Districts Address Student Safety and Mental Health Issues such as Bullying and Anxiety

Tampa, FL – July 14, 2022 – The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) has partnered with Vector Solutions to provide all school districts in the state with free access to Vector’s library of Student Safety & Wellness Courses. The partnership includes courses with short, engaging web-based video lessons covering essential safety and emotional wellness topics. It is funded through $50,000 in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds and an additional $30,000 included as part of a U.S. Department of Education grant.

“Anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, and other behavioral health challenges can have a negative impact on school climate and student success. The SCDE is providing this on-demand virtual resource as a way to help students better understand and respond to such challenges,” said Dr. Sabrina Moore, director of the Office for Student Intervention Services for SCDE. “We believe this resource will be a valuable tool for schools as they continue working to address the mental and behavioral needs of students.”

Vector Solutions is the leading provider of training and software solutions to help schools make their operations and communities safer, smarter, and better. The courses help schools promote discussion and awareness around these critical challenges that many young people face. The courses, which are available in modules for students in grades 6-8 and grades 9-12, include:…Read More

What’s keeping districts from spending COVID relief funding?

2020 and 2021 saw $190 billion in federal relief funds go to schools through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER).

But why aren’t schools spending the money? The answer–or, more accurately, answers–offers a glimpse into the complicated state of post-COVID education.

Districts received funds based on their Title I funding, and ESSER funds must be spent by September 2024. While many districts have planned how they’ll use their funding, they have not actually spent it to date.…Read More

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Sachs Foundation and Teach For America Team Up to Deliver Funds and Support to Black Educators in Colorado, Addressing the Black Teacher Shortage

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 16, 2022 — The Sachs Foundation, an organization that has supported Black Coloradans since 1931, and Teach For America (TFA) Colorado, the state branch of a national organization that expands educational opportunity for children by recruiting and training educators, are partnering to offer Black college graduates in Colorado an opportunity to make an impact as an educator. The organizations intend to build a community of Black educators through cohort groups and supplement salaries to address the shortage of Black teachers in Colorado.

The number of Black educators in the U.S. has been in decline since schools were desegregated, but data confirms that representation matters to students.  Johns Hopkins research shows that the presence of just one Black teacher in grades 3-5 increases low-income Black boys’ interest in college by 29% and lowers the high school drop-out rate by 39%. However, 150 of Colorado’s 178 school districts have no Black teachers at all. The Sachs Foundation launched its Teacher Development Program in 2020 to improve educator diversity in Colorado schools, a mission that matches TFA’s goal of increasing diversity in the teaching ranks to better reflect student populations.

Working together, the organizations are intentionally building a community of Black educators in Colorado. TFA Colorado is taking the lead on identifying, recruiting and training teachers since that is the organization’s area of expertise, and Sachs is providing financial support for Black teachers working in Colorado who are part of the program, drawing on its experience of providing scholarships for Black Coloradans. Both organizations emphasize the importance of a cohort (peer group) in program success. TFA Colorado says the partnership has already increased the number of Black educators who are able to teach through TFA by 150%.…Read More

Digital Health Platform Parallel Learning Announces $20M in Series A Funding to Further Expand and Serve Students with Learning and Thinking Differences

NEW YORK, NY (MAY 26, 2022 ) – Parallel Learning (Parallel)—the digital health platform that provides a new way to test, diagnose, and empower students with learning and thinking differences—today announced $20M in Series A funding and an expansion to its suite of teletherapy services. This round was led by Tiger Global with additional participation from Obvious Ventures, Barry Sternlich’s JAWS and existing investor, Vine Ventures. This news comes only five months after Parallel’s official launch alongside $2.8M in previous financing, bringing the company’s total capital raised to $22.8M. The new funds will be used to accelerate Parallel’s national expansion to deliver an end-to-end suite of psychoeducational services for students. Parallel’s services go beyond initial psychological evaluations to offer ongoing support to students including skill-based tutoring, executive function coaching, and as of today, behavioral therapy as well as speech and language therapy. Services are available directly to families as well as to school districts as part of the company’s enterprise offering.

With Parallel, services begin within days, instead of the typical wait of months, and cost a fraction of the price of traditional services. Parallel offers specialized care at a quicker, more convenient and affordable rate compared to traditional care options. The company employs licensed psychologists, learning specialists, behavioral health therapists and speech therapists in each state and matches students with providers based on their referral concern and desired services. Following the initial consultation, a student will be matched with a care team specifically assigned to ensure the student receives all recommended services.

“Our mission is to work hand-in-hand with school districts and families to deliver the highest quality developmental services to students across the nation,” said Diana Heldfond, Founder and CEO of Parallel Learning. “With 20 percent of children challenged by learning and thinking differences, we’re committed to offering lasting, effective and affordable solutions to help those students succeed in and out of the classroom.”…Read More

How to make the most of your COVID relief funds

School district leaders across the country are cautiously optimistic about post-pandemic teaching and learning–and they’re also tracking what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to upgrade their technology infrastructure and classrooms with next-gen solutions like interactive displays, laptops, and more.

In 2020 and 2021, Congress passed three COVID relief packages that added up to over $190 billion for public and private schools. Billions more are slated to arrive shortly.

The potential for this funding is great. How to effectively secure and implement it can be daunting. Join eSchool News and a panel of the country’s most insightful analysts as they discuss the state-of-play of federal and state edtech funding programs and what districts can do to take advantage.…Read More