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.

Intervene K-12 Named on Inc. 5000 List of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America

HOUSTON — Intervene K-12, a Houston-based online tutoring platform, announced that it has been named to the 2023 Inc. 5000 list of FasteIntervene K-12 ranks 162nd overall, 18th in Texas and fourth in education on Iistst-growing Private Companies in America. This highly regarded list puts Intervene K-12 amongst an elite group of companies who have received this distinguished achievement over the years, such as Oracle, Microsoft and Patagonia. This year, Intervene K-12 ranked fourth in the education industry, 18th in the state of Texas and 162nd overall.

“To go from bootstrapping this company just seven years ago, to being named one of the fastest-growing companies in the country is a remarkable achievement for the Intervene K-12 team,” said Aaron McCloud, founder and CEO of Intervene K-12. “Since our founding, we have been able to help thousands of young scholars in six states, and the growth we’ve experienced is a testament to the importance of investing in scholar growth. We are committed to supporting more scholars and helping them reach their full potential, as we continue to expand and reach new communities.” 

Intervene K-12 combines data-driven instruction with intensive online, small-group tutoring to enhance student performance in K-12 schools, with the goal to eliminate the barriers that stand in the way of high achievement. This comprehensive intervention program fosters tangible student advancement by thoroughly assessing skill gaps, offering personalized lessons and delivering real-time online group tutoring sessions, available within or beyond regular school hours. Intervene K-12 covers a wide array of subjects, including math, reading and English language assistance.…Read More

Movers and Shakers—New Edtech District Leaders Take Position

Phil Hintz has been approved by the D219 Board of Education as the next Chief Technology Officer for the 2023-2024 school year.

Phil has led the charge for his district to develop and implement Student Data Privacy systems in the State of Illinois and recently presented at ISTELive22 on these protocols and processes. Previously, Phil was the Director of Technology for Gurnee SD 56 in Gurnee, Illinois where he had served for 14 years. Phil has also presented workshops for the Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC), LearnFest ATX (formally known as iPadpalooza) festival in Austin, Texas, and at the CUE Conference in California. 

Round Rock ISD (TX) selected Donnie Bruton, Jr. as chief technology officer this month.Bruton has over 23 years of experience supporting technology endpoint devices and infrastructure systems in state, higher education, and K-12 public school environments. He has been Round Rock ISD’s director of technology infrastructure since 2021. And previously, Bruton served in technology leader roles for Georgetown and Pflugerville Independent School Districts. Bruton is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry with computer science and engineering coursework. …Read More

Education suffers the highest rate of ransomware attacks

Key points:

Education reported the highest rate of ransomware attacks in 2022, and over the past year, 79 percent of higher-ed organizations surveyed reported being hit by ransomware, while 80 percent of K-12 organizations surveyed were targeted—an increase from 64 percent and 56 percent in 2021, respectively.

These statistics come from The State of Ransomware in Education 2023, a report from cybersecurity provider Sophos.…Read More

Teachers are surprise AI champions

Key points:

  • While some reports have teachers wary of AI in the classroom, a new survey reveals that approximately half of teachers are excited about its potential
  • Teachers say they can use AI for research, lesson plans, generating classroom materials, and more
  • See related article: Is generative AI a new secret weapon, or just another gadget?

Roughly half of teachers say they are excited about AI’s potential in the classroom and say they believe it increases learning equity, according to a new survey from study platform Quizlet. 

The first-ever State of AI in Education Report polled students and teachers in the U.S. on how they are using AI in the classroom and how these technologies are shaping the future of education.…Read More

How school-home communication combats chronic absenteeism

Key points:

  • Societal challenges are contributing to students’ absenteeism
  • Remaining in consistent communication with adults and caregivers can help reduce chronic absenteeism
  • See related article: 5 ways video improves school-home communication

Adolescents are in crisis right now. Social media, pandemic isolation, gun violence, and structural racism have formed a perfect storm. It’s been so devastating to teens that the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association together declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health.

CDC data show 42 percent of teens feel “persistently sad or hopeless,” and 1 in 5 have seriously considered suicide. Just tally up the effects of the past few years. The number of anxious and depressed teens soared during and after the pandemic. The harmful impact of Instagram, particularly on adolescent girls, was all over the news. Recently, the Surgeon General issued a warning about social media, saying, “We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis.” While coming to school should be for learning and friendship, students are pausing to practice in case an active shooter bursts in, leading to a syndrome called vicarious traumatization.…Read More

The state of STEM

The new normal for post-pandemic classrooms continues to be a mixed bag. There was a ton of learning loss and missed experiences, especially when it came to hands-on lab time. At the same time, there was a surge of teacher innovation, student agency, and new remote tools and processes to compensate. 

For the past 13 years, Ann Woo, Head of Corporate Citizenship at Samsung, has been paving the way for students at US public middle and high schools to embark on solving real-world problems with STEM-based solutions through Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow national STEM competition. This year’s contests concluded with three national winners who created inspiring STEM solutions tackling their community issues of pollinator collapse, veterans’ PTSD and heat stroke in sports. Their projects should be an inspiration for any STEM educator. Click through for the whole conversation. Below are some edited highlights:…Read More

How to elevate climate literacy for future scientists

Key points:

  • A majority of teenagers want to learn about climate change in school
  • New Jersey became the first state to implement comprehensive climate instruction across all grades and subjects

The climate crisis is undermining decades of progress in global health and poverty reduction. We look to our next generation of planetary heroes for solutions, but are we educating them in climate literacy?

Climate-literate people understand the principles of Earth’s evolving climate system, the complex interconnections, the influence of humans, and scientific approaches to mitigation. They make informed and responsible decisions on actions that may affect climate, and communicate about climate change in a meaningful way.…Read More

BenQ Sponsors the Undisputed Texas High School Esports State Championship

COSTA MESA, Calif. — BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of visual display solutions, sponsored the Undisputed Texas High School Esports State Championship, April 28-29 at the Esports Stadium Arlington. The crowd was up close to the action, thanks to BenQ’s donation of 40 BenQ Board smart boards. Also at the show, BenQ’s esports product line, ZOWIE, showcased its premium gaming monitors.

The Undisputed Texas High School Esports State Championship is put together by the Texas Scholastic Esports Federation, a teacher-run, 501c(3) nonprofit organization serving Texas schools with a mission of making esports an accessible, inclusive, and equitable path to college, career, and military readiness for all Texas students. Over two days, the championship brought together 500 competitors, 30 high schools, and five titles — Valorant, League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

“BenQ has a long history of supporting teachers and the esports industry with state-of-the-art visualization solutions built around an arsenal of tools and features that define a positive learning and gaming experience,” said Bob Wudeck, senior director of business development at BenQ Education. “Designed to be an intuitive and innovative hub in the classroom, our BenQ Boards are unlike anything else on the market and now attendees will see them set up to support an esports competition. We’re excited to be part of this local event and showcase BenQ’s investment in education and esports in one place.”…Read More

Why STEM is more important for students than ever

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has long been a popular acronym in education circles. Providing teachers with the tools and techniques to deliver these subjects to students has never been more important. In this podcast, Lauren Tarshis, SVP Editor-in-Chief & Publisher, Classroom Magazine Division, Scholastic Magazines+, and Patty Janes, Vice President, Science, Math, and Art at Scholastic, break down how one of the world’s great curriculum providers approaches STEM subjects and provide insights on how teachers can integrate these concepts into everyday teaching and learning.

North Dakota to require computer science for all K-12 students

North Dakota has become the first state to require computer science and cybersecurity education for all K-12 students.

Gov. Doug Burgum and North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler celebrated the governor’s signing of HB1398, which requires the teaching of computer science and cybersecurity and the integration of these content standards into school coursework from kindergarten through 12th grade. Baesler said North Dakota is the first state in the nation to approve legislation requiring cybersecurity education.

“Today is the culmination of years of work by stakeholders from all sectors to recognize and promote the importance of cybersecurity and computer science education in our elementary, middle and high schools,” Baesler said at the bill’s signing ceremony on March 24.…Read More