Back by popular demand, Tech & Learning is hosting its third EdExec Summit on August 18-20, 2025, at the beautiful Chateau Elan Winery & Resort outside Atlanta, GA.

In an era of rapid technological change, shifting policies, and unpredictable global events, uncertainty is no longer an occasional disruption—it’s the new normal. Tech & Learning recognizes it’s more important than ever for our industry to work as a community to achieve success.

To help you and your company navigate this new uncharted terrain, the Tech & Learning EdExec Summit will bring together senior executives serving the K-12 industry for a three-day networking conference dedicated to the business of education. Last year, 80% of the attendees rated the event as “excellent,” and described it as “one of the best conferences I have ever attended.”

“You can’t find anything else like the EdExec Summit,” says 2024 attendee Amber Calderon, Head of Content Strategy for Classroom Champions. “This event is a watering hole where education leaders come from all over the world to share their expertise.”

REGISTER HERE FOR THE 2025 EDEXEC SUMMIT

The intimacy, deep connections, and partnerships that industry executives can forge at this event, coupled with a curated agenda that includes meaningful time for collaboration and connection, all make for a conference for education business executives unlike any other. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to network with some of the most influential figures in the education industry.

“The intimate size of this event and the quality of the invitees makes this one of the most valuable networking events of the year,” writes 2024 attendee Erez Pikar, CEO of FlutterBee.

WHO YOU’LL MEET

Throughout the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to network with executives from some of the most respected names in educational technology, including Intel, Google, Instructure, Powerschool, ClassLink, Renaissance Learning, Edmentum, and many more.

Attendees will also have time to connect with one another, providing the opportunity to share opinions, strategies, and information, all to help better connect with decision makers and make an impact in education.

“The quality of attendees is spectacular. Everyone is passionate about what they do, who they serve, and why they do it,” says Niquelle Cotton, EdExec advisor and CEO & Strategy Officer,Q-Factor Consulting LLC.

THE AGENDA

The agenda has been carefully curated for executives serving the education market. The 2025 EdExec Summit will focus on ways executives can tackle the new edtech challenges to become the best provider you can be. You’ll immerse yourself in the trending topics of today’s educational space, including funding, AI, data privacy and security, and how to overcome other common edtech pitfalls. The 2025 EdExec Summit will provide you with the information you need to thrive in educational technology.

“EdExec Summit really fills a void. You get the opportunity for your own professional learning and development and have the opportunity to make strategic partnerships,” says EdExec Summit advisor Joyce Whitby, CEO of Innovations4Education.

If you are interested in presenting at the Tech & Learning EdExec Summit, please find our call for proposals here (Deadline: February 28, 2025)

“This is a great place for leaders in the edtech space to grow their business,” notes Paula Reed, CEO, Bizeducation Consulting. “From learning about what's new in the marketplace to networking with others in the business, this was a fabulous opportunity. I use this as great professional development and to stay on top of the edtech world.”

The summit’s agenda is divided into four tracks with multiple sessions to support education industry executives at all stages:

• The Education Market - Delve into various aspects of the edtech industry, including discussions about school policies, product interoperability, common pitfalls, and scalability.
• Team Performance - Learn best practices for building and reskilling your team, setting and tracking goals, and recruiting and leveraging a community of brand ambassadors.
• Ramping Up - Learn the vital components to gain market share both domestic and internationally.
• Exponential Growth - Learn how to identify and secure strategic partnerships that drive growth, manage AI and data privacy in edtech, build roadmaps to success, and navigate funding pain points.

We’ve also built in dedicated time for networking, including the opening “EdTech Exchange,” during which you’ll have the chance to meet new colleagues through a series of small-group discussions, as well the opportunity to sign up for 1-2-1 meeting time with district administrators of your choosing.

“The best part about the EdExec Summit is the networking,” says EdExec Summit advisor Alvin Crawford, CEO at Edvicek12, Inc. “It’s powerful to have time and space to connect with your peers and to meet new folks who are doing interesting things.”

In addition to building connections with industry insiders, you will learn best practices of top-performing sales teams, hear insights and advice from school district decision makers, be informed of the latest edtech trends, receive tips for navigating the edtech space, and much more.

Agenda highlights include:

• How to Navigate New Federal Funding & Policies
• How to Win in an AI-Driven Market
• Sourcing and Securing Strategic Partners
• The Evolving Global EdTech Landscape: Opportunities & Challenges in 2025
• Data Privacy: What Companies Need to Know
• And Much More

THE VENUE

EdExec Summit 2025 also offers chances for downtime and casual conversation while enjoying the many amenities The Chateau Elan Winery & Resort has to offer.

The EdExec Summit will be held at this beautiful resort outside of Atlanta, which spans 3,500 acres of rolling hills and wooded forests. This sprawling property also features stunning indoor and outdoor event spaces, multiple restaurants, professionally staffed golf and tennis clubs, a world-class spa, a winery, and more.

Throughout the three-day event attendees will have plenty of time to network with one another while enjoying meals and activities provided by Tech & Learning, one of the most trusted sources in educational technology news.

“No matter where you are in your own business expertise journey, there’s something here for you,” adds Amber Calderon.

Providing every student with reliable and consistent access to digital learning tools is no longer a luxury for school districts—it’s the cost of a 21st-century education. While it can significantly enhance learning, the widespread adoption of 1:1 student-to-device programs places a heavy burden on district resources for device upkeep, security, and software updates.

Schools are now tasked not only with ensuring each student has access to a device, but are also navigating a new set of challenges with developing systems to manage repairs, replacements, and secure internet access for thousands of iPads, Chromebooks, and other technology devices.

By implementing efficient management practices, districts can help maximize the effectiveness of their investment in technology and maintain a seamless learning experience.

Here are four strategies to help K-12 districts navigate the surge in 1:1 devices and other technology.

1. Life Support

Schools have long helped students understand how to respect and protect districts’ investment in resources to extend their lifespan. While we’ve come a long way from using brown paper grocery bags as book covers, students still play a key role in taking care of their school-issued supplies.

Investing in protective materials, such as sturdy cases, screen protectors, and keyboard covers, is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways schools can extend the life of their digital devices. These relatively inexpensive solutions act as a first line of defense against common accidents, such as drops, spills, and overstuffed backpacks, that can quickly turn a functional device into an unusable one. By equipping devices with protective gear, schools can avoid frequent replacements and repair costs while ensuring that devices remain in good working condition throughout the school year and beyond.

Another way schools can foster a culture of responsibility and device care is by launching an engaging educational campaign that encourages students to properly maintain their digital tools. Elements could include informational sessions, posters, and ongoing reminders about best practices for handling devices like keeping screens clean, avoiding drops, and managing battery health. Involving students in the campaign, perhaps by creating videos or designing materials, can make the message even more impactful, reinforcing the idea that everyone plays a part in maintaining a sustainable tech environment.

2. Techxperts

Engaging a student-led tech team (“techxperts," if you will) can be a smart, cost-effective way for schools to manage technical support while empowering learners with real-world skills. By forming a team of tech-savvy students to assist with device repairs, software troubleshooting, and basic maintenance, schools can reduce the workload on their professional IT staff and foster a sense of responsibility and accomplishment in students.

In order to be successful, it’s critical to have a structured program that’s folded into the curriculum or incorporated into your school’s career and technical education (CTE) program. Offering a technical certification from Cisco or partnering with local community colleges for dual credit are also great incentives for students to participate.

Knowledge and skill levels will vary, so begin with a screening test to check aptitude, as some students may be a better fit to manage the logistics of ticketing and project tracking than working on repairs and software updates.

With clear guidance, training sessions, and mentorship from IT staff, student tech teams are a mutually beneficial way to help address everyday issues and help ensure a smoother, more sustainable tech environment for the entire school community.

3. Tech Teamwork

Appointing a dedicated committee to manage digital devices in schools is crucial to ensuring that these valuable tools are used effectively, maintained properly, and available to all students.

A committee composed of key stakeholders such as teachers, librarians, IT staff, administrators, parents, school board members, and student representatives, can provide diverse perspectives. The committee can create comprehensive plans to handle device management, understand needs at a classroom level, establish guidelines for responsible use, and organize regularly scheduled maintenance checks and software upgrades.

By meeting quarterly, this group can help schools stay ahead of evolving technology needs, secure funding for future purchases, and establish best practices for integrating devices into the curriculum. By appointing a dedicated committee, schools not only protect their investment but also create a collaborative environment that prioritizes effective, sustainable digital learning.

4. Invest in Asset Management Software 

Asset management software can provide real-time location tracking, status, and detailed device inventories, doing the heavy lifting and ensuring the entire team knows what resources are in each building. This software can also help districts reduce surplus and accurately forecast future purchasing needs, as well as stay on top of maintenance, flagging devices for repairs before they become unusable. It can also make the most of limited budgets by tracking device depreciation, warranties, and licensing information.

Asset management systems can also play an important role in tracking software usage across a school district, monitoring how often specific programs and applications are accessed. It gives administrators a clear picture of what software is being underused or heavily relied upon, enabling them to make data-driven decisions about future technology needs.

In embracing a 1:1 digital device program, schools have a unique opportunity to prepare students for a digitally-driven world. However, simply providing devices is not enough; successful implementation requires ongoing planning and support. When managed wisely, 1:1 devices can provide students with a personalized and enriched learning experience, empowering them to develop critical skills, bridge learning gaps, and engage more deeply with their education, setting them up for success in a connected world.

• Phil Hintz is the Chief Technology Officer for the Niles Township School District in Chicago, IL.
• Carl Hooker is an educator, speaker, consultant, author, entrepreneur, and podcast host.
• Shad McGaha is the Chief Technology Officer for Belton ISD in Belton, TX.
• Eva Mendoza is the Chief Information Technology Officer for San Antonio ISD.

The recent Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit at the NIU Naperville Conference Center just outside of Chicago was focused on preparing the next generation workforce. It brought together area district administrators and service agencies who took a deep dive into what it means to teach in the age of AI.

District leaders worked in teams to explore how emerging tech has impacted teaching and learning, including how to vet tools, assess data privacy risks, and prepare staff and students for the Generative Age.

Find information about upcoming Tech & Learning Leadership Summits here.

Key Takeaways

1. ANTIDOTES FOR THE ANXIOUS GENERATION

During his opening keynote, Carl Hooker discussed whether or not to ban cell phones in the classroom. He also addressed the need for educators to be equipped with strategies to address student anxiety through mindfulness, social-emotional learning (SEL) techniques, and effective classroom management.

For example, one strategy revolves around notification awareness, and helping students learn to silence and/or regulate what they get notified about on their phones, which can directly help with their focus, especially when they are working, collaborating, or being productive. Discussing this with students helps them create more proactive solutions to their own focus. Do they need to get notified about the group Snapchat or can it wait until after school? What things do they need to be notified about right away? What happens to learning when they get distracted? Reflecting on these and other questions can be the first step in addressing the problem.

See all seven of Hooker’s antidotes for the anxious generation here.

2. ESPORTS WINNING IMPACT

During his presentation, “Scholastic Esports: More Than Just Gaming,” John Phillips, Technology & Innovation Consultant for Berrian RESA, discussed the far-reaching impact of scholastic esports.

Phillips explained how esports equips students with far more skills than just gaming. He cited research that showed that esports can help:

• Improve visual acuity and attention
• Foster scientific reasoning
• Accelerate language learning
• Improve digital and print literacy
• Increase problem-solving skills
• Boost math achievement
• Build technology fluency

He cited dozens of career paths that launch from esports experience, including business, IT, sales & marketing, education, event management, communication & media and more.

Phillips also noted that the average esports scholarship student receives $4,800 in tuition awards a year, according to the National Association of Collegiate Esports—but some can receive up to half off tuition.

Phillips works with the North American Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), a nonprofit that offers free esports tournaments and more to help students develop STEAM-based, collaboration, and problem-solving skills they need to thrive in work and in life.

3. BUILDING ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITY

Attendees from Chicago Public Schools discussed Chi-Craft, the district’s esports afterschool Minecraft Build Challenge program. Inspired by New York City Public Schools’ “Battle of the Boroughs", the new program features more than 500 students from 70+ schools, and unlike some other extracurricular programs and activities that can require certain physical abilities and skills, every student is eligible to participate.

Using Minecraft Education, the competition involves “Build and Present Challenges” that are scored with a STEM-powered rubric. Students essentially receive a 3D creative writing prompt that includes key focus vocabulary and Chicago-centered resources. In return, they create innovative architecture, beautiful murals, and constructs from “out of this world.”

Innovative Leader Award Winners

At the close of the Tech & Learning Leadership Summit, the following leaders were recognized for their outstanding work in their districts:

• Innovative Technology Director - Greg Reichelt, Director of Technology, Maine Township HSD 207
• Best Example of Professional Development - Callie Salaymeh, Instructional Technology Coach, Lyons Township High School District 204
• Innovative Superintendent - Travis McGuire, Assistant Superintendent for Learning, Community High School District 99, Downers Grove, Illinois
• Best Overall Implementation of Technology - Chicago Public Schools, Chi-Craft Esports Competition

Special thanks to our partners who made these important conversations possible:

Apptegy
D2L
ClassLink
IncidentIQ
MagicSchool
Wonder Workshop
Hovercam
Stride Learning Solutions
Tinkrworks

Find information about upcoming Tech & Learning Leadership Summits here.

ISTELive23 was back in full swing in Philadelphia this year with hundreds of sessions and exhibitors enjoying the learning and networking – despite the rainy weather. 

The exhibit hall was energetic and robust, showcasing hundreds of new products and services. The Tech & Learning judges culled the show floor to review the many nominated products for this year’s Tech & Learning's Best of Show Awards at ISTELive 23 awards. The evaluation criteria included: ease of use, value, uniqueness in the market, and proof that the product helped make teachers' lives easier and supported student achievement. 

“We received an impressive array of nominations for this year’s awards,” says Christine Weiser, content director for Tech & Learning. “Our judges chose the products that they believed best supported innovation in the classroom and district. Congratulations to our winners!”

Best of ISTELive 2023

Acer America TravelMate Vero TMV15-51-57PP  This lightweight laptop is designed to combine practicality and sustainability. It is made with recycled materials with at least 30% post-consumer recycled plastic in the chassis and screen bezel, and 50% on the keycaps. Our judges were impressed by the sustainability of the product and its battery life given its reasonable price point. 

Acer America Acer Student Repair eLearning Program The Acer Student Repair eLearning Program is a program that teaches high school students how to perform repairs on Acer Chromebooks. “This is a great concept,” said our judges. “Good for CTE and to help students gain skills they can use in and out of school.”

Avantis Education, exhibiting as ClassVR The Eduverse 2540 The Eduverse made by Avantis Education, creators of ClassVR, is designed to help districts supplement curriculum by providing immersive, standards-aligned, educational VR and AR content in a teacher-controlled virtual environment. Our judges said that this service fills a gap in VR and AR education.

AVer A30 All-in-One Camera The A30 is a classroom tool that combines a document camera, web camera, microphone, and speaker. Designed for plug-n-play connectivity, the A30 speaker connects to computers, IFPs, and monitors. The judges called it a “very cool, all-in camera,” and praised its ease of use as a selling point for non-techies.  

AVID Products  AVID AE36 USB-C Headset 2251  The AE-36 lightweight headset is designed to provide high-quality sound with a noise-canceling, adjustable boom microphone that makes it easy for even the softest-spoken student to be heard. Its USB-C connection is compatible with many devices and software. The judges said, “This product ensures every student hears the teacher clearly.”

Beanstack Beanstack Beanstalk impressed the judges with its strategy of inspiring a love of reading in students by facilitating a community reading challenge approach modeled on the gamification motivation of apps such as Fitbit and Duolingo — rewarding students with digital badges, encouraging daily reading with streaks, and inspiring positive competition among friends. 

BenQ  BenQ Board with InstaShare 2 Software The BenQ Board smartboard features onboard InstaShare 2 wireless presentation software that enables advanced collaboration opportunities. Our judges liked that InstaShare 2 allows teachers to teach from anywhere in the room, adding, “It is easy to share a laptop, tablet, or smartphone screen onto a BenQ Board.”

Boxlight Mimio DS The Mimio DS Series features multi-functional USB Type-C ports, enabling educators to connect various devices for audio and video transmission, network connections, and charging external devices. “The integrated video wall processing is a high-value feature, as is the integration with campus communications systems,” said the judges. 

Boxlight MimioWall The MimioWall is designed to eliminate the need for external devices and complex management systems, and is available in nine sizes ranging from 120" to 299". Our judges were impressed by numerous features including the CleverLive digital signage platform, which allows for sharing of campus information, updates, and alerts. 

BrainPOP BrainPOP Brainpop is designed for students in grades 3-8 to introduce new and complex concepts, help them develop essential skills, and drive progress toward grade-level expectations with games, animated movies, and interactive learning activities. “Brainpop gives cartoon videos and interactives to make tough subjects accessible for young students,” our judges said. 

BrainPOP BrainPOP Science BrainPOP Science is a complement to the 6-8 grade science curriculum, and is designed to meet the Next Generation Science Standards. “Animations, interesting facts, and challenging gameplay are bound to keep kids interested,” said the judges. “With quizzes, experiments, and mini-games, kids have many opportunities to apply what they learned in the lessons.” 

Canva  Canva for Education  Canva for Education integrates with everyday tools and learning management systems through single sign-on, making things easier for students and teachers. “This tool gives all students and teachers the freedom to bring ideas to life and continues to evolve as a product,” said the judges. “It is a must for K-12 education.” 

Capstone PebbleGo PebbleGo is a curricular content hub designed for students that features informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities. “Pebble Go is a kid-friendly app in English and Spanish,” said the judges. “The subjects are presented with photos, media, links to similar topics, printable assessment sheets, and correct citations.” 

ClassIn ClassIn ClassIn is an end-to-end education platform with a full suite of tools designed with hybrid-first pedagogy in mind. Its features include live streaming, screen sharing, interactive blackboards, breakout rooms, and online assessments. Our judges said it was their favorite virtual school option. 

ClassLink, Inc.  ClassLink Enterprise Suite The new suite of tools from ClassLink includes ClassLink Analytics, which allows teachers and leaders to measure and track student engagement, and ClassLink Roster Server and OneSync, which enables schools to automate their rostering and provisioning processes. “These latest features add greater ability to limit the amount of sensitive student data shared,” said the judges.  

ClassLink, Inc.  DataGuard ClassLink’s DataGuard is a RosterServer upgrade designed to protect sensitive personally identifiable information when schools share class roster data with vendors. The judges were impressed by the way the tool allows schools to selectively share essential data while masking other key fields, ensuring continuous data protection. 

Clear Digital  Clear Digital Evo Roll Pro The Evo Roll Pro is a unique digital signage solution, offering a 43-inch screen that is IP65 rated, 2000 NITs bright, and anti-glare, and designed to work indoors or outdoors. “This is a unique mobile digital signage solution that makes it easy to bring your digital signage needs wherever you need them,” said the judges. 

Clear Digital Clear Digital Sho Content Software Clear Digital's Sho Content Management Software is a cloud-based platform designed to simplify the creation, management, and deployment of digital signage content. “This system makes it easy to create stunning digital signage displays that connect with your audience,” the judges said. “Even if you’ve never designed before, Sho will make you look like a pro.” 

Clear Touch Clear Touch 6000A+ Interactive Panel Clear Touch’s 6000A+ Series panels feature responsive multi-touch technology, are available in 65”, 75”, and 86” sizes, and have EDLA certification, which provides enhanced security and access to native Google applications. “The 6000U Series is an easy-to-use, intuitive interactive panel, loaded with features that help teachers and students collaborate and work smarter,” said the judges. 

Clever Clever MFA+  Clever MFA+ is designed to protect sensitive data by providing a dual layer of authentication in a manner that is easy to use and includes a variety of authentication options. “The ability to use the software to help author and implement MFA policies was impressive,” wrote our judges. “It works with the major players of Microsoft and Google.” 

Clevertouch by Boxlight CleverLive CleverLive is a tool that provides informative posters, welcoming messages, and updates throughout the campus. It is also designed to simplify the booking of rooms and integrate with popular calendar systems. Our judges were also impressed with how CleverLive provides a mobile device management section for administrators to monitor device health and ensure timely updates. 

Clevertouch by Boxlight IMPACT Lux IMPACT Lux is an interactive flat panel that launched with a Google certification which helps ensure seamless integration with Google Classroom and other Google education tools. Other features that impressed the judges were its 40 touch points, access to a free app store, and the ability for multiple students to collaborate.

Clevertouch by Boxlight LYNX 1828 LYNX Whiteboard features a range of pen tools and shapes that facilitate lesson engagement. These tools include highlighters and drawing tools as well as precise geometrical shapes and other math tools. These features impressed the judges as did the tool’s AI capabilities and its library of 100 STEM activities.

CTL CTL Chromebox CBx3 This form factor PC is powered by Chrome OS, Intel's 12th generation Celeron 7305 processor with 4GB RAM, and 256 GB storage. The device also features new Wi-Fi 6E & Bluetooth 5.3 options for connectivity, all of which impressed Tech & Learning’s judges. 

CTL CTL Chromebook NL72CT-L 1420  The CTL’s NL72CT-LTE B48-ready Cat 12 Chromebook is designed to ensure reliable connection and fast speeds, and allows access to LTE technology with a separate LTE data plan from a carrier as well as access to the latest private Band 48 CBRS private LTE, and most carrier bands. Our judges cited these quality connectivity features.

Edmentum Apex Learning Tutorials Apex Tutorials offers modular, on-grade acceleration and remediation designed to propel grade 6-12 graduation goals by focusing on bringing every student to course proficiency. The tool provides comprehensive coverage of essential topics aligned with grade-level, end-of-course, and college readiness exams. “Digital intervention for struggling students has value and this platform seems strong,” said our judges.

Edmentum Courseware Courseware provides continuous flexible learning with more than 500-course options. Subjects include CTE, electives, world language, college and career readiness, and ELL foundations. Educators can customize courses by adding, hiding, deleting, or reordering course content. Our judges were impressed with these features. 

Edmentum EdOptions Academy  EdOptions Academy offers customized virtual instruction delivered by state-certified virtual teachers with curricula designed to support district efforts and help them reach academic growth goals. “As teacher shortages become more serious we are going to have to accept the fact that this type of learning is going to stick around,” said the judges. 

Edmentum ExactPath Exact Path features diagnostic-driven, individualized learning paths in K-12 math, reading, and language arts, and real-time data powered teaching tools. The assessments, learning paths, and instructional tools help educators isolate the discrete skill and standard gaps of every student and provide data-informed universal, small-group, and personalized intervention. 

Ellipsis Education Ellipsis Education Ellipsis is designed to help all educators, regardless of their experience, effectively teach computer science. Every Ellipsis course includes pacing guides, standards maps, training, and detailed lesson plans that extend beyond coding. Skills such as computational thinking, collaboration and problem-solving are also stressed, which was lauded by the judges. 

Epson Epson PowerLite 810E Extreme Short Throw with 4K Enhancement Designed for classroom and meeting room spaces, it offers 5,000 lumens of color/white light output powered by Epson 3-chip 3LCD laser technology. “This would be good not only for regular classroom use, but also in less traditional spaces because you can wheel it in, set it almost flush to a wall, and project 80" onto any surface,” said our judges. 

Forward Edge Edge•U Badges Edge•U is an instruction-focused professional learning system that offers learning opportunities in the form of microcredentials (badges) in which participants browse to select the topic and development scope that is appropriate to their personal development goals. More than 240 badges aligned to ISTE standards and the SAMR Model are available to choose.

Forward Education Climate Action Kit The Climate Action Kit is designed to help educators teach STEM subjects using climate change issues and solutions. It includes an online portal, coding platform, and inventor's kit, and is suitable for grades 3-10. Teachers choose from a range of curriculum-aligned lessons and share a link with their students, who work at their own pace. 

Gale, part of Cengage Group Gale In Context: Literature Gale In Context: Literature organizes high-quality literary resources into one searchable platform, complete with accessibility and navigation tools. Educators easily connect students to standards-based resources that provide the literary context necessary to ensure student understanding of the texts they’re reading in ELA lessons. 

GoGuardian Giant Steps Giant Steps is a gamified digital learning experience that enables independent practice and collaborative learning in K-12 classrooms, with its library of standards-aligned, customizable content (practice sets). Our judges said, “The combination of gamification with research-based quality content makes this a fun addition to the classroom.”

GoReact GoReact Teachers use GoReact to practice, record, and share videos with their mentors or colleagues, who then give personalized feedback using text, audio or video comments, markers, and customizable progressions. “With simple, flexible tools for experiential learning, GoReact helps all learners develop and demonstrate skill competency,” said the judges.

HoverCam HoverCam Orbit  Orbit is a gigabit wireless USB and HDMI document camera that allows users to cast straight to a computer or HDMI display in 4K resolution up to 60FPS. Said our judges: “This wireless document camera is impressive, with its image quality, simple buttons, and plug-and-play nature, making it a welcome addition to the document camera market.”

Ideamapper Inc. Ideamapper Ideamapper is a mind mapping tool that visually organizes ideas, offering reflection and analysis of complex topics while supporting collaborative discussions and adaptive learning experiences. "IdeaMapper is a promising mind mapping app for the iPad that offers a unique interface that replicates the process of creating a mind map on a white board – complete with colored markers and a dry eraser!” said the judges. 

Identity Automation Authentication With RapidIdentity Authentication, users are ensured seamless access with a variety of passwordless and student-friendly authentication methods, while all entry points are securely maintained. Our judges liked the focus on safety and called Authentication a “necessary tool” toward that goal.

Impero Software Impero Wellbeing This holistic classroom safety tool grants teachers and school district officials visibility into threats to student wellbeing—including digital, physical, and mental—via online and offline monitoring to provide a full picture of each student’s overall wellbeing. “With Wellbeing, schools can identify early warning signs of harmful online behavior, raise concerns, intervene early and provide support to students if needed," said the judges, adding, “Digital safety is critical for students.”

Instructure Canvas Credentials With self-paced professional learning journeys, Canvas Credentials allows educators to take ownership of their learning with verifiable badges, district-level pathways, analytics, personalized learning, and more. Features can be aligned to district and individual goals. Our judges praised the flexibility and principles of this platform.

Instructure Mastery Mastery is designed to help educators understand what students know through high-quality, effective assessments comprising a suite of four product offerings: Mastery Connect, Mastery Item Bank, Mastery View Formative Assessments, and Mastery View Predictive Assessments. The judges appreciated it, saying, “Instructure has a long history of research-based assessments that makes it a trusted brand in schools.”

Instructure Canvas LMS Canvas LMS lets teachers focus on teaching, with tools such as the free Admin Analytics, SpeedGrader, which can cut grading time by 50 percent, modules, calendars, schedules, quizzes, rubrics, analytics, and more. Our judges consider Canvas LMS to be a necessary tool for teachers.

IPEVO Inc. IPEVO VOCAL A speakerphone with AI-powered two-way noise reduction, IPEVO VOCAL offers both omnidirectional and directional microphone modes. Its AI noise reduction was trained using more than 500 million pieces of data to effectively identify human voices among environmental noise. “VOCAL will make meeting spaces much more clear and improve communication for all users, said the judges.  

IPEVO Inc. IPEVO TOTEM 360 IPEVO TOTEM 360 provides a seamless 360° image from four cameras, sound from an all-around speaker, and captures voices via an array of four beamforming microphones with AI noise reduction. The judges praised the high-quality image and sound and the "stitch" video technology that allows for true wide angle viewing.

JAR Systems Elevate Air The Elevate Air USB-C Open Charging Cart, Powered by Quick-Sense USB-C module(s) provides fast and balanced charging that is completely AC adapter-free. Unlike traditionally designed carts, the open concept provides easy visibility of devices from across the room.

LEGO Education LEGO Education SPIKE Essential SPIKE Essential introduces students to STEAM through fun, standards-aligned lessons that also teach practical design skills and boost student engagement. “The design projects are fun to do, and have the classic LEGO approach to building that kids will easily be comfortable with,” said the judges. 

LG Business Solutions CreateBoard (model TR3DK) LG CreateBoard offers an up-to 40-point multitouch interactive display that enables live annotations of digital files and provides tools for content creation, sharing and management. The LG CreateBoard line includes 55-, 65-, 75- and 86-inch models, ensuring students can view the presentation regardless of seat location or room size.  

Lightspeed Systems Lightspeed Digital Insight and Digital Equity Module Lightspeed Digital Insight empowers IT and instructional technology leaders with a single view of district edtech usage to quickly understand and act on approvals, cost management, and impact. Our judges said, “Having a lens into what is being visited is critical and can help streamline a budget.”

Linewize Linewize Monitor Linewize Monitor provides 24/7 notifications of students at risk of self-harm, depression, grooming, sexual content, bullying, and school violence. It uses a combination of AI and human moderation to detect risks across the digital space, including what a student types, Google and Office 365 activity, offline documents, web chat, social media, and more.

Linewize Linewize Pulse Linewize Pulse provides schools with insights on student wellbeing via 60-second weekly check-ins that anonymously gathers school trend-level data. Additionally, the platform encourages students to express gratitude by thanking people who have made a difference in their lives. 

Lumens Integration Inc. VC-TR40 Suitable for a  classroom, auditorium, theater, studio, or meeting room, this tracking camera can recognize a human face and will track the presenter’s movements in any direction. Said the judges: “This camera has many features needed in our classrooms and learning spaces.”

MAXCases Extreme Shell-F Slide Case for Chromebooks and Laptops The all-new slide-on top design easily slides onto the device, which disperses pressure evenly around the entire perimeter, providing a snug fit that eliminates pressure hotspots around the screen. Additional protective features include layered bumpers plus an outer covering of rugged scratch-, dirt-, oil-, and tear-resistant TPE. 

MAXCases Shield Extreme-X2-H with Hand Strap for iPad 10 Features such as a 360-degree rotating hand strap, sturdy FlexStand, dual-layer bumpers, and a commercial-grade screen protector offer the highest protection for iPad 10. Meets MIL-STD 810G-516.6 standards for drop protection up to six feet with dual-layer bumpers and a commercial-grade screen protector. 

McGraw Hill McGraw Hill AR McGraw Hill AR is an augmented reality app that provides engaging, bite-sized experiences that help students learn a concept in minutes. “This app can supplement any core curriculum by stimulating engagement on challenging topics through interaction, exploration, and multi-sensory experiences,” said the judges.

MIND Education ST Math ST Math is a preK-8 instructional program that provides scaffolded, visual problem-solving objectives delivered through challenging self-paced, interactive puzzles. The judges said, “The fun games and visuals are perfectly suited to the target age group.”

Nearpod Nearpod Nearpod’s interactive instructional platform merges formative assessment and dynamic media for live and self-paced teaching and learning through 22,000+ interactive lessons, interactive videos, gamification, and activities. "Nearpod is a great tool to increase engagement, discourse, and achievement in your  class,” our judges said. 

Nearpod Flocabulary Flocabulary’s 1,300+ standards-aligned video-based lessons support vocabulary acquisition and comprehension skills across K-12 subjects. “These super-entertaining hip-hop videos will keep students' attention, and they'll have a blast forming and performing their own lyrics,” said the judges.

Nearpod Nearpod Math Program Nearpod Math is a supplemental K-8 math program that provides 5,000+ new standards-aligned lessons, videos, practice activities and virtual manipulatives. The judges said, “Nearpod is a great tool to increase engagement, discourse, and achievement in your math class.”

NetSupport NetSupport DNA  This IT asset management and online safety solution helps technicians track, monitor, and manage technology, while its online safety toolkit helps maintain a safe learning environment. Our judges said, “Netsupport partners with all the major players in student privacy and automated rostering and the back-end features would be valued by many IT teams.”

NoRedInk Co. NoRedInk NoRedInk is a provider of online writing curriculum that incorporates a student’s favorite celebrities, characters, athletes, and other interests into a wide range of writing and grammar activities. The Tech & Learning judges said, “The site goes to great lengths to make learning grammar interesting and meaningful, but teacher engagement and feedback are key.”

NUITEQ NUITEQ Snowflake AI Assistant NUITEQ Working seamlessly with Snowflake.live, the AI Assistant saves educators time and energy by using AI to generate customizable, classroom-ready lessons and activities in just a few minutes. “This product embraces AI technology to create a product specifically designed to save teachers valuable time in creating lessons,” said the judges.

Otus Otus Otus offers a streamlined integration of assessment, performance tracking, and third-party data, while its gradebook and dashboard reports make it easy for stakeholders to understand student growth. “Teachers will appreciate the many different lesson-building and analytic options available,” said the judges. “Students will like some of the interactive features, such as polls and portfolios.”

OverDrive Education Sora, the student reading app The Sora student reading app is a customizable platform that provides access to assigned curriculum texts and popular titles for students, including ebooks, audiobooks, comics, graphic novels, and magazines. The judges praised Overdrive for offering a robust library that can be scaled to meet the needs of any sized district. 

Ozobot MetaBot The Evo App features MetaBot, an augmented reality coding experience that allows students to create custom backgrounds and environments as well as work with digital bots that can navigate 3D obstacles. Said the judges: “It’s a fun immersive environment that students will enjoy. And it's free!”

Pocketalk Pocketalk Pocketalk is a two-way audio and text translation solution that can translate 84+ languages and be utilized anywhere in the world with an internet or data connection. “The app is easy to use and helps schools easily translate into many languages, crucial for districts with students who speak many languages,” said the judges.

Promethean, Inc. ActivPanel 9 Premium with ActivSync The new ActivPanel 9 with ActivSync offers easy, secure sign-in options, streamlined connection to content, and flexible lesson delivery software. “This is an amazing upgrade to the Prothean IWB product line,” said the judges. “The impending addition of Explain Everything software into the board will be a huge benefit to teachers.”

Reading Horizons Reading Horizons Discovery Reading Horizons Discovery is a turnkey solution that provides tech-enhanced lesson content, support resources, and real-time data to differentiate instruction, plus on-demand real-time coaching. “Reading Horizons has a long history of success–proven through research–helping schools support student reading proficiency,” said T&L’s judges.

Renaissance Accelerated Reader Accelerated Reader is an independent reading practice program that supports more than 220,000 fiction and nonfiction book quizzes at a wide range of levels, and includes in-depth reporting. The judges praised its terrific reports and interface, adding, “Well-designed quizzes and activities demand meaningful reflection and challenge kids to develop their reading skills.”

Renaissance eduCLIMBER eduCLIMBER provides interactive district-level to whole child data management and strengthens multi-tiered system of support implementations with tools for student need identification, measuring intervention effectiveness, and more. The judges appreciated its single dashboard, adding, “MTSS includes so many facets of a student, that a tool like this is long overdue.”

Renaissance Freckle Freckle is an adaptive and targeted practice program that delivers practice aligned to standards in ELA and math with engaging content, interactive features, real-world scenarios, and embedded supports and scaffolds to help students. The judges appreciated how it engages, adding, “Collecting coins to spend at the store will likely be an incentive for younger students.”

Renaissance Lalilo Lalilo is a personalized, standards-aligned early literacy practice tool that supplements any core ELA curriculum, aligns with the Science of Reading, and adjusts each student’s experience using AI, scaffolded exercises, speech recognition, and self-reflection. “Students travel through different worlds, playing games, collecting stars, and unlocking stories,” said the judges. “The visual design is simple and modern.” 

Renaissance Star Assessments Renaissance Star Assessments offer a flexible comprehensive assessment system – computer-adaptive tests and curriculum-based measures for reading, math, and early literacy, all available in both English and Spanish. Said the judges: “Its best features are that it is quick and easy to use for teachers and students, and reports can be generated in seconds.” 

Renaissance Star Phonics Star Phonics is a web-based screening and diagnostic phonics assessment tool that targets the twelve most critical phonics categories and diagnoses 102 specific phonics skills. The judges personally recommend it, adding, “It provides valuable information about phonics skills essential for instruction, especially for those students struggling to read words, including those with dyslexia.”

Robotical Marty the Robot Marty the Robot is a small humanoid robot that stands on two legs with arms that move independently and a face that conveys human-like emotion, ideal for coding and STEM learning. “A very user-friendly robot that gives kids many options for creativity yet is connected to learning standards,” said the judges.  

Samsung Electronics America Samsung Interactive Display The Samsung Interactive Display is an interactive whiteboard, available in 65-, 75- and 86-inch clear UHD models and comes with simultaneous connectivity for up to 50 devices regardless of operating system or manufacturer. The Tech & Learning judges particularly appreciated its flexibility and intuitive controls.

ScreenPal ScreenPal ScreenPal is an all-in-one interactive video creation, management, and sharing solution for teaching and learning with easy-to-use tools to record, annotate, edit, manage, and share videos and images for learning, all in one secure, student-safe environment. “ScreenPal is an essential video creation and sharing solution for everyone,” said the judges.

SMART SMART Board GX Series The SMART Board GX-V2 series is an interactive display with intuitive functionality and educator-friendly features, including persistent ink tools for both Windows and Mac, presentation tools, and more. “SMART continues to build relevant and necessary software tools to enhance the already important hardware,” said the judges.

SMART Lumio Lumio allows teachers to upload and edit existing content – including Google Slides, PDFs, and PowerPoint presentations and add game-based activities, formative assessments, and collaborative or independent workspaces. Said the judges: “A fun and creative way to bring learning to life for students and gives teachers flexibility on lessons and activities.”

Teq iBlocks An iBlock is a ten-part sequence of student-led, teacher-guided lessons and activities that center on technology and culminate in a capstone project. “iBlocks is where project-based learning meets the PD needs and learning we want for differentiation,” said the judges. “The program empowers schools, districts, and states to buy and use their solution to drive student outcomes.”

Turnitin AI writing detection feature The AI writing detection feature gives educators a report showing an overall percentage of the document that AI writing tools may have generated. If the submission shows less than 20 percent AI writing detected, the report displays an asterisk to inform educators that they may need to exercise academic judgment.

Turnitin Gradescope by Turnitin Gradescope is a paper-to-digital grading platform that works for a variety of different paper assessments, including presentations, multiple choice, code projects, written exams, handwritten diagrams, and online/remote work. Educators can grade work on their own or collaboratively online before sending it back to the student digitally with a final grade and feedback. 

ViewSonic Corp. ViewSonic LDS135-151 All-in-One Direct View LED Display Solution Kit The ViewSonic LDS135-151 is a mobile, 135-inch all-in-one Direct View LED display solution kit that offers a large screen display solution in a pre-assembled design, which allows setup in minutes. The judges praised it as easy to use, adding it will enhance lessons and learning.

ViewSonic Corp. UNIVERSE by ViewSonic UNIVERSE by ViewSonic is an immersive and interactive 3D education world that connects students and teachers in a virtual meta-learning space by providing resources that might not be available in physical settings. “Collaboration is critical in education and now adding a 3-D piece takes it to another level,” said the judges. 

Vivacity Tech PBC Guardian Backpack The Guardian Backpack can fit up to a 15" device and has multiple high-density layers and scratch-free microfiber lining. The exterior of the backpack is made with water-resistant polyester to help protect the contents from spills, rain, or other liquids. The judges appreciated its quality and effectiveness in protecting devices 15" or smaller.

Vivacity Tech PBC Guardian 11" Work-In Case  The Guardian 11" Work-In case has metal fasteners, zipper pulls, D-rings, and swivel snap hooks, as well as scratch-free interior cool-decking to allow students to work with the case on their device without worrying about their device overheating or hassling with removing the device from the case. The judges cited its quality and strong protection.

Vivacity Tech PBC Student Repair Academy (SRA) Vivacity Tech’s developed curriculum, Student Repair Academy, is an online, self-paced learning program that provides students with the knowledge and technical skills they need to operate a student-led repair center. “This is a great concept,” said the judges. “Great for CTE and to help students gain skills they can use in and out of school.” 

Vivacity Tech PBC 36-Unit Smart Charging Cart Vivacity Tech's 36-Unti Smart Charging Cart features 36 individual slots that can fit any device up to 14" and a cycle timer for intelligent charging technology, which charges devices row-by-row. The judges called it “a well-made charging cart,” citing the added bonus of its charging process helping to reduce schools' energy output. 

Vivi Vivi Vivi is an all-in-one communication suite designed exclusively for education as a single solution for wireless screen sharing, digital signage, and emergency alerts. It is device and operating system- agnostic, creating an easy-to-use interface for everyone. The judges highly recommended it, adding, “A true rare blend between digital signage and classroom-based screen sharing.” 

To share your feedback and ideas on this article, consider joining our Tech & Learning online community here.

With all of the challenges today, K-12 schools and districts need many things beyond what budgets provide. Yet there always seem to be budget shortfalls rather than increases. 

One way to supplement district, school, or classroom funding is by winning a grant. Grants vary in size and focus, and can make a big difference not only in the money you have to spend but also for the freedom to try new ideas.     

Tech & Learning’s free Grant Writing Guide includes resources, step-by-step proposal writing tips, checklists, and other strategies for grant-writing success. 

What follows are the grants available for K-12 schools and districts in the year ahead, and the corresponding deadlines. 

July 2022 Grants & Deadlines 

July 1
Mazda Foundation

August 2022 Grants & Deadlines  

August 30
The National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program 

August 31
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation Classroom Grant  

September 2022 Grants & Deadlines 

September 1
Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12

September 30 
Foundation for Rural Service Annual Grant Program  

October 2022 Grants & Deadlines  

October 1
Association of American Educators Foundation Classroom Grant 

Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades K-5

October 5
NSF Discovery Research PreK-12 

October 12
NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program 

October 31  
Lawrence Foundation Education Grants
Innovative Technology Education Fund Catapult Grant

November 2022 Grants & Deadlines  

November 1
Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12

December 2022 Grants & Deadlines 

December 1
ITEEA Awards and Scholarships
Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12  

December 13
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 

December 28
National Science Teachers Association Shell Science Teaching Award and the Shell Urban Science Educators Development Award 

December 31
The Slooh Space Exploration Grant  

January 2023 Grants & Deadlines  

January 21
American Chemical Society-Hach Professional Development Grant 

January 30
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and Challenger Center’s Trailblazing STEM Educator Award 

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and The Boeing Company’s Boeing Inspires Youth Engagement Program 

 January 31
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 

February 2023 Grants & Deadlines 

February 1
Motorola Solutions Foundation Grants

February 20
NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM)

March 2023 Grants & Deadlines 

March 1
Association of American Educators Foundation Classroom Grant

March 15
Vernier Ecology/ Environmental Teaching Award 

March 31
Fund for Teachers Innovation Grant 

April 2023 Grants & Deadlines 

April 14
American Chemical Society (ACS)-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grant

April 15
America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education 

April 30 
Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program
Lawrence Foundation Education Grants

May 2023 Grants & Deadlines 

May 1
NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership grants
Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants for Grades 6-12

May 4
NCTM

May 25
ASM Foundation Living in a Material World K-!2 Education Grants

June 2023 Grants & Deadlines 

June 1
American Chemical Society (ACS)-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grant
Toshiba America Foundation Science and Math Grants For Grades 6-12 

June 30
The Sharon Gewirtz Kids to Concerts Fund  

Ongoing Year-Round Grants 

After School Advantage Program

Avantor Foundation Grants

Awesome Foundation

Beckman Coulter Foundation

Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Beyond Words 

Brown Rudnick Community Grants

Corning Foundation

Farrell Family Foundation Grants

Federal Grants and Programs

Lockheed Martin STEM Grants

Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Grants

Naiku Innovative Educator Grants

National Association of Biology Teachers Awards

National Education Association Foundation Grants for Educators

National Endowment for the Humanities

National Science Teaching Association Awards and Recognition Program

Reiman Foundation Grants

SC Johnson Grants

Sony Corporation of America Grants

Verizon Foundation

Westinghouse Charitable Giving Program

The Annual E-Rate Survey is Now Available 

The 2022 E-rate Applicant Survey of E-rate applicants to understand how the program can best serve schools and libraries is now available for participation. 

Organized by Funds For Learning, the annual survey provides stakeholder data directly to the Federal Communications Commission to help in the evaluation of competitive bidding regulations and the future of off-campus internet funding via the Emergency Connectivity Fund.

E-rate applicants are encouraged to submit their anonymous responses by May 27, 2022.

Thanks to the pandemic, technology is now ubiquitous in school districts. As a result, all teachers must partake in the work of engaging students in a dialogue around responsible digital interactions. Schools are operating in a new normal, in which the importance and benefits of a digital education are clear. School and district leaders have finally taken more seriously the work of bridging the digital divide. They are ensuring their students and staff have the technology and internet connectivity needed for success in modern times. 

Along with this shift comes the responsibility of ensuring every educator understands the importance of digital citizenship to them personally, how to support conversations in the classroom, and how to incorporate digital citizenship at every grade level. While most schools taught students about digital citizenship prior to the pandemic, a designated teacher such as the technology teacher or librarian was usually responsible for this. Today, every teacher is using digital learning tools, and therefore can and should be teaching digital citizenship as students create, collaborate and connect using technology for learning.

Today, students need to have a better understanding of their digital footprint, how to effectively communicate, the tools they can use, how to find information, strategies for when they feel unsafe online, and what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior. In the 2021-22 school year, educators experienced an increase in behavioral and inappropriate language issues that have made the school year more challenging. We don’t want inappropriate digital citizenship to impede sound teaching, learning, and relationship building. In some cases this has happened when students acted inappropriately online, or brought online challenges and language into their classrooms. 

Moving forward, it’s imperative that educators don't use these mistakes as a reason to stop engaging students with technology. Instead, these incidents can be teachable moments. When students’ make poor choices, we can take the time to help them understand their actions and discover how to make more informed and responsible choices. 

We also must ensure teachers understand that they are role models online just as they are in person. As stated in this New York Post article, teachers are routinely monitored online by their students. “They see us on Twitter, on Instagram,” one school staff member said. This is no surprise. Our students are growing up digital and they look to see how their teachers are behaving in these spaces.

While this may feel uncomfortable, our students deserve an education that prepares them for success in both their online and in-person lives. 

Here’s how to get started: 

Establish Norms 

Establishing norms around how technology is used inside and outside of the classroom is a great way to begin the school year. 

This effort can include considerations such as:

• How do you ask a question? 
• How do you give feedback? 
• When do you speak? 
• What are protocols to ensure we're not interrupting? 
• How do we ensure all voices are heard? 
• When do you use the chat? 
• When do you use reactions or hand signals? 
• What do students do when classes are recorded? 

Remember, you can revisit and revise norms as needed. For example, when someone within the community goes against the agreed-upon norms, it can be an opportunity to review and discuss parameters. At that time you can determine whether the behavior or the norm should change. 

Assign Roles

Talk to your class about roles students may take on when learning online. Roles might include some of the following: 

Chat moderator 

• Moderates chat by bringing questions and feedback to the teacher’s attention. 
• Answers questions and provides information. 

Researcher

• Provides useful links and information about what is being taught and discussed. 

Tech support

• Helps other students with any tech issues. 

Behavior moderator

• This person brings any issues to the attention of the teacher. 

It may take some time to determine which students might be best for each role. You could assign roles based on student strengths and rotate assignments (like class jobs in a physical classroom). Or, you might want to have students apply for a role and interview for the job. Selected candidates may be able to have the position and/or be backed up at different times. Roles could be swapped out each week or month as makes sense. 

Determine Best Practices for Technology-Rich Learning 

Here are some of the best practices that successful educators use when using technology in the classroom: 

Build in time before class to set up your activity and time after class to close out

• Set-up includes: Checking equipment; queuing up presentation materials and any websites/resources 
• Close out includes: Leaving time for Q & A; sending post-lesson evaluations; and providing one-on-one support for any students who might need it 

Note that there may be students in your class who are able to support this.

Have an opening slide so students know what they’re about to learn 

• Include any relevant links to materials such as the agenda and other helpful information that students might need during the lesson 

Have an agenda slide to help keep the lesson on track and to ensure students know what to expect 

• Within the agenda have links to the presentation, resources, etc.
• Set permissions so that students can view (not edit) the agenda  

Set time up for free talk at the beginning and end 

• Having time at the end can be a reward for staying on task and can help avoid social distractions during the lesson 

Bring the energy! 

• Not every lesson will be exciting or engaging, however, it's important to speak clearly and be present. 
• No one likes hearing from someone that speaks in a monotone or stumbles through long-winded narratives.

Know your audience

• Anticipate possible questions and ways you might address each one 

Be reflective 

• Ask for feedback from your students on how the lesson went. Perhaps provide a short evaluation such as rate and comment on the lesson 

Engage Families 

Many schools got creative when connecting with families during the pandemic. They connected with families more than ever to support their students. Developing responsible digital citizens happens best when teachers partner with families to support students. Fortunately, there is help to do so. 

Common Sense Education has a free Family Engagement Implementation Guide that provides a three-step process for setting up family involvement throughout the year. Highlights include a family engagement toolkit for educators and family advocates that provides valuable tips and tools to share with parents and caregivers.

The K-12 digital citizenship curriculum has family tips and activities, in multiple languages, in each of the curriculum topics including conversation starters for parents and caregivers to have meaningful conversations with their kids around media and tech use. Additionally, Common Sense’s  research-based family resources cover several digital citizenship topics via articles, videos, handouts, workshops and presentations. 

Parents and caregivers of children ages 3-11 can also sign up for Common Sense’s Tips by Text, where they can receive tips and advice straight from their phones, at no cost in Spanish and English. 

Common Sense Latino is for Spanish-speaking families where they can find resources that are both linguistically and culturally relevant. 

If you're working specifically with younger age children (under 8), Common Sense's Early Childhood Toolkit is another great resource for helping families nurture young children's development and executive functioning skills in the digital age, with six scripted workshops in English and Spanish. 

Select a Digital Citizenship Curriculum 

Schools can select Free Digital Citizenship Sites, Lessons and Activities to use in their school. Ideally these lessons would be taught by a variety of staff throughout the school year. 

Become Recognized 

Common Sense Education enables educators, schools, and districts to become recognized for leading digital teaching and citizenship in today’s classrooms. 

The Common Sense Recognition Program provides the latest teaching strategies and ensures those who participate receive well-deserved credit for their work.
A Common Sense Educator, School, or District, will learn to lead responsible and effective tech use in their school communities and build their practice along the way. 

It’s free to participate in this program.

 Grow Your Digital Citizenship Knowledge 

Common Sense Education is perhaps the most well known source for guidance on digital citizenship. 

Here are some resources that can help teachers as they incorporate more technology into their teaching and learning.

• Digital citizenship self-paced workshop - In this one-hour interactive training, you'll learn the six core concepts of digital citizenship and explore how you can integrate Common Sense's curricular lessons into your classroom. Educators who complete this course will earn a certificate of completion.  
•  Protecting student privacy course - Learn why students' online privacy is important and best practices for managing the risk to your students when using technology. In this one-hour interactive training, you'll explore specific tools and methods for assessing the privacy and security of products commonly used in the classroom. Educators who complete this course will earn a certificate of completion. 
• Digital citizenship playlist: 12-minute how-to videos on digital dilemmas, digital interactives, quick activities, and a SEL in Digital Life Resource Center.
• Common Sense webinars (approximately 30 - 60 min) on a range of topics.  
• Do’s and Don'ts of Social Media for the Classroom - Learn how to keep student information confidential on social media.  
• How to Get Kids Ready to Video Chat for Online Classes - Short article with helpful tips on how to prepare students for online learning. 
• Help Kids Navigate Viral Social Media Stunts - Learn why kids participate in viral social media challenges and how you can help them make responsible decisions.
• 9 Digital Etiquette Tips - Teaching students how to navigate the digital world in a socially acceptable way starts with modeling good behavior.

As schools move to a new normal that values digital learning, it is more important than ever to establish norms, assign roles, determine best practices, select a curriculum, know resources, involve families, and become recognized for this work. Each of these elements will be crucial to ensure the comfort and success of our teachers, students, and their families. 

• Microsoft Teams Tips and Tricks for Teachers
• 6 Tips to Ensure Free Education Apps Are Safe

How can schools use data to personalize the learning experience for all students? 

“We’re really starting to see districts rally around the data, and trying to get it into the hands of school-level administrators to drive future decisions,” said Dr. Adam Cibulka, Senior Manager Student Analytics for Frontline Education, during a recent Tech & Learning virtual roundtable discussion. “We have students who have been in crisis through this entire time, and they might not be telling us they're in crisis, so we need to make sure and find a way to take all the data sets that we have put it in a spot for our team to analyze and act on because many times those students would not cry out that they need help.”

Educators and experts discussed this and how they are using data to benchmark student performance, target opportunity gaps, develop strategies to accelerate student learning, and ensure all students have equitable learning opportunities.

See the free on-demand version here

Key Takeaways

Whole child focus. “Equity means that everyone is searching to find their place. And every one is looking for a chance to have a chance,” said Dr. Searetha Smith-Collins, 7 Mindsets Chief Academic Officer. “So as we think about data collection and analyzing data, and finding ways to support learning and opportunities, we have to keep that in mind as our underlying thoughts.” 

Currently, district leaders are focused on educator recruiting, staffing, and training, while school-level priorities are mainly centered on social-emotional learning and areas beyond pure academic performance. “I love something that Louisa May Alcott said. ‘I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship,’” said Smith-Collins. “And I think for those of us who have successfully managed through this process that we just concluded, about 700-plus days of COVID and its impact, we're closer to knowing now that we need to develop the whole child, the whole person. We know that we can now get back to transforming education and building positive, happy humans.”

Data rich, analytics poor. Cibulka discussed how Frontline has been working hard with districts to develop analytics dashboards that allows educators to easily combine and analyze student data, from attendance to what apps they have, to create better supports. “We need the data to know where we are now so we can craft a path to where we want to be,” he said. 

“Many of our clients are saying, ‘We’re data rich and analytics poor – where do we go?’” said Dr. CyLynn Braswell, Advisor for Student Analytics at Frontline Education. Educators really want to understand the metrics to know who their students are and what the community is experiencing, and to move forward. “If we're not careful about how we pivot, if we continue to keep circling back around, we're going to go right back to where we were pre-COVID and not providing the opportunities for young people.”

“Data doesn’t give you the answer, but it helps you answer what the reality is and how to monitor the situation,” said Dr. Barbara Ybarra, Associate Superintendent of Teaching & Learning for Bryan ISD in Texas. Ultimately, she said, “It's about the progress, the conversation, and the action. And that comes from strong leadership, that's built on trust in a collaborative way that’s shared between the campus, the district, and all the other teams coming together to make the greatest positive impact on that child in the time that I have with them.” 

Using data to better support equity. Smith-Collins noted that a lot of professors weren’t ready for the same learning emergencies as there was in K-12, which trickled down into instruction. “We can’t depend on what we think will be certain, so we have to prepare for different ways of doing business,” she said. “We saw that there are shortages and uneven opportunities so we have to begin to look at how we are delivering teaching and learning and assessments. And is it really addressing the needs of all of our families and students?” Consequently, using data to inform decisions around the appropriate curriculum tools that will help teachers make shifts to virtual learning, if need be, is critical. 

Students who are connected to the school community tend to thrive, so it’s critical to track  data in order to make those connections for all students, said Ybarra. It’s also important to address the opportunity gaps within families, and providing data to the community is a part of that, especially for district improvement plans. “Nothing's worse than being asked to actually sit at the table and not being allowed to eat,” she said. “That happens in the data and we see it. These tools allow us to actually become actionable around it and say everyone will come to the table and all will eat.”

• Tech & Learning Webinars

Paul Sanfrancesco, Director of Technology, Owen J. Roberts SD, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Paul Sanfrancesco’s theme has always been, “How does this help students?” Add in a pandemic, school shutdowns, COVID chaos, and ineffective connectivity throughout the district and you might think that theme would shift to something more akin to, “How do we stay sane through this?” But Sanfrancesco’s unflappable tackling of issues as each arose kept his district on course, while his forethought and careful planning helped teachers and students not only muddle through, but thrive.

“Fortunately, we had set up programs to address implementing a new learning management system and creating a one-to-one device district before the pandemic started,” says Sanfrancesco. “We recognized the future benefit, so it was nonnegotiable that every teacher had to have a page, learn Zoom and Google Meet. When the pandemic hit, we already had staff well-versed in how to run an online classroom.”

Putting their energy into professional development and training paid off when the unthinkable took place.

“These programs already having been rolled out gave our tech department the luxury of pivoting to focus on access at home,” he says. “In our elementary level, we had one-to-one via in-school carts, so we had to get those devices out to everyone who needed one. (The middle and high already brought theirs home.) So it wasn’t as chaotic for us. Once the students had internet, we were good to go.”

Nominate someone for the Tech & Learning Innovative Leader Award here

Going the Distance and Beyond 

Implementing remote learning during the pandemic often meant Sanfrancesco driving through the district to get the tech into little hands, personally visiting 200 homes to deliver devices. Then a new challenge arose.

“Getting the internet in homes got tricky,” he says. “We had to get different brands of hot spots because some just didn’t work. Kids were using unreliable cell phones to run their internet at times. When it came to running Zoom and playing videos, they simply didn’t have the bandwidth capability. So we worked with Verizon and Comcast to get their paid hotspots open with free access.” 

Some parents couldn’t get to school, so Sanfresco and everyone available – including the district superintendent – went to them, even if it meant meeting on front porches. “We also kept our campus wifi open so parents could just pull in the parking lot,” he says. “Even if buildings were closed, kids could go on the playground and fields and access what they needed. We even had outside school sessions— sometimes you just jump in and do it and make it happen.”

Build the Team, Build the Magic 

 That kind of magic isn’t a solo effort, a fact Sanfrancesco is the first to point out.

“My team was amazing,” he says. “I would say we need to meet at 4 am, 5 am to set this up, they were there, no problem. We offered 24/7 support, where each person in the tech department took a night to be on duty. Sometimes parents are trying to open an app at 10 pm and only then realize they couldn’t figure it out. Some kids left the country, some got stuck in other places in different time zones, some chose to temporarily relocate— we had to keep everyone connected and able to access the learning materials. We wore masks, we wore gloves, we were outside in the heat sweating in PPE—early in the pandemic we just didn’t know. And not one person complained.”

The community and school board were also supportive. “If we hadn’t had the leadership and vision to have all those programs set up before the pandemic, I don’t know what would have happened,” Sanfrancesco says. “It would have been chaos. That tech plan allowed us to us focus on the students and teachers.”  

Sustainable Classrooms 

Sustainable to Sanfrancesco means smart planning to create a future-proof system poised to support itself. It doesn’t hurt that his program also qualified for the eco-sense of the word, by repairing broken tech.

“We knew we needed dedicated people for Chromebook repair even before the pandemic,” says Francesco. “Suddenly, students were using those Chromebooks for everything at home. We decommissioned a few laptops, took off the software, and then gave it to the kids to break and repair and rebuild. You talk about STEM and STEAM, but then when you see it in play, happening outside the curriculum, it’s a pretty cool event. We trained students to go into the community so they could help their neighbors and siblings. Today we have a team of students handling Canvas and Google and device repair—and they are self-sustaining. The kids have really helped us maintain what we had.”

Sustainable also means making tough calls to ensure a bright future in tech purchasing, especially when receiving extra COVID funding.

“We purchased things that were already in our budget and just sped up the timelines, so we knew we could sustain them in the future,” he says. “A lot of teachers wanted all these free apps and the software companies were throwing at the schools during the pandemic. We made sure they understood ‘you need to use the resources we already have because after the pandemic we can’t fund the free stuff once they go paid’. It was hard when they came to us from home desperately trying anything and everything to keep their students engaged. We would mine things already in our system that could do the same function to keep our plan intact. I needed to know we would be able to support them when we all came back.”

Consequently, the district is experiencing much less learning loss than expected. After feedback from teachers, Sanfrancesco is putting in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)  to ensure they are doing everything they can to keep students where they need to be. 

Big Plans for the Future 

“What am I excited about for the future? Esports,” says Sanfrancesco. “We wanted to start right before the pandemic. With the kids online and doing a lot of gaming when they were all home, we started the program. We had over 140 high school students come out to join the club— an overwhelming turnout. We are going to start with Rocket League and aim for major competitions. The kids can’t wait. We have esports studios within our district and it’s pretty cool that we are now entering that arena in a competitive way. It’s a neat thing to see, we’re talking education again, we’re getting excited about learning. The students are excited. That’s pretty awesome.”

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Lightspeed Systems recently announced that it had acquired the ENA affiliate CatchOn, Inc. 

Here’s what educators need to know about the coming together of these two edtech companies. 

What Does This Mean for Districts That Use Lightspeed and CatchOn?  

Lightspeed and CatchOn’s analytics products will eventually be integrated. “The plan is to let our customers who already use CatchOn continue to use that, and our customers who already used Lightspeed analytics to continue to use that, but the goal is to merge any technology that is in Lightspeed's analytics product into CatchOn,” says Brian Thomas, president and CEO of Lightspeed Systems. “There's a lot more features in CatchOn products than there are in Lightspeed’s analytics products.” 

CatchOn founder Jena Draper hopes the bolstered analytic tool will help across other Lightspeed services. “We should be thinking about how analytics impacts safety, classroom management, filtering – there's just a tremendous amount of value,” she says. 

Suzy Brooks, director of instructional technology at Mashpee Public Schools, was intrigued by the potential of the acquisition. “Our district has been a client of CatchOn for many years,” she wrote via email. “With Lightspeed’s leadership in online safety and classroom management, we’re excited about the potential for visibility into a students’ engagement, academic, and mental health status in one place.” 

Why Did Lightspeed Acquire CatchOn?  

Thomas says he and other executives at Lightspeed were interested in both CatchOn’s mission to help leaders to accurately assess their online software application investments and the data and analytics technology the company had developed. 

Lightspeed technology reaches more than 20 million students in 39 countries and 32,000 schools globally. The company utilizes patented agents to provide web filtering for school districts. “Those agents allowed us to do mobile device management, classroom management, and a product called Alert, which is our human review and artificial intelligence that allows us to predict if a student is at risk of harming themselves or others,” Thomas says. However, members of the company realized there was other potentially useful information about learning that could be gathered at the same time, and that the company could move into “a form of analytics.” 

This type of technology is what led Draper to form CatchOn in 2016. “Jena and the CatchOn team were developing agents of their own and technology that was also solving analytics problems. And she was, honestly, doing it before us, and doing a better job,” Thomas says. 

Draper and Thomas have long been friends, and when Thomas learned that ENA was going to sell CatchOn, he was interested in acquiring the company. “Because CatchOn’s product was at least 18 months to 24 months ahead of the Lightspeed analytics product, and I had great faith in Jena's alignment with Lightspeed, we thought that the merger of two companies would be really exciting,” Thomas says. 

 How Will This Acquisition Help CatchOn?  

CatchOn was founded by Draper in 2016. “The overarching problem that I wanted to help school districts solve was how to use technology efficiently and effectively,” she says. “I wanted them to really understand and harness the full power and potential that technology provided classrooms and teachers and students. And I had this assumption from my own experience in school, that they didn't fully grasp it. It was being used more, but it wasn't necessarily being effectively used and used in a way that could really benefit education as a whole.” 

Draper met with many school leaders and realized they had minimal systems in place to measure what technology was purchased, how or even whether it was used, and what the overall return on investment was. Schools had limited data on technology usage and much of the data they had was being filtered through the companies they worked with, which had a high potential for bias. 

Draper asked if a program that would work as a black box on an airplane, and show district leaders where kids went online and what tools they utilized, would be helpful. “They said, ‘If you can do that, you'll be solving one of the biggest problems in K-12 education. And I thought, ‘Okay, that sounds fun. Challenge accepted.’” 

Being acquired by Lightspeed will help CatchOn grow and reach more students and educators. “I’m delighted to be with Lightspeed,” Draper says. “I've been a fan of theirs for a long time. I love how quickly they move. I love the problems that they solve. I love their agility. I think CatchOn has a fantastic new home, that's going to just amplify and accelerate our vision to the nth degree.” 

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Each week, more public education sites report phishing attacks, data hacks, and ransomware demands. In 2021, 62 school districts and 26 colleges or universities were hit. On January 4, 2022, 3,000 K-12 schools were caught in an international ransomware attack.

“It’s gotten to the point that it’s not ‘if’ we are attacked, but ‘when’ it will happen,” says Sandra Paul, director of information technology at Township of Union Public Schools in New Jersey. “There are at least four districts in our area that have been hacked in the last few years.” 

While everyone is trying to save money, they are also loading more items onto their data network such as security cameras, HVAC systems, and other Internet of Things devices, which create more potential openings for hackers, says Paul. Protecting it all grows proportionally, so investing in cyber insurance is becoming a necessity. And even those districts that can't afford it can benefit from exploring the process.

“Not everyone can buy cyber insurance. There are a lot of requirements before you can get approved, such as multifactor authorization, specific filters, and so on,” she says. “Cyber insurance doesn’t protect you from getting hacked but complying with the insurance company’s requirements can make you a lot safer.”

Paul reports that policies are different. If you have a DNS attack and your data is held for a ransom, your insurance may cover some of the ransom, but it usually just covers what it would cost to remediate your equipment back when you need it. For example, it generally takes 48 to 72 hours to get servers back in service. 

“We don’t feel safe, but we’re doing everything we can to protect our network,” says Paul. “We have a $1 million policy, which is standard, and we use outside services to help us monitor our systems looking for holes.” 

She shares the list from her insurance company to help districts see what system and process requirements are in play to be approved for cyber insurance.

Cyber Insurance: Questions about Security, Privacy, and Media Controls 

Some school leaders are upset to find out that they don’t qualify for cybersecurity insurance. Schools and districts have to make investments in protecting themselves before insurance underwriters will approve a policy. 

To start that process, here is a list of some of the typical questions an insurer wants districts to answer:

• Do you have firewalls in place to protect your data and devices? 
• Do you have antivirus software in place to protect your data and devices? 
• Do you encrypt your data at rest, in transit and/or on mobile devices? 
• Do you have an intrusion detection/prevention system in place to protect your data and devices? 
• Do you conduct vulnerability scanning and patching? 
• Do you require the use of multi-factor authentication? 
• Do you back up your electronic data? 
• Do you have a business continuity plan, disaster recovery plan, and an incident response plan? 
• Do you have a written information security policy and/or privacy policy? 
• Do you have vendor risk management protocols in place that address cyber risk controls, contractual liability, indemnification, etc.? 
• If you are a covered entity under HIPPA, COPPA, FERPA, the Red Flag Rule or any other similar law, do you have measures in place to comply with your obligations under the applicable laws? 
• If you process credit card payments or store credit card payment information, do you comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS)? 
• Do you have an employee who is trained to address cyber risk issues? 
• Do you have a content review process in place to review content/material being disseminated prior to release? 
• Do you obtain proper licensing for content/material? 
• Do you have procedures in place to remove controversial content/material? 

HINT: the answers to most of these questions should be “yes.”

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The last week of January is National Data Privacy Week. As part of the global online safety, security, and privacy campaign called ‘Stop. Think. Connect.’—an initiative of the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)—this serves as a reminder to those in education to evaluate how we are doing when it comes to keeping our students and their data safe in the classrooms and beyond.

Student Data Privacy Rules—Is the Party Over? 

Educators are trying their best to keep kids feeling connected and excited about school, even in these chaotic and uncertain times during which “school” might be located in a different place each week. Does remote school safety mean an end to the fun of sharing and showing off projects and achievements?

“We don’t need to stop celebrating the students and their work,” says Eileen Belastock, Director of Technology and Information at Nauset Public Schools, Orleans, Massachusetts. “We just have to make sure it’s safe and secure. So it means having district-sanctioned social media accounts, or a secured website where only your art Google classroom or your students’ parents can see what’s going on." 

Getting permission from parents to even have their child’s image and voice out there is a must. “At the beginning of the year they sign off on a general release form,” says Belastock. “But whether it’s a project they want to showcase on a website of the great things these kids are doing or a video clip pulled from Zoom, systems can be set up to ask permission from parents every time before posting. We’re not trying to say no, we are just trying to do it safely. Yes, it’s an extra step, but the last thing we want to do is put a child in jeopardy.” 

Student Data Security: An Issue Not Remotely Going Away 

It feels as if the news is peppered with daily stories of school data breaches and privacy leaks. Is this just the buzzword of the day or a developing issue schools need to tackle to ensure the safety of their students?

“Information security and privacy have grown and will continue advancing as major factors for all educational institutions,” says Ed Zuger, J.D., Associate Professor and Dean at University of the Cumberlands, School of CIS. “During the past couple years, the revolution of remote schooling removed security controls from the relatively careful environs of trained, formal IT experts. We now have hundreds or thousands of separated students and their homegrown security ‘solutions’—e.g., the $120 big box router. Along the way, every new node, onramp, and pathway amounts to another point-of-entry for potential criminals, not only to access content on students’ personal devices, but to walk through these unlocked and interconnected doorways into sensitive data on the greater school networks.”

Ask any cybersecurity pro and they will say the most risky element of keeping a system protected is the users. “So how do we save the budget?” says Zuger. “Do what we do best and teach. Teach our staff and students how to be savvy cyber-citizens. The best and most expensive security network can’t undo the damage of a careless user clicking on malicious links or kicking open a virtual doorway for any outsider to wander in.”

In conjunction with that, Belastock offers some best practices for schools.

Assess your current landscape. How is the district software being acquired—at the school level, the teacher level? You need to have an easily accessible vetting process so there is a process in place for approval to ensure there are no inherent risks within that tech. 

Be transparent about why. We don’t want to be the people of “No.” Explain to teachers and parents, “What if it was your photo being tagged in a public site or your personal video being shared because there wasn’t security preventing that?” Make it relatable for adults to drive home the importance.

Partner with vendors. Talk to them as there are a lot of data privacy agreements available. Vendors want you to use their product, so make sure they understand your privacy policies. It’s been really helpful for our district.

Get the word out to the school community. Put it in the face of the superintendent, go to school board meetings, just talk about this whenever you can. Talk to teachers, students, parents— always share the same mantra about protecting student and staff data. 

Why Student Data Privacy Matters

“What drives my institution to maintain tight security protocols is the value of our students,” says Zuger. “We are talking about some of the most vulnerable in society, as well as the most targeted because of the inherent vulnerabilities of those who have not yet experienced life’s cautions.”

In some cases, the consequences of lax security protocols could be much more serious than a paper getting swiped, risqué photo accessed or grade changed.

“Years ago, we interrupted a potentially dangerous incident,” Zuger says. “One student, intent on personally connecting with another, tracked their target’s computer lab usage and circumvented our security by installing a keylogger on their usual workstation. This tool records every keystroke, giving access to countless private and personal communications, passwords and data. However, because our protocols included regularly reviewing logs and system changes, we spotted the keylogger, identified the offender and they were turned over to law enforcement before the student-victim was ever compromised.”

An Uphill Challenge

With increasingly more sophisticated cyber criminals and hackers out there, it can make a district leader wonder if there is any point to trying to shield things anymore.

“On the one hand, there is some rationale in simply throwing the hands up. Everyone is prone. The trillion-dollar organization that is the U.S. government, with endless human capital expertly trained and practiced in cyber-defense, still experiences scores of attacks and breaches daily,” says Zuger. “But on the other more practical hand, why do we secure anything? We lock our front doors, enable the car alarm, and use PIN at the ATM. In those days of yore, nearly everyone left their front door unlocked. Eventually we realized that by simply spinning that deadbolt we might shuffle the scofflaw to the next address for easier access.”

Although it might feel like an overwhelming challenge, doing what we can to protect our students is non negotiable. 

“It can be expensive. Securing assets does not create revenue; it costs. So there must be a discussion about the hard costs, both of the tech and in training users to use and rely on the security solutions,” says Zuger. “What, though, might the cost of noncompliance be? Our students’ reputations, psychological and physical health? The institution’s reputation? Accreditation, even? All those and more are at risk. We have a duty to our students and our communities.”

“We can’t control what humans do,” says Belastock. “But we as tech directors can have all the safeguards, communications policies regarding public displays—we can at least do our best to protect our students. There will always be that one parent who takes a video or photos at a celebration and puts it out on Facebook. We can at least say we did our due diligence and put protections in place.”

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Two major issues are on the minds of E-rate applicants this year, says John Harrington, CEO of Funds For Learning, an E-rate compliance firm. 

First, Funds For Learning’s most recent E-rate Trends Report revealed that many E-rate applicants would like to see E-rate funding expanded to include cybersecurity. Second, The FCC’s has proposed changes to the E-rate competitive bidding process in a manner Harrington and others believe could hinder the administration of the program, which provides discounts of between 20 and 90 percent on broadband access cost for schools and libraries.

E-rate Cybersecurity  

Without proper cybersecurity, school networks are vulnerable to attacks and can be shut down, leading to the loss of learning opportunities. Network breaches can also compromise student data. 

Even so, many of the cybersecurity resources schools need to protect their networks currently are not eligible for E-rate funding. “The mission of the E-rate program has always been to help connect students and library patrons to the internet, and to provide the support for whatever goods and services were necessary to make that happen, and nothing else,” Harrington says. “Just the essential pieces, not just not the software that they use, or any of that, but the essential pieces.” 

However, as time has gone on, Harrington says the regulations around the program have not kept pace with the way technology has evolved. “Now in order to just have a network up and running requires a whole different suite of hardware and software to keep it safe and accessible,” he says. “But the FCC has not kept the E-rate-eligible services list up to date. That is really the frustration point for school leaders today. They are looking at their networks, and it's not optional for them whether or not they provide security – they have to.” 

The argument against expanding E-rate-eligible services is that there may not be enough funding to cover these additional needs. However, Harrington and others say that since E-rate funding is already capped, district leaders should be able to allocate funding as they see fit. “Provide schools the opportunity to prioritize their needs,” he says, adding that many IT directors would choose to spend money to secure their existing network rather than expand it. 

Potential E-rate Competitive Bidding Change 

The FCC has proposed creating a bidding system in which all the E-rate requests would be processed through one centralized document portal managed by the Universal Service Administrative Company. This new system would replace the process by which service providers submit bids directly to applicants for E-Rate-supported equipment and services. 

“There's a great deal of skepticism around that, because there are about 21,000 applicants that participated in the E-rate program last year, and about 45,000 different contracts that are listed on applications,” Harrington says. “Each one of those applicants has a slightly different set of rules and policies, and there are different laws governing different states, different jurisdictions, and there is not a one-size-fits-all set of rules for procurement.” 

If the plan goes forward, he says, “Either the FCC is going to create a one-size-fits-all system that somehow everyone now has to adjust their bidding processes to, or they're going to have to make some incredibly complex system that can somehow accommodate all of the different requirements of these different states and different localities.” 

Although the proposed change will not impact the current E-rate cycle, many school leaders are worried. Officials in California have submitted comments saying that such an application process would violate California state law. 

The proposal was made in response to audits in which some E-rate recipients did not keep proper documentation of their bids. While those instances of non-compliance should be addressed, Harrington doesn’t believe a change this dramatic is warranted. “You don't have to re-engineer the entire system that's worked out really well for 24 years,” he says. 

What District Leaders and Others Can Do to Have The FCC Listen to Their Concerns About E-rate?  

School leaders who want the FCC to expand E-rate funding for cybersecurity and who worry about the change to a centralized bidding system, should make their thoughts known by writing directly to the FCC while public comment is open, Harrington says. 

Additionally, he advises education leaders to reach out to their local congressional representatives who may be unaware of the potential negative impact of the proposed changes. 

“The E-rate program impacts every school district in America,” Harrington says. “They all depend on it. The internet connections that they have all rest on this program. And this action by the FCC could really disrupt that.” 

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In December 2021 principals everywhere found themselves scrambling to provide assurances to their communities while investigating an increased number of security threats. I was one of those principals, and have become alarmed, not as much by the threats, but by the misinformation being fed to our communities. 

Consider that school communities are already taxed by the seemingly never-ending pandemic. Add unsettling news and we are instantaneously brought over the edge. An increase in toxic groupthink amplifies these problems. 

I have researched and written about the negative effects of social media distortions, and propose time-tested practices for school leaders and their communities to embrace. For example, start by presenting convincing evidence of truth, and help people reclaim an objective lens. Help them see that misinformation is the dangerous product of an online feedback loop, with algorithms designed to drive more inaccurate news content, further fueling our confusion and concern.

While increasing school tragedies expose the harshest societal realities, an event is still far unlikely to occur. Reinforcing ways to fight online misinformation begins with a recognition of the damage caused, and formulating strategic ways to address panic and anxiety. 

These challenges disrupt school communities, so we must find ways to make schools restorative sanctuaries for learning. Recognition starts with identifying the toxic groupthink as a hyperactive hive mind that impairs everyone.

The Hyperactive Hive Mind in Schools 

The hyperactive hive mind is groupthink at its worst. It is inflamed by the destructive forces of digital disruptions. 

While school violence causes devastating tragedy, students have a far lower chance of being harmed in school than almost any other risk they face. This includes traveling to and from school, catching a potentially deadly disease, and suffering from a life-threatening injury through interscholastic sports. But the hyperactive hive mind fools us into believing the risk is far greater.

Why?

People are emotionally connected to their children, and that causes us to override practical thinking and logic. We assess the prominence of a school shooting, based less on the probability and more on the nature of the experience. Scientists refer to this as the awareness heuristic: a mental shortcut we rapidly make to measure the expected chance of something too big for us to understand. These shortcuts are often grossly inaccurate, catalyzed by primal thoughts that are the enemy of higher cognitive processing. Social media aggravates this. In fact, a Twitter study confirms that false information travels so much faster than facts that the frequency occurs fully six times faster.

No wonder school communities endure hyperactive hive mindset. We are inundated with misinformation, and filtering through this can be overwhelming. How do we overcome this and find a path to truth?

The Answer

Consider two interconnected paths to provide protective solutions: internal (within school) and external (beyond school walls).

Internal: Shield learners and staff within schools in ways that allow them to engage the frontal lobe for higher thinking while protected at school. The climate leaders commit to cause a lasting impact on a child’s experience. Fortifying a school community with the structures to nurture the kind of learning that creates engaging interactive experiences is the answer.

Numerous models promote learner-friendly, comfortable environments. For example, New Jersey’s Positive Behavior Support in Schools System is a positive behavior incentive program for individual students and schools. Evidence-based programs should be inclusive and integrated in all communities.

External: Focus on teaching students and families about outside traps we are prone to, and how to find escapes.

Students are away from school for two-thirds of their day. Educators have little control over what students are exposed to, and how to manage the many obstacles and confusion they encounter. This is especially true of negative content and misinformation. 

A best practice is to teach self-regulation strategies. Our work assisting students and families in managing the constant distractions and alarming news cycles includes a strong commitment to simplify this information.

Also highlight for families reliable, evidence-based truths. Unveil this, and the statistical probabilities highlighted previously. Teach students and families alternative habits. 

Teaching Focused Empowerment in a Distracted World 

The Benign Disinhibition Effect

Use social media to initiate positive social media experiences, something referred to as the benign disinhibition effect. Positive, supportive, and monitored groups who aid one another anonymously offer a safe and confidential place to seek support. 

These are searchable online, and having access to such a group offers an alternative that is healthy for online engagement, similar to the effect of anonymous, in-person support groups.

Diminish Comparison Effects

Many well-known figures address comparison traps by exposing the real version of themselves online. They are closing the fantasy gap of a perfect persona who students feel they cannot compare to. It is wonderful to see famous individuals share their vulnerabilities to empower others to feel okay about their own imperfections.  

Inhibit Bad Online Behavior

Teach children the damaging effects of misbehavior online. Online history is easily uncovered by colleges and potential employers through searchable, archived databases. Helping learners recognize that behaving badly online is never kept secret enables them to avoid going down that path before it’s too late.

Remember Online Feedback Loops Make Us Less Intelligent

Help students see that negative social media engagement has an adverse effect on their wellness. In fact, it drives them to be less intelligent, which has a harmful, and potentially long-term damaging effect on their aspirations and dreams. Using on and offline tools, such as ambient noise, journaling, and gratitude practices, are all methods to fight against the detrimental effects of the hyperactive hive mind and, in turn, individually harmful impacts.

Consolidating these ideas into a framework and implementing these practices can result in groupthink being shifted into productive flow rather than a hyperactive hive mindset.

Students and families need to understand the benefits of solitude and a tranquil absence from the relentless echoes of online rants. Learning to harness this time instead in more constructive ways yields productivity dividends that are remarkably more positive. This enables whole schools to empower themselves to thrive, rather than suffer.

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As the Chief Technology Officer for a small, rural school district nestled in the hills of Appalachia, it is critically important that any recommendation I make to replace an aging system or network component be deliberate and strategic to ensure the optimal utilization of finite financial resources. Some of the schools in the district I serve were constructed 60+ years ago. When systems such as school intercoms begin to far outreach end-of-life status, it is extremely important to cast a vision for how a school intercom system can be upgraded with forward-facing purpose. 

We always like to begin such a process by examining all the solution market leaders and by reaching out to colleagues across the nation to inquire about solutions they have researched and adopted. An important step in the process is to “dream the big dream” as it pertains to exploring the functionality the new solution might offer that could eliminate other costs and integrate systems for high-impact, cross-functional support of the school and the people who teach and learn within. 

Much has changed in the school intercom market since the introduction of the traditional solutions. School safety must now be woven into each decision we make and every solution we deploy. School intercom systems can now serve as an important, integrated security tool that puts the power where it belongs, in the hands of the teachers in the building. 

In addition, scientific research has proven the correlation to students’ ability to hear their teachers clearly, especially during the early years when they are first learning letter sounds, and becoming phonetically astute. Consequently, intercom/communication solutions should include a classroom audio component that allows teachers to speak in normal voice level while providing instruction. In doing so, a teacher can better clarify letter sounds, focus on enunciation and pronunciation, and preserve the integrity of their own voice function throughout their busy day of teaching. 

New School Intercom System: Staying Connected with Teachers

In Greeneville City School District, we just recently replaced the second of eight old intercom systems with a state-of-the-art solution called Audio Enhancement EPIC. This deployment includes a complete “rip and replace” for our district. The new speakers are clear and crisp, which allows us to meet the traditional needs of office-to-classroom communication needs, and the system provides many integrated tools and resources that are proving to be transformational. 

For example, by incorporating the Classroom Audio component of the system into our latest install, teachers are reporting extremely positive feedback. At Tusculum View Elementary School, teachers enter classrooms each morning and immediately place a small, comfortable device around their necks. Once powered on, the device affords the teacher a seamless way to signal the front office of a classroom emergency simply by pushing a button. A discreet visual indicator in each classroom keeps the teacher apprised of actions being taken without the need to contact or be contacted by the front office. 

The device also serves as a microphone, and by projecting the teacher’s voice via strategically placed speakers, the focus is on voice clarification more than on voice amplification. Teachers report increases in student attention and listening, and they say that they leave school each day with less fatigue and less tired vocal cords. And when teachers speak in a normal voice, students lower their own voices in kind, making for lower classroom noise levels. 

School administrators and front office personnel are now able to easily create and manage zones such as “Kindergarten Classrooms” or “Third Grade Hall” to eliminate disrupting the instructional day with unnecessary or irrelevant announcements and notifications, which have shown to lead to the loss of significant learning time. Teachers and office personnel can also seamlessly converse with no need to push buttons or utilize classroom telephones during the day. High-quality sound and music can be streamed to zones and/or the entire school as students arrive and depart each day. 

With two EPIC systems fully installed and deployed, our district will now focus on replacing at least one system per year as part of capital budget planning. Because we invested in the upfront work and research, we now have a replicable school communication system that we believe will serve our schools for many years to come. 

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Once you’ve been through the process, finding and writing another grant proposal is a bit simpler. It may seem like you’re back to square one, but you’re actually way ahead. You have a good sense of what grant proposals require and what judges want to see.  

It’s a good idea to know why your original grant proposal didn’t win. Ask the funder for comments about it. Read the summaries of projects that did win. Try it again – tweak it, adapt it, or find a different funder. Or find a new idea. The important piece is to get started.

Your Next Grant Proposal: 10 Steps to Getting Started

1. What do you want to do? 

You know that grant givers are looking for strong proposals. Think through your ideas and make sure you pick the one that’s most important for student learning. State your idea as an elevator pitch (with just enough supporting details to convince others).

2. Talk to others and build a team

Build support for your idea. Put together a team to discuss and plan. Make sure they are willing to carry out the project if it’s funded or not, and that they also will contribute to the grant-writing process. 

3. Enlist resources and stakeholders 

Be sure of your ability to carry out the plan and the commitment of your supervisors, personnel you’ve tapped for the project, and the community. 

4. Identify funding sources

You may want a grant from small, community-based funds or large-scale corporate or government programs. Tech & Learning’s Grant Guide lists and details various types of funding programs, including federal grants (both formula and program grants), state grants, foundation grants, community grants, and corporate grants.

5. Find what grants are out there

Grant search sites can help you target specific grants. Some are free and some are subscription-based, and offer various kinds of advice. The four most often used are Candid, Grants.gov, Grant Gopher, and Grant Watch.  

6. Narrow it down 

Before you start writing, review the grants you find carefully. You want to match the perfect grant to meet your needs. So make sure you know what you want and exactly what the RFP is looking for. Is it a good fit? 

7. Check out the funder

After you’ve found one or two potential funding sources that you think would be a good fit for you, review the company or agency to make sure they offer the kinds of grants you need. You can look into their funding history, review their web sites (and success stories) thoroughly, check their social media presence, and contact them.

8. Do the math

Is the amount of money available in the grant sufficient for your needs? Determine ahead of time what staff and equipment you will need for your program and see if this grant will cover it. If it doesn’t, there might be other sources of funding you can tap into. 

9. Read the directions 

Review the grant application instructions carefully and check other projects they’ve funded so you know how to answer each part of the grant.

10. Know how they evaluate proposals

Scoring criteria are often included in the grant request for proposals and many have a scoring rubric. Each item has an assigned point value, usually from 5 to 20 points. These include areas such as the application presentation and format, the program you’ve described, professional development, access to technology and support, communication and collaboration, budget, and sustainability. 

All of the above are necessary but the most important piece is to start writing. You have the knowledge of what you want and what to do. You have a great background in understanding the grant writing process. And you have the motivation to gather your team and get started. Good luck! 

• Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next
• Leveraging Funds To Improve Schools and Meet the Needs of All Students

This last 15 months or more has been unlike any other for most district leaders. All are still navigating situations they have never been prepared to deal with nor had any formal training on.   

In a recent survey, fifty Midwest school district superintendents were asked for one word that described the last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The top results were: “chaotic,” “challenging,” “unique,” and “crazy.”  

One of the benefits and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic is using the extra money schools received from the federal government to manage the “chaotic,” “challenging,” and “unique” educational needs of students and staff. The extra funding is certainly welcome but also presents new questions of how to leverage these resources to improve schools and meet the unique learning needs of all students.  

Due to the stress, increased demands, and lack of staff or community support (in some cases) many district leaders have contemplated leaving their job or moving districts. Education Week reported in August 2020 that 45% of that pandemic conditions are prompting them to leave the job sooner than they had previously planned, according to a survey from the National Association of Secondary School Principals. No superintendent, serving in a large or small district, is immune to the challenges and public criticism throughout the pandemic.

Assessing Needs 

A survey was sent by Grundmeyer Leader Services after Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds were made available to gauge how school districts intended to address learning loss and would look different after the pandemic. Fifty Midwest superintendents responded, offering insights to how they were leveraging the federal money and their feedback offers hope for true long-term school improvement and also calls into question if the increased funds to schools will truly make schools better after the pandemic than before.

In the survey, superintendents were asked to rank the areas to which they devoted the most attention. The most time-consuming tasks reported were “learning recovery” and “mental health for students and staff.” Other areas of priority were “recruiting and/or retaining staff” and “calendar or schedule changes.” 

This was really no surprise when reviewing the data because anyone who watched the news realized how school leaders were trying to decide on how learning would look based on the number of positive cases in their buildings and counties.

For district leaders who are planning for next year, many choices will be available to tackle these challenges. The primary focus for 55% of survey respondents is to address learning loss with the extra funds they were receiving from the pandemic and ESSER, which have been earmarked specifically to address learning loss. However, many superintendents are choosing to spend these monies on heating and cooling systems, building projects, and other initiatives that are further away from the direct impact on students.

The strategies for  addressing learning loss identified on the survey were:

• More time/focus on core content: 46% 
• More teachers or staff: 26% 
• Summer school: 20% 

What to Consider 

One dilemma facing education is that some district leaders are hoping to go back to a new normal that was much like education before the pandemic, and may not fully leverage the funding and urgency to improve their system.  

However, for innovative or progressive district leaders, the pandemic may be the catalyst needed to truly reform or refocus their system. Social and emotional health of students and staff, the need for new learning models, hiring and retaining teaching talent, and the potential hybrid or virtual learning were among the priorities cited by superintendents who responded to the survey.

No doubt that this is a pivotal time in the history of American education. Schools will most likely never get more funding than they are receiving now thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition for students will increasingly become more fierce with K-12 schools offering more online learning options and being innovative about how they prepare students for college and careers.

While district leaders are dedicated to improving or finding a solution to a current challenge, there are many concerns in the field that these approaches may lack three specific things:

A holistic approach. Many decisions are being made in silos, a problem the education field cited as a top barrier for any type of innovation. If district leaders are piecemealing solutions, they will likely end up frustrated and with products that are incompatible. Educators should be looking at resources like IMS Global and finding solutions that are interoperable.

Strategic foresight. As mentioned, many districts are planning to use or have used these funds for ongoing expenses. Using these one-time funds for the workforce and even technology that will need to be refreshed in 3 to 5 years is concerning. Some districts have not aligned these monies with a current 5-year strategic plan, making two plans run parallel without remembering the true goals of the district.

Future funding implications. If this incredible influx of cash does not show significant gains in academic achievement, policymakers will not be easily convinced to provide any additional funds, and could in fact, reduce state funding budgets for education. The result may also lead to solutions such as education savings accounts and opportunities for families to decide how funding is spent for their students.

Looking Ahead

Because of the extra ESSER funding to schools, many districts have been focusing on hiring more teachers. With the extra educators, schools hoped to provide more one-on-one intervention time for students, ramp up instruction for special education students, and offer counseling for students in need. The barrier to this effort has been a lack of candidates entering the profession and other certified staff who are nervous about working in a school system with the health risks that come along with it. 

Many districts have turned to retired and substitute teachers to fill the temporary void. Many states also loosened the regulations around collecting retirement benefits for retired teachers and made it easier for support staff to get their substitute teaching authorization.

In this newfound reality, there is a responsibility for district superintendents to leverage the  resources that will benefit their system long-term. Every choice a superintendent and school board make will have a consequence. Now is the time to take a step back, a deep breath, and look at what we think the future workforce will look like. The systems we design today will make a difference when it comes to how competitive the U.S. is in future markets. If we want students to be ready for the future, we have to teach to that. 

Hopefully, 10 years from now, we will look back and be proud we leveraged the resources provided to truly make a sustainable difference with our schools.

• What The Build Back Better Act Will Mean for Education
• Education Grants: Win or Lose, What to Do Next

Companies that create a diverse IT staff see greater profitability and creativity as well as stronger governance and better problem-solving abilities, thanks to the variety in perspectives, thought processes, and experiences. 

All these benefits transfer to education and edtech, says Diane Doersch, Director of Technology for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Initiative at Digital Promise, and a former director of technology and chief technology and information officer at Green Bay Area Public Schools in Wisconsin. 

“Always the people first,” Doersch says. “You’ve got to take care of the people before the people can do the things you need them to do.”

A school IT staff needs to have a variety of voices around the table to be successful, she says. People from diverse backgrounds offer diverse solutions, so building a structure to support that and in which everyone feels they have a voice -- and that their supervisor has their back -- is important. 

“You have to set the tone for your department, and potentially, your whole school system, on what's acceptable and what's not,” Doersch says. “And that is really going to make a difference on the retention of diverse employees, if you're lucky enough to get them in the door.” 

Diverse School IT Staff: Intentional Recruitment 

Districts have to be intentional about diversity and inclusion in the recruiting processes. They need to consider practices such as compiling lists of professional networks, sourcing from diverse institutions, and attending sponsored technology events to find qualified candidates, says Doersch. 

Competing with private sector salaries is a major concern for school edtech leaders, but the education environment offers other benefits. “Something that we always say about working in a school district versus other IT jobs where you're on call all the time, where it's high stress, where you could be released at any time, is that in education it's pretty stable,” says Doersch. “Okay, maybe we don't pay the best salary, but we have a good community to be part of.” 

If you’re looking to build diversity, the recruiting seeds need to be planted early as the technology field is open to everybody, says Doersch, who encourages districts to invite their own students to see what they do by offering IT tours. “We had a very diverse hardware team, and students actually say, ‘Hey wait I look like him, I could do this.’ Or, ‘Look, she's doing that, I could do this!’” she says. “For me, as the chief, I made sure to get in front of our young women to say, ‘Hey, this is a possibility for you.’ And being an Asian-American was another thing I talked about.”  

Fine-tuning your job description to include more inclusive language is also key as it’s the first thing that a potential employee sees when they're considering working for you. 

Other items to consider regarding job descriptions: 

• Question if existing job competencies are barriers 
• Consider experience vs. degrees as well as all lifestyles 
• Include an equity statement in a job description so potential employees know it’s a priority 
• Eliminate technical jargon 
• Talk about your organization’s culture 

Diverse IT School Staff: Hiring, Onboarding, and Retention

Once the job is posted and diverse candidates begin to apply, it’s helpful to have a diverse interview panel that includes various ages, levels of experience, and cultural backgrounds. Although the process should be standardized, it’s important to not just hire the cultural ‘fit,’ and to model a growth mindset. “Remember, they’re deciding if they want to work for you,” says Doersch.

After a prospect is hired, the onboarding process is crucial to show that your organization has a growth plan, and one in which that employee can see themselves achieving career goals and advancing. Objective criteria and metrics should be clear, as are opportunities for job shadowing, professional learning, and especially, mentorship.    

“We found that we were the strongest when we matched mentors up, so that a person felt that they had somebody to go to to find out procedures or the right person to talk to,” says Doersch. “The people who did end up being those mentors were really out to be helpful, and weren't in it for themselves. They really truly were team players who wanted to make our team better.”

Other actions to consider to boost retention:

• Put people in places to succeed 
• Connect their work with the strategic direction of the district 
• Have high expectations 
• Provide frequent feedback
• Coach employees, focusing on fostering independence, developing critical thinking, improving communication, and stretching their abilities 
• Support their proposals  

As always, listening is key. “I constantly talked to our new employees and our technology integrators because that tends to be a lonely job when you're out working at multiple schools,” says Doersch. “I would check in with them and see how they're doing, see if there's any way to lower barriers for them, etc.”

Improving Your Leadership 

Leaders have to be proactive in their approach to management to support diversity and inclusion. 

It’s also important to make sure your leadership team understands about the potential issues within diverse teams, such as cultural microaggressions. “Teaching your team leaders about microaggressions, and what they are and how to stop them, is going to be key,” says Doersch. “We had monthly staff meetings, so we would talk about these things as a whole group, setting up those guardrails for treating each other respectfully.” Be sure to empower middle-level managers to have the skills to confidently report and address these issues when it happens.

Other leadership points to consider:

• Be supportive by showing authentic interest and building trust 
• Seek different perspectives by inviting ideas from everyone 
• Operate with strong results orientation by emphasizing efficiency and completion and focusing on the important issues and not getting distracted by unimportant ones 
• Solve problems effectively, making sure to gather data before making decisions and resolving disputes fairly 

“In leadership, there are vulnerabilities, and being able to sometimes show your underbelly and be vulnerable shows people that you're human and you're learning right along with them,” says Doersch.

• How to Recruit New Teachers
• 4 High-Impact Tools for School Leaders

School cyberattacks are on the rise. Between August and September of this year, educational organizations were the target of more than 5.8 million malware attacks, accounting for more than half of all such attacks. Along with retail companies, educational institutions were the most likely to be targeted by ransomware attacks, according to a survey conducted by Sophos, an IT security company. 

While a shift to remote learning during the pandemic may have made some attacks easier, cyber crimes have become more common in general over the past decade, says Conor Phoenix, supervisory special agent for the FBI. 

The nature of the attacks has also changed, says Phoenix, who supervises the seven agents who make up the cyber squad of the FBI’s New Haven Field Office. Prior to the pandemic, swatting incidents and denial of service attacks were the most common. “In the last handful of years, ransomware is certainly the number one issue that will get reported to us by school districts,” Phoenix says. 

Phoenix recently spoke to Tech & Learning about how cyber crimes against schools are conducted and shared tips for safeguarding your school against them.

Who is Responsible for School Cyberattacks?  

Perpetrators of school cyberattacks range from individuals to international criminal organizations. Sometimes students even launch denial of service attacks against school systems. “It's something that a student with some computer background could be familiar with,” Phoenix says. Because this kind of attack requires only limited sophistication, students will launch one for reasons as trivial as hoping to postpone a test for which they have not studied. Ransomware attacks, on the other hand, are most commonly launched by criminal organizations outside of the U.S. 

The FBI works hand-in-hand with the U.S. Attorney’s office while investigating cyber crimes, which helps determine the types of cyberattacks on schools they investigate. “For example, a denial of service attack that we were able to determine was [launched by] a student, that is not going to be taken any further by the FBI, or by the U.S. Attorney's Office,” Phoenix says. “But a ransomware incident absolutely would be.”  

Phoenix’s cyber squad primarily handles cyberattacks against schools in Connecticut but works closely with other field offices.

“There are many variants of ransomware that are deployed against victims. Those are controlled by different sets of actors. And so for efficiency, we typically have one or two offices that might focus on any one variant,” Phoenix says. “Here in Connecticut, my office focuses on two separate investigations on two different variants of ransomware and the actors behind those.” 

Another example is investigations into Conti ransomware, which is one of the most common types of ransomware used in attacks nationwide and was launched by Wizard Spider, a hacker group located in Russia. “That's investigated by two of our offices outside of Connecticut, but if there is someone who's been victimized by Conti, I know who the case agents are, my agents can talk to them, figure out what type of intelligence we can share with the victim so they can go through their own network and figure out, ‘Have we identified a point of origin for the intrusion?’ Once we've remediated this, can we be confident that we've removed it out of our system?” 

“Then there's a law enforcement component where we're also trying to gather evidence,” Phoenix adds. “Once a victim is able to get past that immediate phase of incident response, we are trying to gather information so that we can continue to pursue those actors and hopefully, ultimately bring them to justice.”

Protecting Your School From Cyberattacks  

Ransomware attacks tend to get into a victim’s network by either gaining access through a vulnerability in remote desktop protocol ports or via phishing emails. Preventing a remote desktop protocol intruder, often comes down to basic network hygiene. “It's making sure you don't have any remote open access that you don't absolutely need,” Phoenix says. “All computer systems will have vulnerabilities. If there's some appliance or software you're using that has a vulnerability and has a patch available, make sure that you apply that patch as quickly as possible to enhance your security.” 

As for protecting against phishing emails, that is all about educating your staff. “Make sure that they can recognize a suspicious email when they see it and then know what to do with it,” Phoenix says. “Even in my own organization, we have annual information security training. One component of that has to do with phishing emails.” This is very basic, Phoenix says, but will go a long way to protecting a school district from becoming a victim. 

However, no prevention methods are 100 percent impenetrable. Consequently, schools should develop an incident response plan to prepare for an attack and establish protocols for what to do when it occurs. 

One part of preparing for the worst is having a backup system in place, a practice that is becoming more common as ransomware attacks increase in frequency. “I would often encounter victims who either didn't have backups, or if they did, which would have been the minority a few years ago, the backups would have been connected to the network, and then also likely encrypted as well,” Phoenix says. “But I am seeing a shift toward having backups that are separate and apart from the main network of the institution or organization. That's been extremely helpful in allowing victims to not feel compelled to pay a ransom because we're able to within maybe two or three days get their systems back up and running based on the backups.” 

Getting to know local law enforcement agencies before an attack can also be helpful, as it can help schools plan who to contact when an attack occurs. While different FBI field offices respond to crimes in different regions of the U.S., the bureau has set up C3.gov, an online clearinghouse for all cybercrimes. 

Even if a school plans on paying a ransom to retrieve its data, the authorities should be contacted. 

“The FBI's position is, in general, that we do not encourage payment of ransom in these types of situations. That being said, I understand that from a victim perspective, that's not always feasible,” Phoenix says. “We've been dealing with these groups for some time, so we'll have information, whether it's information about the tactics of the group, or it might be information on something as simple as, ‘Well listen, if you pay this one particular group, you're not likely to get a decryption key.’” 

• Best Cybersecurity Lessons and Activities for K-12 Education
• 5 Ways to Boost School Cybersecurity

In 2013, the Global Teacher Status Index was established in an attempt to measure the value a country placed on professional educators. Twenty-one countries participated in the original scope of the index and, today, 35 countries are represented. 

Teaching no doubt looks different in each country so the study focuses on four points: inspiration to become an educator; status of primary and secondary teachers and principals when compared to other professions; a teacher’s social status within the country; and the amount of respect students have for teachers. 

The most recent index (published in 2019) reveals the top ten countries at both the top and bottom of the index. China took the lead in the No. 1 spot and Colombians indicated their country valued teachers the least.

The classroom teacher is the lynchpin between the children the district serves and the programs the district designs. The teacher must implement these programs and teach standards that prepare students for ultimate success beyond school. But today, the teacher has much more on her shoulders than teaching, especially when the pandemic is still ongoing. 

Many governors and mayors are insisting students return to in person classes and have even threatened reduced funding if local school district’s don’t comply with state requests. Masks continue to be a point of contention as municipalities struggle to return to normal even though the percentage of vaccinated citizens is less than desirable. In Tennessee's Rutherford County Schools, 500 students were diagnosed with COVID within the first four days of school while 50 teachers also contracted the virus. And, in many of these very same districts, state leaders are limiting hybrid and virtual options. An attempt to represent normalcy seems to be taking its toll on the school and landing on the shoulders of our incredible teachers. 

Our teachers have learned in short order how to use technology in ways they may have never used technology for teaching. They have had to support students who are losing parents and other family members daily and they are trying to provide as much stability as possible by focusing on the social and emotional needs of their students. 

Districts are also addressing learning gaps as a result of these incredible challenges. Last school year districts received a bye on high-stake assessments that benefited teacher’s evaluations, but this year most districts are being directed to administer high-stake state assessments. The teacher’s role in the classroom has changed dramatically from 2018 to 2021 and it might be the biggest leap we’ve ever experienced.  

How to Show Appreciation for Teachers 

In the attempt to return to ‘normal,’ have we? Once upon a time teachers didn’t have to worry about becoming deathly ill and dying as a result of showing up for work. Before 2019, many teachers were using technology as an instructional tool but not a virtual learning tool. Before 2019, social emotional learning was something districts may be implementing in pilots with a select group of teachers taking on the responsibility for the school. Before 2019, teachers had classrooms with manipulatives and shared instructional materials for all students. As we begin this school year, everything about teaching and learning has to change and our teachers are the impetus. 

No easy solutions but we can honor our teachers and value what they mean to our communities. As the 2021-22 school year kicks off, here are some ideas to show just how much a teacher means to your school, district, or community.

• Districts are implementing social-emotional learning for students but SEL for teachers is needed too! Consider implementing SEL support for teachers just as you do for your students. 
• School boards and district administrators should reach out to the local communities to see if they would be willing to offer teachers discounts in their establishments. Some companies offer discounts nationally, including ATT offering teacher pricing and deals and even car companies offer discounts to teachers that can save as much as 5K on the purchase of a vehicle. Here is a list of more than 100 discounts teachers qualify for throughout the country, plus 5 ways to save on vacation.
• Principals can work with the district HR departments to offer flexible schedules to teachers or co-op options to teachers with children. Los Angeles USD took the lead on this initiative last year to support teachers with childcare issues.  
• Teacher salary can’t be overlooked. Think about ways the school board can increase benefit packages or salaries, even in the midst of challenging budget years. This resource from Sanford University may prove helpful. 
•  Be loud and proud of your teachers! Celebrate teachers each and every day in person and virtually. Let them know they are appreciated and valued! 
• If you see any educator out and about, thank them PROFUSELY! 

The U.S. may not be top ranked in the Global Teacher Status Index but this is the time to make the effort to move up in our ranking and at least show up in the top 10. 

Many thanks to our educators who showed up this year to explore new possibilities for students and families even though they are exhausted. Wishing you much hope for the year to be promising and bright. 

• 5 Summer Professional Development Ideas for Teachers
• High-Yield Strategies to Normalize 2021-22 School Year

In recent months we’ve discussed questions to ask yourself before choosing the grant opportunity you’ll apply for (6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Yourself) and questions to ask before you start writing (Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing). Now, we’ll look at questions to consider as you write the proposal, which will include two parts: how well you address what’s being asked of you and tips to help you write about key issues that will demonstrate that you should win the grant.

The Request for Proposals (RFPs) is your guide to writing. Almost all RFPs want similar information and many want your answers in a specific format. Larger grants want the information and order as listed below. While this seems rigid, it helps you stay organized. 

Just remember that your writing should convey the excitement you feel about your plan, your goal, and your confidence. 

1. Summary/Abstract: Are you including excerpts from each section? 

Funders want this section up front so they know what to look for although it seems counterintuitive to write it this way. So write it later but put it first when you compile the proposal.

2. Needs: Did you detail the compelling needs of your school, district, or group and why it should get funded for this project?
Funders want to make a difference. So write about why your school or district needs this grant to achieve great things. Use data to demonstrate the educational needs this project is designed to addresss.

3. Goals and Objectives: Did you explain specific objectives and the methods you will use to reach each goal, and are the needs, goals, and objectives clearly aligned?
Link your goals to your needs assessment statement to show how your project will help solve a critical problem in your school or district. Be as specific as possible to explain your ideas and project so they will see exactly how effective this program will be. Make your objectives read as measurable steps.

4. Narrative:  Did you describe your action plan with specifics on how it leads to success: what you'll do; how you'll do it; where you'll do it; and who's going to do what?
The more detail you give, the better. Include any relevant history and mission of your school and district as it applies to your project’s purpose. Use your best writing skills, include a hook to draw your reader in, and regale them with the possibilities of your project.

5. Budget: Did you itemize every budget item and explain clearly how each is required to guarantee success?
Funders want to be sure that their money will be well spent. Demonstrate that you will use the budget wisely.

6. Personnel: Did you show which staff members will be part of the program, how each one’s qualifications will contribute to make the program a success, and what each will do?
Make it clear that you have a great qualified team in place to achieve your goals.

7. Evaluation: Did you explain what you will measure, the methods of measurement, and the benchmarks you will use so it is clear how the project will prove that it achieved its targets?
Include a concrete timeline with start and end dates. You may want to involve an outside evaluator, especially if this is a large grant. Regardless of the size, however, you should include the ways in which you will know you’ve actually achieved your goals. 

How to Approach Key Grant Proposal Issues 

As you write, include details that give the funders a real sense of who you are, your school or district, and the goals and importance of this project. Below are a few tips that can guide you to include valuable detail. 

Technology

Be sure to define the technology required for each part of the proposal and show how it will help you reach the grant’s goals. 

District Goals 

It’s important to place this project in the context of your school or district’s long-term plans and how it will make a significant difference for student achievement.

Leveraging Resources

Explain how you will tap into other resources already available in the district or community and aren’t simply asking for funds to reinvent the wheel.

Replicability 

Show how this initiative has the potential to be replicated by others – first within your district, and then out to the larger community, to have a far-reaching impact.

Funder

Demonstrate that your proposal addresses what the grant funder is looking for. Be clear on how it will further their goals. They will want to publish the results, so whet their appetites. Read about the funder and its goals for grant giving beforehand.

Commitment

The funder wants to see your dedication to this project. Leave no doubt about the passion in your proposal; they want to be your partners.

• Grant Proposals: 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing
• 6 Grant Application Questions to Ask Yourself

As students head back to school, fostering the new connections to families forged during the pandemic continues to be a priority for all school districts. 

“The big question that we’re asking ourselves is how can we bring back, how can we reconnect, how can we continue to build these connections that we have built over the past 18 months?” said Dr. Adam A. Phyall III, Director of Technology & Media Services for Newton County School System in Covington, Georgia, during the recent #NYCSchools Tech Summit. (Available free on demand here) 

Building capacity, forging partnerships, and maintaining transparency are all part of the answer. 

“We make sure that parents are part of everything we do at the DOE, from decision-making to partnering up,” said Dery Rodriguez, project manager strategic initiatives for NYC DOE Family and Community Empowerment office. “So from the district to the borough to the school, we’re charged with making sure that parents are our partners in this work.” 

Philippa Wraithmell, Head of Digital Technology and Innovation at Cranleigh School in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and Sandra Paul, Director of IT/Operations for Township of Union Public Schools in New Jersey, also participated in the discussion.

How are you building capacity and systems for your students? 

At Cranleigh, Wraithmell is dealing with students from 74 different nationalities and in many cases, parents are speaking their native languages at home, not English, so being connected is crucial. “Technology has allowed us to use platforms that can be fully translated for them, just at the touch of a button,” Wraithmell said, which is helpful when sending vital communications to make sure there are fewer misunderstandings. The school has also offered opportunities for parents to book one-on-one sessions on a daily basis. 

Technology is a key to communicating with parents, and the NYC DOE has had to completely change family engagement practices, Rodriguez said. Parent coordinators have been partnered with the digital literacy team to level up technology skills by bringing in experts from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Talking Points, and Zoom to learn how to use new technology. “That was a game changer for us, using technology to make sure that language wasn’t a barrier,” she said. Continuing to build trust with their communities is a focus, as is meeting parents where they’re at and ensuring educators are ready to work with parents.

In response to New Jersey’s  The Road Back guidance, the Township of Union Public Schools created four collaborative committees composed of key stakeholders that were led by parents in the effort of getting back to in-person classes. “It was great having that community input for closing out the end of last year, from March through June,” Paul said. 

Rather than focusing on learning loss, the focus has been on learning opportunities. “The stuff that we had to teach our teachers and show our parents was definitely different than the core curriculum and content, so the learning was on a different trend than what we would’ve done if we were in school,” Paul said. They had to explain to parents how certain platforms operated, the differences in technology (for example, a chromebook vs. a laptop), and how to get internet access. 

How can we help to build the infrastructure to ensure access and keep families connected? 

The first thing educators need to do is change the mindset that technology is impossible to implement, said Rodriguez. “Stop making those assumptions and provide opportunities to learn,” she said. New York City saw parental engagement “skyrocket” through online opportunities, and has created a parent university that offers courses on edtech tools, social-emotional learning, and more.

In the U.A.B, many parents didn’t have technology while growing up and are just now understanding that it can be used for learning. “Parents have been at home with their children, watching them use that technology for learning, and they’re finally seeing that connection, and now are much more engaged in wanting to be part of that,” Wraithmell said. Her team offered “Tech Tuesdays,” during which they would provide videos and lessons about various aspects of school for parents. The flexibility of recorded videos allowed parents to upskill themselves at times most convenient for them. 

Parents are also seeing that accessibility is providing equal learning opportunities for all students. “Access needs to be a non-negotiable part of life for everyone now,” she said. 

Sometimes we forget that staff are also parents, and they have the very same issues as all parents, said Phyall. For example, some teachers in his district had to park next to schools in order to get internet access to teach. “We have to take care of the people we employ in our school systems, but sometimes I think we forget about that in our conversations about parents,” he said. 

How are you empowering your parents in regard to technology? 

Empowerment is critical. “Not all parents had good experiences with school, so if they have that barrier up, we have to find ways to tear it down and bridge that relationship,” Phyall said. 

The Township of Union Public Schools is focused on continuing to develop virtual workshops for parents, and has put in place supports such as QR codes that parents can scan to help kids log into their virtual desktops. As the state of New Jersey is providing free lunch for every student this year, the district has made the information available through several digital methods, including on social media, its website, via email, through various apps, the parent portal, etc. “The important thing is making sure everyone knows that it takes all of us to be there for the students of our community,” Paul said.

Trying to find free resources that parent coordinators can learn from and use continues to be a focus in New York City, as is creating real partnerships. “We don’t want just that one-time opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “How do we create that opportunity, that pathway or pipeline, for parents to be our partners in this work, and also send that message this partnership matters, and that parents’ skills are just as valuable as any staff member’s in the building.”

How do we build trust and re-engage with parents and the community? 

The NYC DOE is focusing on three things with parents to build community and trust: 

• What does a welcoming environment look like and how do they provide that for families? 
• How to honor families 
• How to connect families with resources, the classroom and teachers, and other administrative pieces. 

“One thing I’ve learned is that you have to earn the right to be heard,” Rodriguez said. “We have to earn that right with our parents and understand that they come with a lot of their own traumas and challenges.”

Transparency and open communication continue to be priorities in building trust with families. “If parents ask about something, tell them what it was, how we did it and why we did it so that they know they’re being listened to,” Wraithmell said. “There’s nothing more frustrating than asking about something and not knowing if someone has done anything about it.” She suggests that educators remind parents that sometimes a situation can’t be resolved overnight, but you can lay out your process to reassure them it’s being addressed. 

And of course, honesty is still always a good policy. “No one likes being lied to or feeling that way,” she said. “That can create a toxic relationship between parents and schools, if they feel as if they’re asking for something and we’re not delivering anything back.”

When facing shortages with devices and other tech issues, Paul has invited vendors to do town meeting-style virtual events to talk to parents to provide honest, expert answers. “Sometimes I tell parents, ‘I don’t know the answer to your question but I will try to find out,’” she said. “But having a representative there, actually with the township and community to understand what they’re going through, helps a lot.”

How do we stay connected to our families? 

Making sure access continues to be part of the solution is important, said Phyall. In Newton, his team creates videos, sends messages through multiple platforms including local newspapers, and even posts information through houses of worship or in apartment complexes. 

“It’s really understanding and assessing your community about what is the best way that parents want to receive communication,” Rodriguez said. Asking directly how they want information is simple and effective. Home visits with every family can also be effective in building relationships.

In the U.K. during the pandemic, some districts used bus drivers to help deliver homework and other important information. “A lot of our efforts were concentrated around just really letting parents know that we’re there,” Wraithmell said. “Whatever is their best way to contact us, be it through email or Twitter, they’re able to connect with us and get support and help.”

What is one big takeaway for educators regarding connecting with parents and families? 

“Refine what you do this year and make it consistent so you can get students to thrive and strive without changing it all the time,” Wraithmell said. “Students and parents will know, ‘This is where work goes, this is how I can communicate,’ and you’re taking away a level of stress that doesn’t need to be added.” 

“This year has shown us that we’re still able to be creative in a time when it’s challenging and tough and scary,” Rodriguez said. “We have so many beautiful websites and have seen so many educators embrace technology to express themselves and communicate. Just continue to be you.”

“Don’t let parent communication fall through the cracks,” Paul said. “We have so many ways to connect with our community now, so the big thing is to make sure we don’t lose what we have built.”

• Social-Emotional Wellness: ‘Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First’
• Classroom Engagement: 4 Tips From Students for Teachers

This summer, superintendents and central office teams are planning and preparing for school leaders, teachers, and students to return to a healthy and safe environment and they are also thinking about strategies to ensure all learning needs are met. Returning to a more normalized learning environment will no doubt be the priority for many districts this fall. 

This year also marks the task of measuring the impact the pandemic has on district achievement. With this in mind, there are two areas of focus that can aid in normalizing school and nurturing achievement. 

Meeting Social and Emotional Needs 

Districts recognize the stress this pandemic has on children and many are preparing teachers to recognize and support the social and emotional needs of learners as they return to school over the next few weeks. A focus on social-emotional learning helps students develop self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills necessary for success in school and beyond. 

CASEL is a tremendous resource for SEL, with well defined competencies and resources for teachers to implement these competencies into their classroom practice. Harmony SEL is another organization that offers a no-cost solution to implementing the CASEL competencies. 

A key component of SEL is self-regulation and one way students can self-regulate is to become more aware of their progress in their own mastery. Formative assessment is an incredible tool to help students develop self-regulation for their learning practices.

Tending to the Assessment Gap 

Teaching and learning has been the focus for states and districts throughout the pandemic while assessment has received a pass due to the circumstances. However, assessment is the only way we can determine what students have mastered, so without authentic assessments we can’t be sure exactly what kind of learning loss exists. 

A recent study presented at the March Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education conference focused on “the assessment gap.” Author Joseph M. Woodside noted that this assessment gap actually limits the ability to accurately gauge impacts on learning loss. A very interesting and thoughtful reflection of where districts are as we return to schools this fall.  

Many districts will begin benchmark testing in the fall to see where students are in their learning pathway, but before it takes place, somewhere between October and December, teachers should be incorporating formative assessments into their daily practice. 

Formative assessments come in many forms. Educational software or digital curricula use these  to determine a student's completion of a particular learning pathway. Teachers also develop their own formative assessment to measure learners' progress and could easily use these assessment strategies to build self-awareness for the learner. Ultimately, the data collected from these types of assessments help inform the teacher’s design of learning activities and how best to introduce concepts to the students. Involving the learner in their own assessment review builds key SEL skills and helps inform them of their overall progress toward mastery. Not only do formative assessments provide data to inform instructional practices but these also help teachers and students better prepare for a benchmark assessment. Recalibrating the use of formative assessments as a learning and instructional tool can be very beneficial to both students and teachers in every grade level. 

To help teachers get started with formative assessment this school year, check out Kathy Dyer’s blog that highlights digital tools and apps useful for formative assessment. Another great resource is the National Council on Measurement in Education where there are a wide variety of resources from pre-assessment to feedback. And of course, Tech & Learning also offers a list of the best free formative assessment tools and apps. 

Learning has the chance to look and feel different this year. Helping students understand their place in their own learning is something we should each strive to do better. Focusing on SEL and assessment can be very complimentary and it can help grow today’s learners into resilient successful adults. 

• Post-Pandemic Edtech Tools: What to Consider
• 3 Education Trends to Watch for the Upcoming School Year

Recruiting and retaining good teachers is a challenge for every district. A recent RAND survey found that 44% of teachers who left the profession voluntarily during COVID left because of the pandemic. However, some teachers thrived during the pandemic by stepping up to use more technology in their teaching and shifting to more student-centered learning models. 

How does a district recruit new teachers with these qualities? 

Matt Spets, assistant superintendent in the D.C. Everest Area School District in Wisconsin, says that his district has committed to better benefits, including paid time off and a microcredentialing-based salary schedule that rewards teachers who learn new skills. “By moving to more of a private sector model in giving teachers a voice in how they spend their time off, we honor, energize, and retain them,” he says. “We also hold them accountable for the right things by defining the qualities of effective teaching.”

Spets notes that the skills and traits his district is looking for, such as resourcefulness, initiative, and flexibility, are in short supply. The teachers who thrived during the pandemic are those who took advantage of the new technology platforms and figured out things to serve their students and their families. “I’m in a district with strong fiscal management,” he says. “This allows us to make investments in our teachers and policies that support them, including professional development opportunities and stronger benefits, so we retain good teachers.”

Best Practices for How to Recruit New Teachers 

The essential quality in teachers that districts and schools are looking for has not changed, says Gary Loup, CEO of GetaTeachingJob.com. Education leaders want to hire teachers who are student-centered and committed to achieving positive student outcomes. Now, of course, technology skills are also a priority. 

Here are some of Loup’s hiring guidelines to help administrators find the best teachers for their students.

1. School leaders should know their faculty and how to build a team, support them, and keep them happy so they want to stay. Teachers do not leave jobs because they don’t like the children. It is usually because they do not feel they have the support of school leaders. Making teachers feel valued leads to retention. 
2. Principals should spend time on the phone or in person getting to know teachers to determine whether they will be a good fit with the rest of the faculty team. During this process, the teacher also gets to know the principal and the team and determine whether the position and school are a good fit for them. 
3. Some newer trends, such as using a structured list of questions for applicants, short one-way video interviews, or assessments should not be relied on too heavily, cautions Loup. Engage applicants in conversation and take the time to get a good sense of their potential and then move quickly to hire when you have a strong candidate. 
4. Teachers want to feel appreciated. They want to be hired because school leaders want them and do not assume that they will take any job that is offered. 

“Having a clear sense of the positives your district offers prospective teachers will also help your recruiting efforts,” said Spets, who believes his district has invested in assets that make the district an attractive destination because (in his words): 

• We clearly communicate what it means to join our team. 
• We offer best-in-class technology for teaching and learning. 
• We introduce innovative programs more quickly than other districts. 
• We have beautiful learning spaces that we have upgraded with an equity lens. Students all have access to the same learning environment. 
• We have invested in improved teacher benefits. 

“Our goal is to attract the best candidates in the area, hire them, and invest in their growth,” says Spets. “When we find the right people, we don’t need to hesitate to hire. We have clarity on what we’re looking for.” 

• 4 High-Impact Tools for School Leaders
• 4 More High-Impact Tools for School Leaders

Congress put an emphasis on addressing learning loss in the latest round of stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, which places new ideas and strategies at the forefront of addressing the toughest challenges emerging from the pandemic. 

Many districts are putting extended learning time (ELT) into their plans in the hope that students, especially the most vulnerable, will come back in the fall having closed the gaps created during the last two years.

It is critical that as districts think about ELT, these programs are not simply viewed as additional learning time. The pandemic opened up the doors for personalized learning opportunities and pathways, and now is not the time to undo the flexibility allowed and created under COVID-19 circumstances to be tightened because of seat-time requirements. A survey by the Institute of Education Sciences of more than 7,000 studies identified 30 that met the most rigorous standards for research and those found that increased learning time does not always produce positive results. 

5 Things Districts Should Consider and Identify When Implement a High-Quality Extended Learning Time (ELT) Program: 

1. Determine the extent to which out-of-school time exacerbates or mitigates inequitable educational outcomes for students 

ELT programs help to engage students who are the most vulnerable. These opportunities should focus on acceleration rather than remediation, building on students’ strengths rather than adopting a deficit-based approach. 

2. Provide opportunities to help make up for learning time lost to the pandemic with resources focused on students who have been most impacted by school closures 

A study done by the RAND Corporation found that students who received a minimum of 25 hours of mathematics instruction in a summer performed better on the subsequent state math test; those receiving 34 hours of language arts performed better on the subsequent state English language arts assessment. Participants also displayed stronger social and emotional competencies. 

3. Infuse high-quality tutoring within and beyond the school day 

There has been an increased effort to offer tutoring to more students as the results start to show increased student academic performance. “One effort to sum up the high-quality research on tutoring was a Harvard study from 2016 that found ‘frequent one-to-one tutoring with research proven instruction was especially effective in increasing learning rates of low-performing students,’” the Hechinger Report recently reported. Frequent tutoring has shown to be more effective than weekly sessions. An expanded ELT program focused on implementing tutoring must be frequent to have the best impact. 

4. Expand high-quality after-school programs 

Oftentimes, afterschool programs can be viewed by parents and the community as glorified babysitting. After-school programs have the ability and potential to really engage students in ways that are meaningful and provide context to learning, but the implementation must be carefully planned in order to be effective. 

5. Create high-quality summer programs 

According to the Wallace Foundation, “Summer learning loss disproportionately affects low-income students. While all students lose some ground in mathematics over the summer, low-income students lose more ground in reading, while their higher-income peers may even gain.” The summer learning loss can show us a great deal about what kind of “academic slides” we can expect to see in the year’s coming data. Summer enrichment programs are emphasized by Congress as a way to close these gaps, and these programs are considered to be critical in the coming months. 

ELT is an opportunity to engage students, while still allowing a student to move on once mastery is demonstrated. It can be a tool used to enhance new learning models and provide opportunities that may not have otherwise been available pre-pandemic. 

• 5 Learning Gains Made During the Pandemic
• ESSER Funding: 5 Ways to Use it to Address Learning Loss

JUNE 2021

Beyond Access Forum (on demand)
Virtual | June 3, 2021
Join the NYC DOE for a thought-provoking interactive virtual event on digital accessibility, inclusion, and teaching information fluency, attracting more than 2,000 high-level decision makers and key NYC Department of Education influencers.

DLAC
Hybrid | Austin, TX | June 14-16 2021
Virtual | June 8 and June 30 2021
DLAC helps K-12 digital learning practitioners, researchers, and policymakers learn from one another and share best practices in this new and innovative conference. Sessions are shorter and more interactive than most conferences, creating a high-energy gathering built on sharing and conversations. 

South Carolina Pivotcon
Virtual | June 15, 2021
SC PivotCON will be a free interactive experience with multiple sessions throughout the day. Attendees can personalize their schedules to create an individualized program that meets their unique professional development needs. Topics include personalized learning and how virtual school practices can translate to traditional schools.

AV3
Virtual | June 17, 2021
AV³ is a one-day virtual experience designed to answer the question: ''What's next for pro AV?'' AV³ will bring the pro AV community together through advanced virtual networking, future-focused education, and an exhibit hall featuring the best AV technologies of today and tomorrow. 

National Charter Schools Conference
Virtual |  June 20 - 23, 2021
NCSC21 will be a virtual conference experience with timely content, a custom-designed platform, and opportunities to make meaningful connections that will help reshape the conversation in preK-12 education. 

Online Teaching Conference
Virtual | June 21-23, 2021
The Online Teaching Conference is a premier gathering of faculty, staff, and administrators who are leading the way in developing innovative and effective online education.

American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition
Virtual | June 23-29 2021
The leading library event of the year offers more than 200 educational sessions, hundreds of exhibitors, and more than 140 authors. Featured speakers include Nikole Hannah-Jones, Stanley Tucci, and Tricia Yearwood. 

PBL World 2021
Virtual | June 21-24, 2021
PBL World 2021 promises engaging workshops, inspiring keynotes, deep connections with fellow travelers, and even fun surprises.

SIIA EdTech CODiE Awards
Virtual | June 22-23, 2021
The SIIA CODiE Awards have a 36-year history of honoring the very best software, education, information, financial, and media products in achieving excellence and innovation.

Model Schools
Hybrid | Nashville, TN | June 22 & 24 Virtual Kick-Off | June 27–30, 2021
For nearly 30 years, Model Schools Conference has convened like-minded, future-focused leaders and teachers to share innovative practices to then replicate in halls and classrooms across the country. 

ASCD Empower Annual
Virtual | June 23–25, 2021
ASCD’s biggest event of the year offers educators best practices, strategies, and skills that will inspire and spark summer learning plans.

ISTE Live 21
Virtual | June 26-30, 2021
ISTELive 21 will include 500+ sessions in various formats, from interactive hands-on to listen and learn. Session topics include creating equity and community online, teaching project-based learning, and providing meaningful and authentic assessment in remote settings.  

JULY 2021

Connected Learning Summit
Virtual | July 7-30, 2021
The Connected Learning Summit represents a merger between three community events: the Digital Media and Learning Conference, the Games+Learning+Society Conference, and Sandbox Summit. The program includes a mix of presentation and workshop formats, covering speculative design, game walkthroughs, works in progress, and research panels.  

National Association of Elementary School Principals
Live | Chicago, IL | July 8-10, 2021
NAESP has been serving elementary and middle school principals and other education leaders since 1921. Conference topics will include closing the equity gap, school safety, social and emotional learning, early literacy, and best practices in school leadership.

National Principals Conference
Virtual | July 14–16, 2021
The National Principals Conference provides professional learning workshops, premier keynote speakers, game-based learning, and breakout networking sessions that provide community-building experiences.

Computer Science Teachers Association
Virtual | July 14-16 2021
CSTA's Annual Conference features more than 100 sessions of computer science education, inspirational keynotes, reinvigorating sessions, and moments of fun and connection along the way. 

National Science Teaching Association STEM21
Virtual | July 26-30, 2021
NSTA STEM21 offers thought-provoking presentations and sessions, lively Marketplace partner workshops, and the latest teaching tools and techniques for an evolving educational landscape.

NYCSchools Virtual Tech Summit
Virtual | July 28, 2021
Attendees will learn new education technologies, connect with inspiring industry leaders and enjoy an interactive, thought-provoking, content-rich agenda.  

AUGUST 2021

AV/IT Summit
Virtual | August 5, 2021
The AV/IT Summit attracts end users and integrators, bringing everyone together in the same space for honest conversations and spirited debate. The event focuses on relationships, networking, and thought leadership.  

ASU+GSV Summit 2021
Hybrid | San Diego | August 9-11, 2021
Started in 2010 with a collaboration between Arizona State University (ASU) and Global Silicon Valley (GSV), the annual ASU+ GSV Summit connects leading minds focused on transforming society and business around learning and work. 

Massachusetts Computer Using Educators (MassCUE) Better Together
Virtual | August 19, 2021
This “back-to-school” online event will address re-opening strategies, engaging the community in open dialogue, culturally responsive education, trauma-informed care in school settings, self-care for educators, and supporting teachers in the blended environment. 

September 2021

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Live | Atlanta | September 22-25, 2021
NCTM's Annual Meeting & Exposition is the premier professional development event for mathematics educators, featuring hundreds of education sessions and a full range of program content, including learning opportunities, networking, and collaboration.

OCTOBER 2021

IMS Learning Impact Leadership Institute
Virtual | October 4-7, 2021
Learning Impact is the annual event where leaders in education technology, K-12, higher education, and corporate learning come together to address the major topics in digital learning and how to collaborate on accelerating progress for learners and faculty at all levels.

ALAS 19th Annual National Summit
Live | Washington D.C. | Oct. 7-9, 2021
Join the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) for inspiring keynote speakers, thought-provoking breakout sessions, workshops and networking opportunities. The annual Summit brings together education leaders, administrators and solution providers to address challenges in the education system, particularly those impacting Latino/a/x students. 

Quality Matters: Q-Up for K-12 Digital Quality Conference
Virtual  | October 15, 2021
Join QM members and educators from the K-12 community to discuss strategies for improving the quality of online learning and meeting student needs. Engage in curated sessions focused on improving the quality of online learning courses and programs. 

ISTE Creative Constructor Lab
Virtual | October 15-17, 2021
The Creative Constructor Lab Virtual lets educators try out media-rich projects using cutting-edge digital tools for audio, coding, design, gamification, augmented/virtual reality and more. Presentations and coaching from education innovators will help attendees tap into their most creative ideas.

Educause Annual Conference
Hybrid | Philadelphia | October 26-29, 2021
The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference showcases the best thinking in higher education IT and brings together professionals and technology providers from around the world to share ideas, grow professionally, and discover solutions to today’s challenges. 

NOVEMBER 2021

California IT in Education (CITE)
Live | Sacramento, CA |November 16-19, 2021  
California IT in Education is a not-for-profit, professional membership association supporting the IT professionals working in schools. CITE 2021 features top education technology speakers including bestselling author and digital leadership expert Erik Qualman and renowned scientist/science entertainer Dr.Kate Biberdorf. 

National Council of Teachers of English
Live | Louisville, KY | November 18-21, 2021
The 2021 NCTE Annual Convention welcomes thousands of educators, experts, authors, administrators, publishers, and others for a convention built around the themes of equity, justice, and antiracist teaching. 

National Summit on Education
Live | Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort | November 18-19, 2021
ExcelinEd’s annual National Summit on Education is the nation’s premier gathering of education policymakers, practitioners and advocates, providing a forum for exchanging results-based solutions and strategies to shape public policy. Featured speakers include Dr. Arthur Brooks, Dr. Clayton Christensen, Arne Duncan, Melinda Gates, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and many others. 

DECEMBER 2021 

Learning Forward      
Virtual | December 5-7, 2021
Learning Forward’s 2021 Annual Conference aims to shift perspectives, power up expertise and transform teaching practice. This year’s theme of transformation parallels shared experiences as all respond to the immediate needs of educators and students during challenging times.

AV Network Nation      
Virtual | December 9, 2021
AV Network Nation (AVN²) is a one-day virtual experience about the future of pro AV technologies. AVN² will connect integrators, consultants, technology and IT managers to learn from honest and spirited conversations led by industry all-stars. 

JANUARY 2022

FETC® | Future of Education Technology® Conference
Live| Orlando, Florida | January 25–28, 2022
For more than 40 years, the National Future of Education Technology® Conference has gathered the most dynamic and innovative education leaders and professionals from around the world for an intensive, highly collaborative exploration of new technologies, best practices, and pressing issues. 

FEBRUARY 2022

NCCE (Northwest Council for Computer Education)
Live | Seattle | February 2-4, 2022
The NCCE Conference is an opportunity to showcase innovative instructional strategies and technology resources that have a positive impact on learning. Individuals representing all academic disciplines and levels in the educational system and all phases of technology education are welcome to submit proposals.

Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference
Live | Hershey, PA | February 6-9, 2022
The Pennsylvania Education Technology Expo and Conference brings technology administrators and educators from all over Pennsylvania and surrounding areas to learn from leading experts in the education and technology fields.

Texas Computer Education Association
Live | Dallas, Texas | February 7–10, 2022
Since 1980, TCEA has worked to connect educators with the latest methods, techniques, and tech tools with the help of their peers.

IDEAcon2022
Hybrid | Schaumburg, IL | February 14-17, 2022
IDEAcon features over one hundred innovative, engaging, and thought-provoking presenters representing a wide range of fields, topics, and teaching styles.

National Conference on Education (AASA)
Live | Nashville, Tennessee | February 17-18, 2022
Attendees increase their leadership skills and professional competence, exchange ideas and solutions with other education leaders, and learn to address the controversial issues facing today’s educators.

MARCH 2022 

National Association of Independent Schools
Live | Boston, MA | March 2–4, 2022
The NAIS Annual Conference is the premier professional development and networking event for administrators, trustees, and teachers at independent schools. 

BETT
Live | London | March 23-25, 2022
BETT provides attendees access to more than 800 leading edtech providers, 150 CPD content sessions, coordinated business meetings, and exclusive networking opportunities.

APRIL 2022

CoSN Conference
Live | Nashville TN | April 10-13 2022
CoSN Conference will focus on the ways that school systems can change their culture to better support digital technology. The conference is designed to meet leadership & vision, educational environment and managing technology goals.

University Professional & Continuing Education Association
Live | Orlando, FL | April 11-14, 2022
The Annual Conference convenes deans and other senior university leaders, key staff, and teams responsible for the management, administration, and growth of professional, continuing, and online education programs.

MAY 2022

International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence (NISOD)
Live |  Austin, TX | May 28-31, 2022
NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence provides faculty, administrators, and staff with the resources, ideas, and solutions that drive excellence in all areas of community and technical college campuses. 

• Virtual Conferences: 12 Tips to Make the Most of the Experience
• What Is the Future of the Edtech Conference?

In my previous article (4 High-Impact Tools for Leaders), I shared a few of my favorite digital resources to support school leaders. This time, I want to share a few additional tools that school leaders and district leaders will find helpful as they transform their classrooms, their schools, and their districts. All of the tools referenced here are aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. The purpose is simple: when school leaders reflect on their practice, they can align their strengths and growth areas to the tools found in this list.  

I hope you find these additional both informative and actionable as you work diligently to support the success of your entire school community, and district!

1. Professional Readings (Mission, Vision and Core Values) 

I have found through my experiences that I have so much professional literature to read, but not enough time. Much of it helps me in gaining clarity around mission, vision, and core values. There are two resources I consistently use to help me stay relevant in research, best practices, and trends. The Marshall Memo ($50/year subscription; 50 issues/year) is designed to keep principals, teachers, instructional coaches, superintendents, and other PreK-12 educators well-informed on current research and best practices. The Main Idea ($39-$49/year subscription; 9 book summaries/year & 125 books in the archives), is an 8-page summary of a current education book. The summaries include core ideas of the text so that the reader has a good working knowledge of the book’s content. The summary also includes ways for the reader to actualize the content from the book. Most of my ideas come from these two resources! 

2. Social and Emotional Intelligence (Community of Care and Support for Students) 

When determining how to continue to grow the social and emotional health of your students (and staff), CASEL is a one-stop-shop with respect to resources, support, and implementation. The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL is a step-by-step process for school-based leadership teams, helping them coordinate and build upon SEL practices and programs to create a school environment that ensures high quality SEL practices show up in all elements of the school for students. I have found that their rubric is extremely helpful! 

3. Instructional Coaching (Professional Capacity of School Personnel) 

When trying to find a complete package of materials to support a cycle of improvement that includes observations, student work, lesson plan review, and feedback, the Instructional Practice Toolkit (IPT) is a great resource. It is designed to build understanding and experiences with instructional practices, and includes facilitation guides, materials, classroom observation videos, and teacher interview videos. It is an excellent resource for your own learning, the learning of leadership teams, parents, other stakeholders, teachers, and support staff. I highly recommend it! 

4. An Agent of Continuous Improvement (School Improvement) 

Efforts to improve a school require consistent opportunities for leaders to reflect, disrupt, adapt, and expand their thinking. The Together Leader helps leaders do this reflective work and then take action on that work. The Together Leader training helps leaders develop competencies, skills, and practices that turn ideas and learning into action. For example, Meeting with Myself is a practice in which a leader will take stock of the week that just happened and plan ahead for the upcoming week. The leader then transfers this reflection into to-do’s for the next week. Many materials are free on the site and several training sessions are offered throughout the year (starting at $475/person). It has changed the way I lead and support myself and my team! 

Dr. Brandy Nelson is Executive Director, Learning and Teaching, Secondary, for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, and the founder/CEO of Nelson Roots.

• 4 High-Impact Tools for School Leaders
• Women in Leadership: Examining Our History is Key To Support

In many districts across the U.S., thinking around seat time has evolved as a result of COVID-19. 

“The pandemic, although extremely difficult, has provided an amazing opportunity for us to think about education differently, specifically around items like seat time, or access to technology,” says Dr. Daniel Bittman superintendent of ISD 728 in Minnesota. 

That means focusing more on mastery of learning objectives rather than on how long a student is synchronously in class, whether online or in-person. 

Embracing this mindset has allowed the learners in Bittman’s district to be met wherever they're at, and to really excel.

“Our students who have done extremely well are able to embrace that technology and to explore things that they may not have been able to do previously,” Bittman says. “Our students who have struggled have been given more opportunities and more time to do that with less distractions.”

Thanks to the pandemic, most states have relaxed policies requiring students to complete a certain amount of in-person school days to complete the school year. Many of these policies are temporary, though a growing number of educators believe it is time to permanently revisit how we think about seat time. 

“COVID provided us with this clear evidence that time is an inappropriate measure for learning,” says Susan Patrick, president and chief executive officer of Aurora Institute, which advocates for competency based-learning. “States are grappling with how to determine attendance and award credit. And if we were determining attendance, and awarding credit, based on student engagement, students developing work products, by students showing us their learning, we would be in a much better place for teaching and learning.” 

Seat time is often linked to school funding, which can be an obstacle to moving away from the practice in many states. Sixteen states use Average Daily Membership (ADM) as an alternative to seat time. “This means the policy for funding a school is based on the state department counting the students enrolled in a school or program and funding per student, not on seat time,” Patrick says. 

The Aurora Institute released a guidance for determining seat time alternatives during the pandemic. 

Seat Time Issues  

In 1994, the National Education Commission on Time and Learning released Prisoners of Time, a report that called for U.S. educators to move away from a seat time-based learning model. The report noted, “For the past 150 years, American public schools have held time constant and let learning vary.” 

More than two-and-a-half decades later, seat time remains a major component of education in most districts, however, some districts are starting to change. 

“We estimate that 6 percent of public school districts in the U.S. are trying to shift from seat time and traditional forms of learning to more competency-based pathways that are personalized,” Patrick says. “It's really time for our K through 12 educational system, and states and districts, to rethink how students earn credit. A measure of time does not translate into a measure of learning.” 

When Patrick meets with educators from other parts of the world, they are consistently surprised by the important role seat time continues to play in U.S. education, she says. 

How To Rethink Seat Time  

The Kettle Moraine School District in Wisconsin began prioritizing personalized learning more than a decade ago. Currently, two of the district’s high schools are far along in their competency-based efforts and have waivers from the state’s seat time requirements. 

Dr. Theresa Ewald, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for the district, advises school leaders exploring making similar changes to get comfortable outside their comfort zones. 

“If you're uncomfortable, you're doing the right work,” she says. “It's finding that sweet spot of uncomfortable.” 

Ewald’s children attended the district’s schools, which has given her the chance to experience the advantages of mastery-based education not just as an educator but as a parent.

“My daughter, who’s actually now a teacher, when she was in one of our high schools, she finished geometry in three or four months,” Ewald says. “Then she started her Algebra II credit and that took her 18 months.” 

Ewald’s daughter was rewarded for her skill with geometry and was not penalized for taking longer to learn Algebra II on her transcript, but the importance of the experience went deeper than that, Ewald says. “It's a culture of her understanding that that's okay, like that's how life is, some stuff’s easy and some stuff’s not. That's a great lesson. If every high school kid leaves with that, that might be more important than Algebra II.” 

Ewald adds, “The seat time requirement and traditional structure suggests kids come in as empty vessels. We know that's not true, and so let's honor what kids already know and not make them sit through the learning of something they already know. If you want to disengage a 15-year-old, that'll do it.” 

• Standardized Tests Fail to Provide Evidence for Student Success
• Is SAMR Dead? 
• PISA Report: A Growth Mindset Can Lead to Better Student Outcomes

Without a doubt, the principal has always claimed a unique role in a school. 

Consider: 

1. there is only one school principal 
2. the school principal is responsible for every aspect of the school 
3. at the end of the day (COVID or no COVID), the principal owns the final word on everything 

This can be a stressful role for many individuals entering the profession. In fact, it should come as no surprise that the pandemic has created additional stress on the school principal, prompting many principals to consider quitting the profession.  

As a former school leader, I constantly worked to improve my efficiency and efficacy. As I grew in confidence and competence, I collected a few great resources that I incorporated into my toolkit. Now serving as a district executive, I still use these tools, which are critical in increasing the productivity of myself and my team.  

Below you will find my favorites. I also included how the tool aligns to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. The purpose is simple: when school leaders reflect on their practice, they can align their strengths and growth areas to the tools found in this list.  

I hope you find these resources both informative and actionable as you work diligently to support the success of your entire school community, COVID or no COVID!

1. Instructional Tools Toolkit (Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) 

This free tool is my top pick! If you have ever wondered if a particular instructional program would generate a net return on your investment (i.e. student achievement), this tool is for you.  It is an accessible summary of the peer-reviewed international research on all instructional tools and practices supporting the teaching of 5-16 year olds. It organizes the research data by program, cost, evidence strength, and impact (in months), and has everything from block scheduling and homework to one-on-one tutoring and uniforms. It is a game changer and can shift the way you make decisions about how to spend your resources. Oh, and did I mention you can sort it? 

2. Disrupting Inequity: Having Brave Conversations About Bias (Equity and Cultural Responsiveness) 

If you are interested in creating opportunities for courageous conversations within your school community, this free toolkit is for you. It contains slide decks with notes, handouts, professional readings, and more to support facilitated conversations about race, bias, and prejudice. Topics include Introducing Bias, Historical Perspective about Race in America, and How Does Bias Manifest in Our School. A facilitator overview also lays out the arc of the learning and provides additional context. This resource changes mindsets! 

3. Transformational Leadership Framework: Personal Leadership (Ethics and Professional Norms) 

New Leaders has learned from hundreds of high-performing principals about the actions they take to transform schools. This information is synthesized in the free tool, the Transformational Leadership Framework (TLF). One critical component of the TLF is Personal Leadership, which forces principals to interrogate their actions around five levers: belief-based and goal-driven leadership; equity-focused leadership; interpersonal leadership; adaptive leadership; and resilient leadership. I have consistently used this tool to examine my actions as a leader and define success moving forward. It accelerates your reflective practices! 

4. The Management Center (Operations and Management) 

For me, preparing for the school leader role did not include learning how to manage the day-to-day tasks, people, priorities, and processes. The Management Center provided this training through its “Management Crash Course.” The program is designed to teach you effective management strategies such as learning how to delegate, using goals to drive improvement, hiring well, and managing your time. The cost is on a sliding scale depending on your organization, ranging from $650 to $395 per attendee. The skills and competencies gained through the training are worth every penny! 

School leaders ensure our school communities are strong, vibrant, and loving spaces for learning and growth. These tools are designed to pour into our school leaders, reducing their stress levels and increasing their effectiveness, but any educational leader can use these resources. They are excellent!

Dr. Brandy Nelson is Executive Director, Learning and Teaching, Secondary, for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, and the founder/CEO of Nelson Roots.

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In this recent Tech & Learning virtual roundtable, Dr. Kecia Ray talked with two district CTOs and an industry professional about their strategies in using technology to spot early warning signs of student mental health concerns and protect students from cyberbullying, self-harm, and violence. 

“We all know the isolation that the kids and the staff are feeling,” said Rob Chambers, VP of Customer Success for Lightspeed Systems, who also participated in the event. “And having technology thrust upon us as everyone did, has changed the world that we're experiencing.”

See the on-demand version here

Key Takeaways

The new ‘normal.’ COVID has dramatically changed expectations around student mental health. For example, Stacy Royster, CTO/Director of Technology for Opelika City Schools in Alabama, said she was shocked that once the COVID lockdown and remote learning started in the district, there was a dramatic increase in the alerts from the district’s network monitoring platform, Lightspeed Systems, involving younger students. “We know what it's like to be a teenager and the things that go through their heads and what we have to deal with on a day-to-day basis with those students but those things just shifted down to younger grades, very quickly,” Royster said. “All of a sudden we were seeing Google searches for ‘How do I hurt myself?’ and these were for second graders.” Seeing the increase in alerts, the district put in new mental health supports for younger students.

Just like the students, adults have also had a hard time the past year, said Kyle Berger, Chief Technology Officer for Grapevine-Colleyville ISD in Texas. And that was also reflected in increased alerts from Lightspeed’s platform. “Sometimes we're so focused on the kids, we forget about the staff,” Berger said. “And as we started seeing lots of various alerts from them, we were able to reach out one-to-one and just talk with them through how they were doing.”

Technology was also being used beyond educational purposes, including in families with challenging socio economic issues. “The parents were also using the school devices,” said Royster. “In fact, we would start to see job searches in the student’s history and we would have our counselors to reach out to those families to see if the parent lost their job because of COVID. So it was not just whole-child but it was whole-family support we were able to offer by monitoring this online activity.”

Tech evolution. While navigating the sudden reliance on technology, new learning and usage habits have emerged. “When COVID started, kids were very concentrated on trying to maintain that normal school schedule,” said Berger. “But as that first month progressed, we started seeing pockets of work -- a student would log in, do maybe one thing, then go off and do other things, and then come back to work. They began to really self manage their time a lot more.” 

During the lockdown, devices have gone from being a secondary learning tool to being the primary one, said Chambers. “The other thing that we had to address very rapidly was a shift to using tools in education that had not been used before, such as Zoom and YouTube,” he said. And as more kids have delved into new technology and platforms, it’s caused them to isolate more, which is a big concern for parents and educators, he added.

The floodgates of alert fatigue. “I never have any off hours because technology is 24/7,” said Royster, who added that she was afraid that something would happen in regard to a student either after work or on the weekend. So she started relying more on the tools and the district team.

Berger agreed, noting that the pandemic opened up a floodgate of alerts, which brought about a certain level of fatigue. “So it's so important to have accurate tools, to really sort through all the data to make concise decisions and respond quickly,” he said. “That is so important because not just one person can do it all the time.” 

New possibilities. “In the last 12 months we’ve gone from pandemic to pandemonium to possibilities,” said Berger, adding that it’s critical to not to leave behind the lessons learned in the past year. “It's now to decide what is normal.”

“You will never be able to hold technology back now,” said Royster. “We have changed the face of education. We have rewritten what we’re doing in our classrooms. Every teacher has their entire course digitally at this point. And so when we do come back completely face-to-face, think about the Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction. We have so many screen casts of reading lessons and math lessons and demonstrations that we will be able to use for those types of interventions, it's going to turn education upside down! It’s what us in edtech had been begging for for years. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic. But we’re where we are now, and everybody's excited about it.”

The parent connection is now stronger than ever, said Berger. “They have crawled inside and outside of every lesson and understand everything. Our parents know more about standards now and what's expected to be learned to move on more than they ever have in the past.”

“You can’t give this to parents and then take it away,” said Chambers. “We always wanted more and more parent engagement. And now we have it in schools, and I don't think that it's going to go away.”

More from T&L: Lunch 'n Learn roundtable recaps

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• Student Safety Strategies
• T&L Webinars

Everyone is looking to understand all the implications a year of cancelled in-person learning will have on educators, students, and families. Data is starting to show some new trends when it comes to homeschooling students.

A recent Household Pulse Survey administered by the U.S. Census Bureau reported that by Fall 2020, 1.1% of households with school-age children reported homeschooling. That change represents a doubling of U.S. households that were homeschooling at the start of the 2020-21 school year compared to the prior year.

A big concern for dropping enrollments is, of course, less per-pupil funding coming into a district. COVID-19 got administrators thinking, and instead of completely losing the allotment of funds for the students who are now in a homeschool setting, some have begun exploring some creative approaches to partner, rather than compete, with their homeschool families.

Sheridan Public Schools in Montana, for example, now offers a “district-owned homeschooling option.” In this model, the district still receives funding for the student and the district then pays the provider of homeschool content. 

Mike Wetherbee, Superintendent of Sheridan Public Schools, spearheaded this new model.  “If you have parents considering homeschooling, here is a model that has worked for us,” Weatherbee says. “It allowed us to keep students in the district, while giving parents an accredited homeschool option that we felt good about.” School counselors will play a large part in communicating to parents and students that this is an option for them. 

What is “District-Owned Homeschooling?” 

The new model of district-operated, family-administered education is called “District-owned homeschooling.” 

In order for a district to create a partnership with families who want homeschooling, there has to be an intentional plan on how to provide all the help and tools families need. It is critical for districts to distinguish between homeschool curriculum and a full-service homeschool partner. Just as in the public schools, there are several curriculums to choose from. The most important part will be finding a true partner, which includes not only curriculum but parent support as they start a new journey for their student. 

What district leaders should look for in a high-quality homeschool partner includes:

• Accreditation 
• Tools for the parents 
• Various program options that allow customization for both the district and families  (Example: asynchronous, synchronous, online and textbook options.) 
• No one specific publisher but include many curriculum options that allow for personalized learning 
• Recognition in the homeschool community, which gains parent trust immediately
• A proven track record of students going on to college  
• Various academic track options (i.e. honors, college prep, AP) 
• Structure that allows district oversight by customizing programs to meet the needs of your district 

Homeschooling works differently than public schools. There is no “per-pupil” funding. Instead, parents pay tuition over the course of the year. In the case for Sheridan Public Schools, that set price is lower than what the district receives per-pupil, which is how a portion of the funding stays in the district. 

According to the U.S Census Bureau the national average per pupil in the 2018 school year was $12,612. If a homeschooling provider’s tuition is $5,000, that still leaves over $7,000 in the district. There are also opportunities for bundling with a homeschool part for that price to come down if a district is bringing them multiple students.

With the number of families beginning a homeschool journey, providing as much help and support as possible is critical. For some families, COVID-19 shutdowns showed them the flexibility and opportunities that come with learning from home, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they feel comfortable putting together their own curriculum and teaching. The option of the district coming along beside them as a partner brings many peace of mind.

At this point, because it is such a new model, district leaders will need to seek out and find homeschool providers that are willing to work with districts. In the case of Sheridan Public Schools, Wetherbee picked a provider that was accredited and standards-aligned with a reputation for being a trusted partner.

How to Fund District-Owned Homeschooling 

This is an excellent time for districts to pursue district-owned homeschooling as Congress put a major emphasis on addressing learning loss and summer enrichment through the American Rescue Plan Act. Although there is no current dedicated funding model for this learning option, there are funding streams right now that can be used for providing content and services for different types of content providers. These could specifically come through the allowable uses of addressing learning loss, providing summer enrichment opportunities, and providing online content for students.

This is only one new learning model for educators to consider. With all the challenges and changes COVID-19 brought the K-12 community, there are sure to be more popping up. One thing is for certain: families have now seen new options for learning, and they are excited to see how engaged students can be moving forward. As district leaders think through how to continue to support all of the students in their districts next year, the summer is a great time to put new learning models in place.

• 10 Educational Resources for Homeschooling and Remote Learning
• The American Rescue Plan Includes $122 Billion for Education: How Can it Be Used?

Writing a grant proposal means knowing what you want to do in detail. You started with a good idea; now it’s time to focus on the specifics so that you sound as if you know what you’re doing. 

If you write down the information and add to it as you think of additional items, you’ll be all set when you start working on the actual proposal. Enlist others to help flesh it out; those who will be overseeing the program being proposed for the grant if you get it are the best people to help you fill in the blanks. 

The following are what you will need to outline and complete.

1. Mission

Start with the mission. State in clear, simple, and convincing terms what your goal is and what your plan will achieve. What do you recognize as missing from your district? What do you think can solve it? This is the heart of your proposal: You want students to improve and you believe that they will if you can employ the component that is missing for them.  

2. Needs

To identify the mission, be sure that you can clearly explain who the students are and what’s lacking in their learning. These are the needs. Be careful not to focus on the technology you want to use but stress the academic or economic needs. Know the demographics, test results, and anecdotal evidence that prove your district, school, or class needs what you are asking for. 

3. Goals and Objectives

Goals are general guidelines that explain what you want to achieve. These are your vision for what will be at the end of the program, the guiding principles or outcomes. Objectives are the deliverables that make the goals happen, the strategies and steps you will take to reach the goals. The objectives should clearly support the goals. Be sure that the goals and objectives are specific and measurable.  

4. Timeline

Your project will have two timelines. The first is to get all the input that matters with enough time to get feedback and include it in the proposal by the submission deadline. The second is the project timeline itself, the plan to achieve your goals by the end of the program with a tentative but logical schedule for each stage of your project. 

The project timeline includes a list of tasks or activities in chronological order so everyone involved can see the whole plan in one place. You can create it on a spreadsheet or a bar chart, in which each task is given a name and a corresponding start and end date. You can also use project management software to keep track. When you create the timeline, leave room for adjustments. Things don’t always work exactly as planned.

*Please participate in this T&L grants tips and advice survey* 

5. Assessment

Assessment is the process of gathering information from various sources in order to have a real understanding of what students know, understand, and can do as a result of your project. 

You will want to know how well your idea worked so you’ll measure progress on an ongoing basis. You should decide beforehand how you’re going to do this. Will you give tests, observe students, or do other forms of evaluation? What standards or benchmarks will you use? Will what you learn be part of a feedback loop? With evaluations known as formative assessments, you use the results to inform ongoing work. 

In addition, if this is a large-scale program, you should plan for an outside evaluator to determine how well you’ve achieved your goals. That type of evaluation is a determination of how well the program has succeeded. 

6. Materials

While materials often include school furniture, equipment, technology, curriculum materials, textbooks, and other resources such as financial and human resources, you can’t make your proposal sound like a wish list. Identify the supplies and staff that are essential to make the project work and include all that. 

Be sure to also disclose how you will leverage the resources you already have. This is particularly important in listing the expertise of teachers who will carry out the program.

7. Cost

You should include a relatively comprehensive and complete budget that outlines what the needs will cost without overestimating what you are requesting. You will have to explain the total projected costs to complete your project over the timeframe of the grant. You should estimate what the costs will be for every phase. Include such things as personnel costs, materials, and operating costs.

Once you complete this list, it becomes the basis for the grant proposal you want now and a template for the next one. If you get this grant and the evaluation shows that you succeeded in achieving your goals, you’ll be able to build your next idea on the results of this one. 

*Please participate in this T&L grants tips and advice survey*

• Grant Guide 2021
• How to Find an Education Grant
• The 8 Key Parts of a Grant Proposal

Today, schools are continuously collecting data on the students they serve. This data can be a powerful tool for learning by assisting educators in benchmarking student success, identifying learning gaps, personalizing the learning experience, and more. 

The electronic ecosystem schools have developed to accomplish this requires that staff collect, maintain, and support data across countless applications. To further complicate the situation, free or unmonitored applications collect student personal information outside the school's ecosystem. On top of this, hackers continuously test school networks and look for ways to capitalize on security flaws.  

Schools have the enormous responsibility of caring for student data and personally identifiable information. Data security and privacy could be one of the most daunting technology tasks educators face, and as we increase the use of technology, the task becomes more challenging every day. This responsibility is bigger than any single school technology department. 

School IT departments are working to prevent data theft through deliberate and malicious attacks, data loss through misuse or insufficient protection, and faulty practices in collecting, sharing, storing, and removing data. Combating this rapid evolution requires a commitment to continuous improvement and planning, but how do schools start this journey? 

Here are a few ideas that help to support districts.

Review the Law, Standards, and District Policies, and Develop Networks 

Data privacy laws are evolving and reflect current threats and knowledge. A district’s first stop should be to review your current state laws and standards. There are many federal laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), and Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA). 

If your state has not adopted a set of standards or laws that regulate student data, you may want to start with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework. NIST is the framework most states have adopted as the gold standard for data security and privacy. It is used by the government, military, and business. 

You should also consider joining data security and privacy networks in your region, state, or nationally. Many of these groups send regular emails with updates on national trends and security alerts.

Start with the Big Question 

It is essential to realize that student data and personal information is part of every aspect of education. Schools need to have regular conversations about data privacy. Start by asking the big questions using the 5Ws of data security and privacy. This includes: 

• What data are we collecting? 
• Why are we collecting this data? 
• Who is collecting and has access to this data?
• When does this data get collected and destroyed?  
• Where is this data stored or used? 

These simple questions can facilitate in-depth conversation about data in your organization and may ignite some level of healthy debate. These questions will also lead to the development of additional documents. 

One vital record to start with is a software and data inventory. A software and data inventory should provide the school a list of software applications, the type of data held in that application, and a determination of each user’s access rights.

A document such as this helps to uncover important information including where data is stored and who has access to that data. This information is valuable for onboarding and exiting users, for example. Schools should only be collecting the information they need, and users should only have access to the data they need to do their work.  

Understand the Threat 

To better understand data security and privacy, schools need to analyze the threats they face and the methods used to mitigate these threats. Potential threats have three general components, and districts can address each with specific measures. This includes:  

• Preventative measures: Any actions taken to minimize the risk of a data breach, loss, or malicious attack. Preventive measures could include providing regular training, updating applications, or maintaining policies and procedures.  
• Detective measures: All ongoing action and technology used to identify potential data breaches, loss, or malicious attacks. Detective measures could include hardware/software alerts, compliance monitoring, or threat detection applications. 
• Corrective measures: Any planning or action taken as a result of a specific threat. Corrective measures should include an incident response plan, corrective plan/actions, and recovery plan/actions. 

A school responds to each of these measures using administrative controls, technological controls, or physical controls. 

• Administrative controls approach data security and privacy by limiting access to specific applications or types of data. 
• Technological controls include applications or hardware that monitors the school’s network for potential attacks or threats. 
• Physical security protects the physical infrastructure from unauthorized access. 

A crosswalk of measures and controls may help schools look holistically at their data security threat measures and controls. 

Continuous Professional Learning 

It may seem that data security and privacy is a technical problem, but it is much more expansive than this. It is an adaptive challenge that requires constant and continuous human support. It only takes one human intervention to prevent or cause a data breach, so ongoing learning and communication is a must for any organization. Staff training is not a one-time event but a regular reminder of data security and privacy best practices, policies, and procedures. Keeping these practices, policies, and procedures up to date with regular review and refinement will help fight evolving and new challenges.   

A data breach, hack, or loss is no longer just a potential risk for an organization; it is inevitable. Preparing with a comprehensive Incident Response Plan and Team is essential. The team should understand the order of command, actions taken based on security threats, communication protocols, and post-activity reflection. Developing tabletop exercises that address your organization’s most significant threats will help make the team ready for any incident. 

Know Your Community Tolerance to Risk and Capacity 

The continuous balance with technology in schools has always been usability vs. security. The more secure you make a network, the harder it becomes for users to do the work they need to do. No network is 100% safe, but schools must continually improve to address the need for security and privacy. Budget restraints, technical barriers, community support, institutional conditions, or other roadblocks may hinder your ability to manage all of your security concerns in the way you want. 

Addressing privacy and security risks can be overwhelming. A tool, such as the Classical Risk Matrix, can help determine the impact of a threat on your organization by analyzing the likelihood of occurrence. 

The Classical Risk Matrix considers the potential damage (neglectable, minor, moderate, critical, or catastrophic) this vulnerability provides to the probable occurrence (rare, unlikely, possible, likely, or certain). The greater the potential damage and the higher the likelihood of occurrence, the more significant the impact. The Classical Risk Matrix helps your team prioritize its work. For example, if a threat is certain to happen and would be catastrophic, it would rank high on the task list. 

Understanding your organization’s current risk level and your organization’s risk tolerance will help you prioritize your plan and pathway forward. Making your school more secure is a journey, not a destination, and every journey starts with just one step. Make your first step today. 

Andrew Taylor is Director of Technology and Professional Learning for Byram Hills School District in Armonk, N.Y.

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Better ventilation is a key component of the Biden administration’s plan to resume in-person learning at the majority of the nation’s K-8 schools by the end of April. 

In an executive order issued on January 21, President Biden directed the departments of Education and Health and Human Services to issue guidance for schools to safely return to in-person learning “including by implementing mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing.” 

Dr. Joseph G. Allen, director of Harvard’s Healthy Buildings Program, is encouraged that the president is giving attention to ventilation. Allen is also chair of The Lancet’s Covid-19 Commission Task Force on Safe Work, Safe Schools, and Safe Travel. He says that along with other mitigation measures, such as universal masking, ventilation strategies are important because respiratory aerosols that escape masks can accumulate if they’re not diluted through ventilation or captured through filtration. 

While many of the nation's schools have severely outdated ventilation systems, Allen and his team have developed inexpensive strategies for schools to quickly increase ventilation with strategic system upgrades, or something as simple as opening a window a few inches. 

“In the guidance we released in June, we recommend that schools target four to six air changes per hour, through any combination of enhanced ventilation or filtration,” he says. “The recommendations we've made do not have to cost millions of dollars or take many months to implement.” 

Maximize Your System  

Schools with centralized heating and cooling should adjust those systems in a way that prioritizes bringing in outdoor air. “You want to be sure that any recirculated air is going through a higher-efficiency filter, specifically what's known as a Merv 13 filter,” Allen says. “Most mechanical systems have a Merve 8 filter. That captures about 20 percent of the particles we're interested in. A Merv 13 will get you above 80 percent.” 

But there are limitations to what can be accomplished through this action. Many school systems are not designed to bring in large amounts of outdoor air, says Richard Loveland, vice president of BVH Integrated Services, a mechanical engineering company in Connecticut that installs HVAC systems for many schools. “Typical air handling rooftop equipment takes in about 20 percent outdoor air and the coils and the heating units within that unit are designed for that 20 percent,” Loveland says. If you bring in more outdoor air, you’re not going to be able to provide proper heating and cooling. 

The same is true when it comes to filters. 

“Most of these systems are designed for a certain range of filters in terms of how robust they are,” says Michael Tyre, principal at Amenta Emma Architects, whose company often works with Loveland’s. He adds that many schools want high-capacity filters but the systems just aren’t designed to have that kind of filters.

However, there are other ways to overcome your schools’ HVAC limitations.  

Portable Air Cleaners 

For schools with existing equipment that can’t get four to six changes per hour, Allen recommends the use of portable air cleaners with heavy filters. “These devices can cost $200 or $300,” he says. “They are a relatively inexpensive means of ensuring that sufficient air cleaning is happening in a classroom when they are sized correctly for the room.” 

Look for a portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter. “You don't want any bells and whistles, you don't want or need UV ionization or any fancy sensor technology,” Allen says. “You do want to look for something that has a device that has a high clean-air delivery rate or CADR.” 

Allen recommends a CADR of 300 for every 500 square feet in the space you are using the air cleaner. (More information on how to make these calculations is available here.)

Even Opening a Window Can Help  

While it may sound like a low-tech solution, opening a window to let in some air can make a big difference, and can work in colder areas because the window does not have to be open so much that it will let out lots of heat. “Even two or three inches can greatly increase the amount of ventilation that a room gets,” Allen says. “When we've done experiments, we get anywhere from 2 to 14 air changes per hour in a classroom through opening windows.” 

To test how much air flow your open window is getting, you can use a carbon dioxide monitor. Humans release carbon dioxide when they breathe, and therefore, by measuring how much accumulates in a room, you can calculate the number of air changes a room is experiencing. On Healthy Buildings’ website there is information for schools on how to calculate the carbon dioxide level a room should not exceed by putting in the size of a room, the number of people who will be in it, and the amount of air changes per hour you are targeting. 

A New Way of Thinking About School Buildings  

The pandemic-fueled focus on school ventilation is part of a larger conversation around designing schools that foster a more healthy environment that is better suited to education. 

“We're talking about indoor air quality, but there's a host of other considerations that revolve around health and wellness that have become increasingly in demand for academic environments,” Tyre says. 

In recent years, there has been more awareness about the way building design interacts with physical health. “Whether it's access to daylight, or good air ventilation, or noise levels that allow you to concentrate--all of these things have been studied and have been shown to have correlations between how active and engaged and joyful kids are when they're in school,” Tyre says.

“We've known for a long time that things such as higher ventilation rates are associated with better cognitive function and lower infectious disease transmission,” Allen says. “We see higher ventilation rates associated with higher math scores, higher reading scores, higher science scores.” 

Solutions such as portable air cleaners are a stopgap measure to get through the next few months but longer-term planning is required. “We need to be making much larger investments in the buildings and the mechanical ventilation systems,” says Allen. “And when we do, we know from the scientific literature that this will provide years and years of benefits to both kids and adults.” 

• Inside President Biden’s Rapid Covid Testing Plan for Schools
• States Roll Out Vaccines for Teachers: What You Need to Know

Nome, Alaska, is more than 500 miles north of Anchorage, nestled on the coast of the Bering Sea along the Seward Peninsula. Though not an island, no roads or railroads connect the community to the rest of Alaska. 

“You have to fly or float to get here,” says Jim Shreve, Nome Public Schools’ Director of Technology.

Nome’s remoteness protected the city of 3,850 from Covid-19 at first—with no local cases last spring and into early fall, Nome schools were not forced to go online-only until there was a flare up in November. At that point, teaching online became a challenge. 

About 40 percent of Nome’s 700 students don’t have internet access. Even in households in which there is internet, speed is limited and there are often monthly download limits. 

“The cost point of internet in remote Alaska is crazy,” Shreve says. “I pay $300 per month for a satellite connection that's 10 megabits down, one megabit up, but unlimited data.” 

Faster plans can cost upward of $400 per month, and even the Nome school system itself has limited internet speed. “We're at a 75 megabits per second connection that we share with three schools,” Shreve says. (By comparison, the average U.S. internet speed is about 135 megabits download speed and 52 megabits upload speed.) With 700 students and nearly 120 staff members, it doesn’t take long for that connection to become bogged down. 

So when the pandemic began, Shreve knew he needed to work to upgrade the school’s digital connectivity in a way that would allow for asynchronous teaching and hopefully strengthen the district’s digital curriculum post-pandemic. The way that was accomplished can serve as a playbook for other remote school systems. 

The Right Content  

Prior to the spring of 2020, Nome Schools had a subscription with a digital education company that provided the district with videos and other educational content. But the resources were limited and rarely updated. Shreve says there was video content that seemed to date back to the 1980s. 

With an increased emphasis on digital learning clearly coming as a result of the pandemic, Shreve and other Nome educators knew an upgrade was needed. In addition to more timely content, Shreve wanted a service with strong Career and Technical Education (CTE) and STEM resources. A third, and perhaps most important requirement, was that the video lessons and other content needed to be downloadable so the students could work on it offline at their homes. 

Nome eventually went with Discovery Education Experience, a K-12 learning platform that offers a vast array of standards-aligned content and digital lessons. Teachers have been able to tailor the lessons offered to their classes effectively, providing students with a top-tier digital education. 

Size (and Speed) Matters  

Shreve emphasizes how important the ability to download content is for remote schools. His advice for other districts with similar internet connectivity challenges is to pay attention to both download capabilities and overall file size of videos. 

For example, their current videos are compressed into small file sizes so they can be saved to thumb drives and sent home with students. The smaller video files use less of the school system’s limited bandwidth, making it easier to stream for in-person classes. “We were able to get really good results streaming from five or six different devices across the different classrooms,” Shreve says. 

Community Flexibility 

For grades 5 and above, Nome is a 1-to-1 district, with Chromebooks or equivalent devices allowed to be taken home so students can work with digital resources offline. (Chromebook settings are adjusted for this). The district also provides printout paper packet alternatives when necessary. 

Shreve hopes that with the district’s new content partnership more students will take advantage of the digital curriculum and that the district will be able to close some of the educational divide between the internet haves and have-nots. “It's kind of tough if we have a family who is like, ‘Oh yeah, we have unlimited internet, so we can do all of the Google Meets and all the online content and everything.’ And then possibly the family next door to them doesn't have internet because they can't afford it,” Shreve says. “So now those kids are getting just a paper packet. It's not the same level of education.” 

The district’s goal is for the combined use of take-home devices and high-quality downloadable content to help overcome that disparity. “We are trying to strive for equity in that as much as we can,” Shreve says. 

• Overcoming the Digital Divide: School Districts Create Their Own Wireless Networks
• How Districts are Curbing Learning Loss During the Pandemic

The pandemic rainbow has finally arrived with the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Now is the time to begin putting COVID in the rearview mirror and start thinking about what school can and might look light when we can all be together in person again. But where do we begin? We’ve been in a state of reaction for so many months; how can we get back to strategic visioning and planning?  

Step 1: Revisit Your Current School District Improvement Plan 

Break out your school or district improvement plan and take a hard look at where you thought you would be and where you actually are at this point in time. Try not to focus on the challenges that you’ve had to overcome just to keep instruction going, let alone have academic growth for all learners. Instead, analyze the programs, curricula, and resources you thought you needed before the pandemic and what you ended up using during the pandemic. Be reflective and think about what you might be able to live without and what you may need to keep going forward from the COVID era.  

Step 2: Consider Your Parents and Families 

As you develop your district improvement plan, think about your student body and parent populations. What have they appreciated about the changes you’ve made, and what are they insisting you bring back? Host focus groups, conduct surveys or offer online parent forums to gather information to gain input into your planning process. This has always been an essential piece of planning but, now more than ever, our parent voices can inform the directions we take in sustaining practices adopted during the pandemic. 

Step 3: Consider Your Students and Teachers 

Survey your students and teachers on what they liked about the changes made and what they can’t wait to get back to. I bet some of them enjoyed flexible scheduling--should you consider keeping it going forward? Others may have really appreciated the hybrid-blended models. Some may like the new assessment strategies that were implemented. Use the teacher and student voices in your planning process. Try to include as many students, faculty, and staff as possible. Your future culture will reflect how inclusive you were in this process. 

Step 4: Take Advantage of New Funding 

Think about your budget and the stimulus dollars that have been available, and the new stimulus funding that’s on the way. These dollars have probably funded a lot of innovative practices and technologies since the allowable expenses include: 

• Purchasing educational technology that aids in regular and substantive interaction between students and educators; 
• Planning and coordinating long-term closures, including providing technology for online learning; 
• Planning and implementing online learning; and 
• Supporting provisions found in major education laws, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Title IV-A of ESSA and Part D of IDEA permits federal funds toward professional learning in effective edtech use. 

Consider which technology-rich program you want to sustain and how much money you need to begin adding or shifting in your current budgets in order to maintain it long term, post-CARES Act spending. Economies have clearly suffered during this time, so be sure to partner with your local chamber of commerce or government as you think through your budget goals. 

This pandemic has forced us to get out of our comfort areas and think differently about how we educate youth. We have adopted many new ways of learning and teaching and developing teachers, and some of these approaches are beneficial and should be continued as we come out of this fog. 

Despite the many changes taking place in our country today, now is the time to help our leaders see the benefit of fully funding education and making it a priority in the years to come. 

Dr. Kecia Ray is a strategic thinker and a proven leader in K12 transformation. She serves as Tech & Learning’s Brand Ambassador and is the founder of the consulting service, K20Connect  

• New COVID Stimulus Package Offers Schools More Funding to Innovate
• How to Find an Education Grant

These are truly unprecedented times.  

The challenges of COVID-19 continue to compel creativity, innovation, and a relentless focus on serving our students, families, and communities. In addition to the pressing health and safety challenges that we experience every day, we are also undergoing dramatic shifts in funding as a result of rising unemployment, reduced tax collections, and migration and mobility like we have never seen before.  

Now that we are approaching the end of 2020, we are seeing that large states projecting notable infusions of one-time dollars for 2021-22. For example, California’s anticipated revenues were reduced for the 2020-21 fiscal year when unemployment rates soared beyond 15%, but a rebound of the three major revenue sources (sales tax, personal income tax, and corporate tax) has resulted in a prediction of a large influx in 2021-22. However, that leads to a potential “financial cliff” in 2022-23. 

In addition, any potential federal stimulus package, with earmarks for school districts, will provide more one-time funds in the coming months.

Professional Learning 

Investing in your team is always a good use of resources and particularly wise utilization of one-time funds. Given the reality that we are navigating through a global pandemic, there is also no shortage of potential focus areas for professional learning. We suggest a review of your strategic framework, including the vision, mission, values, and goals to ensure that professional learning plans are aligned with the aspirations of the organization. In addition, we strongly advise you to design and implement professional learning experiences that are ongoing, collaborative, and relevant, and that create opportunities for reflection and sharing.  

One-time funds are also often a way to expand professional learning opportunities for groups of employees who may not traditionally have as much access. For example, in California, many teachers have dedicated time in their contracts for professional development, yet it is scarce to find the same provisions in classified employee agreements. Devoting one-time resources to provide meaningful learning options for instructional aides, for example, is very likely to yield immediate results for students and also have an enduring impact. Depending on the flexibility of the funding source, finding ways to involve office staff, custodians, facilities and maintenance, food services, library, purchasing, finance, payroll, human resources, and other constituencies in the professional learning community also builds collaborative relationships, generates social capital, and improves team connectedness.

Tech Infrastructure and Hardware 

Technology has become the go-to source for keeping schools open and students connected to not only content but also to one another. The priorities in spending for technologies are dependent on the infrastructure in place within the district. A recent report written by each of the former Education Technology Directors of the U.S. Department of Education highlighted ten ways to make online learning work and at the top of the list was connecting all learners. Infrastructure and device deployment can be a capital expense, but getting the ball rolling could be a good use of one-time funds, provided you have the capital or local funds to keep up the momentum. 

Beyond devices, digital content, professional learning, assessment solutions, and learning platforms are each beneficial and necessary aspects of any successful digital-rich learning plan. One-time funds are great kickstarters to long-term technology plans. 

One thing to pay attention to when procuring technology with one-time funds is the recurring costs associated with licenses or other fees. Be sure to note in procurement which funds will be used for recurring costs versus one-time expenses. 

For example, purchasing a device is a one-time cost but adding technical support or loss prevention software is a recurring expense. These can be itemized and delineated in a budget sheet so that your spending is from two different sources. This also applies to learning platforms and digital content licenses. You can use the one-time spend to pay for professional learning or server/cloud setup fees but the license fees should be a line item within your local budget. 

Safety & Facility Improvements 

School buildings across the nation were in trouble even before COVID-19 with many aging facilities needing repairs and safety support, especially in low-income communities. Leaky roofs, mold and mildew, rusty plumbing, and outdated heating and cooling systems have further compounded the challenges in a pandemic era during which safety is the No. 1 priority of staff and families. 

We suggest looking carefully at one-time funds to address longer-term safety and facility improvements. Really think through current challenges and investments you might be making -- hundreds of thousands of face shields for students and staff will not be needed when the pandemic is over, so are there similar items that could be purchased that would address a long-term need? 

Reviewing your facility master plans and deferred maintenance lists is a good starting point that can help to prioritize strategic one-time expenses for building improvements. In addition, investing in solar or other forms of energy efficiency may result in long-term utility savings to provide additional spending flexibility in the future. 

Proceed with Caution

As with any one-time funds, there are certain pressures that district leaders will face from bargaining and special interest groups who want additional positions, new programs, or raises for current staff. While the outcome may ease relationships, a key fiscal rule should be at the forefront: Don’t spend one-time dollars on items that eat and breathe. 

The intent of the federal relief dollars was just that, as the U.S. Treasury Department has noted. The funds should be used to relieve the impacts of the pandemic, including the resulting fiscal crisis from states and locales where the cost of living adjustments was reduced, programs eliminated, and budgets impacted by the loss of student enrollment. 

Prudent use of the funds can help mitigate deficits, declining enrollment, and the safety and security costs of keeping staff and students safe during the pandemic. With carefully designed spending plans, the impacts can be far-reaching. 

Bottom line, plan so that any one-time funds can stimulate a long-term spend already included in your local or capital budget. If you currently have money in the local or capital budget for computer refresh, then use these one-time funds to relieve that expense but don’t delete it from the budget. If you already have money in your Title II budget for professional learning, then use these funds to offer professional development not currently included in your course offerings. In general, think of grant or stimulus money as an accelerator and not a sustainer of programs or initiatives. 

Lisa Gonzales is the Chief Business Officer in Mt Diablo Unified School District. 

Kecia Ray is the President of K20Connect, LLC and Transformation Coach for the South Carolina Department of Education. 

Devin Vodicka is the Chief Impact Officer at Altitude Learning, author of Learner-Centered Leadership, and former superintendent of Vista Unified School District 

• Grant Guide 2021
• K-12 Grant Search and Informal Funding Sites

When the pandemic hit last February, the leaders at Casa Blanca Community School in the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona did what very few districts did: Adopt a long-term approach in the face of uncertainty.

Located about 30 minutes south of the Phoenix metropolitan area, Gila River Indian Community is a rural, agricultural community and home to the Keli Akimel O'odham or “River People,” also known as the Pima and the Maricopa or Piipaash. Many of the families in the community face significant socio-economic challenges, and students often live in multi-generational homes. And with Native American populations having some of the highest infection and mortality rates for COVID, it was critical to make an early commitment to sustained virtual learning. 

“From the start, our school board, my staff, and I were able to sit down and have an honest discussion that said, ‘Look, this thing isn't going away,’” says Kim Franklin, principal of Casa Blanca Community School. “From the very beginning our board said we're going to be thinking of this in semester blocks, we're not going to be talking days or weeks, we're going to be looking at this long term. And so, what's that going to mean?”

Most families in the community did not have any internet connectivity at all, and if they did, it was only a cell phone. WiFi and computers were scarce. Getting virtual classes up and running was going to be a huge challenge.

“The first thing was connectivity,” says Franklin. “We made a blanket decision for equity sake. Every family was going to get a hotspot, and unlimited WiFi. That was No. 1.”

In addition to working with tribal governor Stephen Lewis and local businesses to improve connectivity, the district received CARES Act funding and a Creating Learning Connections grant, a result of an initiative from First Book, CDW-G, Intel Corporation, LEGO Education, and the LEGO Foundation. 

Thanks to the funding, every student was provided with a hotspot and a device. 

“That changed everything,” says Franklin. “We rolled out a full curriculum, the actual one that they'd be getting if they were sitting here, with both synchronous and asynchronous learning. We take real attendance, and are engaging in different ways.”

Consistency is key

One of the primary focuses has been consistency within the program so that there would be true distance learning. “We didn't want to throw whatever against the wall and make it stick like it was last February, we wanted this to be real school,” says Franklin. “We made the commitment to provide the staff with the professional development to be able to actually teach what they normally would be teaching, but in a virtual environment.” 

The entire education staff received PD for remote learning, including counselors, arts teachers, and even an agricultural teacher who teaches remote gardening classes. “If you've never seen kindergarteners with their little scoop and shovel and a little paper cup online with their teacher, it's just adorable,” says Franklin.

PD has also included basic tech support for all staff, including the school secretary. “We have a very large number of grandparents raising their grandchildren, people in their fifties, sixties, and seventies who've never touched a computer in their life,” says Franklin “At first we were walking them through the most basic things--they'd be on the phone and say the screen is black. ‘Well, did you turn on the computer?’ ‘Well how do I turn on the computer?’ ‘Push the button.’ ‘Okay, well now, now it's making a sound …’ And you’d have the grandkids saying to grandma, ‘It's the green button, push the green button!’”

To that extent, students have also had an opportunity to be the teachers and demonstrate their learning by having to explain technology to their grandparents.

Silver lining playbook

The silver lining of the pandemic, if there is one, has been providing a real opportunity for an education paradigm shift. Franklin acknowledges that many of the changes in the past year would not have happened any time soon--if at all--under normal circumstances, including increased parent engagement.

“We have always said, ‘Oh, if only parents knew what went on in our schools,’” says Franklin. “Well, our parents are sitting right next to those kids, and the conversations I'm having with parents about what they are seeing, what's going on with their child and their child's learning, have completely changed and it's amazing.” 

Ultimately, Franklin credits the community’s success to the school board making the decision early and then going all-in on remote learning. 

“I reflect every day on what this would have looked like if we were just trying to cobble this together,” Franklin says. “I like to think we would have survived but getting the funding was a real godsend. I just can't overemphasize that because it provided that one last step, especially for our special needs learners. Having that solid-state computer has made such a difference.”

Kim Franklin is participating in the upcoming T&L webinar “Ensuring Consistent Equitable Student Connectivity” on Dec. 9. Register for free here

If you would like to participate in the COVID Diary series, please complete this form. Email Ray.Bendici@futurenet.com with any questions.  

• How to Stay Connected to Students During Covid
• Reopening Rollercoaster: Stay Open, Go Home, Come Back?

Now is the time for librarians to lead, and leadership takes strategy and courage, according to Shannon McClintock Miller, District Teacher Librarian and Innovation Director, Van Meter Community School District in Iowa. 

In her presentation “Sharing Your Story...Creating A Brand and Advocating For Your Library” during the recent NYC DOE “Beyond Access” virtual forum, Miller shared advocacy and branding ideas and strategies designed to empower librarians and media specialists to share their own library stories, goals, and visions, especially during the challenges of a pandemic.

“I feel overwhelmed every day, but I have to step back and think about the things that are most important,” Miller said. “Our kids are in school now, so I think about how I am serving them first. Are the things that I’m creating around our marketing plan helping them, if it’s books, or it’s literacy, or if it’s something else from the library.”

Miller discussed the importance of developing a marketing plan for a library to inform students, teachers, and the community of the resources available. She also discussed innovative ways to create and shape the voice of a library with various digital tools and student help. And then how to get out the word. 

“Don’t be afraid to share your story with the world, and your community,” Miller said. “When you do, you’re leading from the library, and that’s the thing we want!

Watch the full session:

View the presentation slide deck here

Key Takeaways

Creating a brand. Miller posed two questions that all librarians and media specialists should ask themselves:

1. How do you lead, create change, and advocate within your library?
2. How do you create change and lead beyond your library?  

As an advocate, you must put branding and marketing in place to share the story of your library, Miller said, and that includes determining a brand. “Everybody has a brand, even if you think you don’t,” she said. 

In addition to the name, it includes features such as identities, values, vision, purpose, logo, and mission, and even little things such as the personality of the library and what colors are involved.

Key questions to consider when creating a library brand:

Who are you?

Who needs to know?

We need to think about who our audience is, and if there’s more than one, Miller said. The story remains the same, but we need to think about how we can communicate it in different ways. 

Why should they care?

“This year, in particular, we need to think about what our libraries can offer us beyond tangible items--that social-emotional learning part of it,” Miller said. “My kids really love to come to the library to see me, each other, and it’s a place they want to be--the heart of our community.”

Visual art. In a visual world, we must stand out visually, said Miller. “I regularly ask, ‘How I can make an impact on our students, on the teachers, and on our families?’” she said. “We need to make sure we make an impact in a really fun and meaningful way.” Miller uses multiple digital tools and resources to connect, such as Buncee or social media. She discussed how she was initially uncomfortable “tooting my own horn,” but realized everything librarians share really makes a huge difference and the library program is something that everyone is proud of.

Finding your voice. Miller talked about how when she started, she didn’t go in thinking that she was going to have to brand her library program. While talking with students, they mentioned that they appreciated how the library always lets them have a voice, so Miller launched the Van Meter Library Voice, a blog with accompanying social media, most of which comes from the students. Miller worked with an artist who created original work focused around key elements, tools, and things Miller loved. She keeps common themes, images, and fonts for consistency. 

Digital resources. To help promote and market a library, Miller recommended a number of digital tools. Buncee, for example, offers an abundance of tools and templates for libraries, such as backgrounds that can be used in making posters or stickers for genrefying. Users can also create images with embedded links, for use on blogs and digital communication.

Miller also uses PicMonkey to make collages, and also edit existing images and create new ones. For making bookmarks, she recommends Overnight Prints--Van Mater students design the two-sided bookmarks and Overnight Prints produces the items at a reasonable cost.

Miller has created items such as monthly choice boards in Padlet to showcase specific resources and activities around a theme, such as an election or Thanksgiving. These can be edited easily and shared with teachers. “Some of our best work is collaborating with the teachers,” she said. 

PD power. Given how tight teacher time and resources can be, it’s important for librarians to remind teachers what the library can do for them, Miller said. She creates a new campaign every year to showcase what’s new. For example, a few years ago, she designed a marketing campaign around a movie theme, and gave each teacher a ticket, candy, and a poster talking about everything the library was offering, such as classroom support for digital citizenship or making. 

Marketing matters. First step is assessing ‘customer’ needs, in particular, who is using the library--kids, teachers, administrators, families, etc. Miller recommends starting with the library marketing toolkit from AASL. 

In regard to marketing, Miller extolled the use of social media tools such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. “When we went to remote learning in March, our social media became critical because I was able to constantly share items from there,” she said. By using multiple social media tools, you can ensure that your message reaches every audience.

Of course, marketing looks different this year because so many students are learning at home, so it’s critical to make sure that all resources are accessible to all students. 

Reading rainbows. Miller has done a lot of marketing this year around e-resources, especially since so many students are remote and accessing ebooks. For example, she pulled all the books that the district had in Destiny and made a “DestinyFlix” board for students. They also used BookHub to get books to students who were in classrooms, and created “shopping lists” for students to check out books. And they created virtual book posters and boards to share with students to get them excited about reading.

Team marketing. “Remember that you’re not alone in this!” Miller said. She encourages students to be part of the marketing team by taking photos, creating posters, brainstorming campaigns, and involving them in other tasks. “Set realistic due dates, stay with it, delegate tasks, be flexible, and remember no matter what, always put the kids first!”  

• NYC DOE Beyond Access Forum Provides Professional Development Around Inclusive and Individualized Education
• What is Grackle and How Can Districts Use It to Increase Accessibility

In this new era of remote learning, having secure access to reliable data is key to measuring the engagement of our students -- whether they are learning online, face-to-face, or in a blended model. 

In this Tech & Learning Lunch ‘n Learn webinar, Dr. Kecia Ray talked with thought leaders about how schools can ensure all of their technology works together seamlessly so teachers can deliver personalized learning, identify and address learning gaps, manage hybrid scheduling and attendance, and more. 

Watch the on-demand version here 

Key Takeaways

Simplification is key. The proliferation of technology has been on a trajectory for the past 30 years has seen an increase in complexity, said Joel Hames, VP Product for PowerSchool. He pointed out that 74% of districts now use more than 26 different edtech products or platforms.

“It makes for a complicated ecosystem for schools to navigate,” said Hames. Having a complex system and platforms that aren’t connected means more work for teachers and students, which takes away from learning time.

“You will never have less data than you do now,” said Sean Casey, Strategic Partnerships, Ed-Fi Alliance, who agreed that having so much complexity is a challenge for everyone.

Casey said the “secret sauce” they’ve is focusing on use case, and by combining technology and educational leadership to focus on specific problems, such as absenteeism in one school, for example, wins can be stacked toward solving larger issues in education, such as truancy. By bringing data from various sources into one place, or on one platform, it can be used in an apples-to-apples way so it can be leveraged to solve similar use cases.

“Teachers may not understand interoperability, but they get excited when you can simplify what they do,” said Hames. By simplifying things, you can galvanize everyone around a common cause.

Working together. When it comes to finding solutions to common problems, Hames pointed to three critical success factors.

“If you can embed with and really connect with the end users, then you can really gain insight on how to use data to help students,” he said, encouraging educators to leverage what they can from other districts who have solved the same kinds of problems before. He reminded educators that they’re not alone and that there are many other LEAs who are solving or facing similar problems.

“Many hands make light work,” Hames said. “We can solve some large-scale problems as a field and solve them as a community working together.” When working together, the group can bounce ideas off one another and allow the best practices to emerge.

Hames also encouraged educators to rally around their priorities to determine what problem they are trying to solve. “Once you zero in on that, then you can determine what data you need to solve that, and then find the tools that support that,” he said. 

Change doesn’t have to hurt. When Oxford Public Schools in Massachusetts started looking for an SIS system to combine with its existing SPED system, interoperability was a key focus so that data could easily flow between the systems, said Kadion Phillips, Director of Technology for Oxford Public Schools.

Phillips discussed the district’s top challenges in this situation.

And then how having data interoperability helped to solve these challenges. 

“Changing over from any system is painful,” Phillips said, although he said by doing it in phases eased some of the bumps along the way. Opting for interoperability, however, will provide a good return on investment, especially for the district’s families. “We can bring in tech, but we first have to make sure it’s going to be actually useful for all our constituents,” he said.

Students first. “Any effort to tie together or implement technology needs to make life better for your students first,” said Hames. The improvement for students that will result from any change you make is a point to rally around.

Echoing that sentiment, Casey added that if district leaders and IT personnel also don’t figure out how to leverage the data that comes from implementing interoperability, a large burden of that is going to fall on the shoulders of teachers. “We have to make our data work for us otherwise it will become this untenable thing for the people we absolutely don’t want it to fall on,” Casey said. “They don’t need more on their plates.”

Lunch 'n Learn with Tech & Learning

We hope you can join us for this  District Leadership Lunch ‘n Learn Roundtable series, hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray. In this series, districts from across the U.S. share their strategic plans, the challenges they are facing, and the creative solutions they are using to support students and teachers. Register for our upcoming events here. 

More from T&L: Lunch 'n Learn roundtable recaps

• How to Use Data to Prepare for the Upcoming School Year
• Using Data to Prepare for Back to School
• T&L Webinars

Cerise Cauthron is science department chair at Georgetown Middle/High School in Georgetown, Massachusetts. The school is suburban with mostly white students, moderate SPED population, and approximately 600 students in grades 7-12. It enjoys good technology funding and an engaged parent community. Classes are hybrid, a combination of virtual and face-to-face. 

Tools being used

Zoom, asynchronous teacher-created lessons, online laboratory experiences with Pivot Interactives, technology-based in-person laboratory experiences using Vernier probeware, traditional non-technology based laboratory experiences, Schoology LMS as well as various other online platforms such as Class Kick and PearDeck.

Biggest challenge

Servicing students working remotely, especially SPED students, who require additional teacher interaction. Also, keeping remote learners and in-person learners at the same level of lesson rigor and achieving the learning objectives to the same level of expectations. 

What are the advantages of teaching in this environment? 

Learning and implementing new technologies, motivating students to become more self-directed with their learning, and discovering new ways to teach old content to keep both myself and the students engaged in the curriculum. 

How are teachers being supported? 

Teachers are being provided with professional development opportunities, additional planning time, and district expenditures in technology. 

How are you supporting your students? 

We are using Zoom extensively and an online LMS, plus increased collaboration with SPED support staff and parents. 

How are you supporting your parents and families? 

The district is using Zoom conferences, an online LMS, clear expectations for learning, and activities that engage students at home to examine their environment and daily routine. 

Did anything unexpected happen (good or bad) during remote learning that can now be used as a teachable moment for others? 

Technology glitches have required teachers to learn to adapt quickly to a new situation and teach, perhaps more authentically than relying on a planned lesson. 

Anything else you'd like to add about your successes and challenges being a teacher during the pandemic? 

I worry for districts that lack community financial support to provide necessary technology to reach students, such as we have experienced in this district. The ability to interact with at-home students and offer them rigorous, quantitative online laboratory activities, for example, has been extremely beneficial for the science department and the students we service.

If you would like to participate in the COVID Diary series, please complete this form. Email Ray.Bendici@futurenet.com with any questions. 

LaRonda Ringold is an instructional interventionist for special education at Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. Clark County is the fourth largest school district in the nation, serving approximately 320,000 students, which includes approximately 30,000 students with special needs. The district has more than 360 school sites spread across urban, suburban, and rural areas. The district is fully virtual for most school sites and uses a hybrid model for school sites in more rural areas. 

Tools being used

The district is using a wide range of online technologies. From Google Meets to the Canvas LMS, the district has provided access to a variety of other digital resources to engage our students. Within my department, Edthena video coaching is being launched to help facilitate the teaching and learning process. 

Biggest challenge

There is a lot on the educators’ plates right now, so learning a slew of new technologies on top of now providing instruction virtually can oftentimes feel overwhelming. For special education teachers, in particular, communicating with students online can also pose its own challenges. For example, it is much more difficult to assess students via distance education than face to face. 

What are the advantages of teaching in this environment? 

The teachers I work with have expressed concern about distance education. However, many of them have persevered and are achieving success. 

How are teachers being supported? 

For some of our special education teachers, we are implementing video coaching, via Edthena, to support their virtual teaching and overall professional learning. This will allow us to provide mentoring and valuable feedback on videos of their live instruction, as well as their pre-recorded lessons. Additionally, we are considering creating a best practice library of videos that teachers could utilize to view quality instruction. 

Did anything unexpected happen (good or bad) during remote learning that can now be used as a teachable moment for others? 

From a professional development standpoint, the pandemic has taught us the importance of pivoting when needed. For example, last school year we were originally planning on using video coaching via Edthena in the rural parts of the district to more efficiently conduct observations and provide coaching as needed. But when the pandemic hit and everyone moved to distance education, we knew this would be a good way to serve more special education teachers outside of just the rural locations since in-person assistance was no longer feasible. 

Anything else you'd like to add about your successes and challenges being a teacher and/or an administrator during the pandemic? 

Our department is very systematic in the way new initiatives and technologies are implemented. We believe this is an important best practice, especially now during the pandemic when teaching and learning looks very different. We also continue to persevere to make sure the needs of our teachers and students are continuously being met. 

If you would like to participate in the COVID Diary series, please complete this form. Email Ray.Bendici@futurenet.com with any questions. 

Esports is among the fastest growing industries in the world—and there’s no better time than now to get involved.

On De. 4, AV Technology, Systems Contractor News, and Tech & Learning will co-host a one-day virtual event—Leveling Up: The Esports Conference & Expo—for integrators, consultants, technology managers, and educational professionals that will explore the tools, trends, and experience in esports and education.

What’s esports all about? According to Lori Bajorek, president of the National Esports Association, competitive gaming is more than just a hobby; it’s a catalyst for the development of life skills for a whole generation of young people. “We say ‘play with a purpose,’” she said. “It’s creating an online community of inclusiveness and diversity where we all feel we can win and grow together.”

Bajorek, who delivered the keynote address at the 2020 AV/IT Summit in August and will deliver the keynote at Leveling Up, has years of experience in building structure around foundational youth activities. When her son was in kindergarten, she began partnering with others in her area of Upstate New York to form an afterschool program to cultivate his love for Legos. A few years later, when he became engrossed in Minecraft, she teamed up with Minecraft Education to develop programs and run camps to encourage growth through the game. “I loved the concept of how it was utilizing spatial manipulation and computers, at such a young age,” she said. “And the move into esports [from there] happened very organically.

• What is Esports and How Does it Work in Education?
• How It's Done: eSports In School? Game On!

As her son grew, so did her involvement in gaming programs. Eventually she quit her job selling insurance and focused full-time on esports, launching a nonprofit organization. “I started seeing this amazing evolution in using gamification in the classroom and working with partners such as Microsoft, Minecraft, and some of the bigger ones in the earlier days,” she said. The challenge, at the time, was a lack of unified infrastructure. “There was no pathway to success for esports—I don’t think ‘esports’ was even a word at that point. It was more of a conversation I was having with schools, parents, companies like Microsoft, asking ‘Where are we seeing this going?’”

Bajorek found an answer through the National Esports Association, an entity through which she could help establish a formal curriculum around gaming. Before she arrived and became its president in April of 2019, the organization was “a lot of gamers who thought they knew what they were doing, but who really needed help and guidance and a platform,” she said. “I took the idea and helped to develop the infrastructure and define what it actually means to be the National Esports Association. What do gamers need? What do educational institutions need?”

The association’s primary focus is to help schools establish a foundation to get their esports programs off the ground. This often begins with the most basic of consultations. “When you go into a high school, for instance, and ask, ‘What games do you want to play?’ [sometimes] they’ll say, ‘We want to play esports,’” she said. “So it’s in its infancy.

“Then we talk about their esports lab. Are you playing in your cafeteria? Are you converting your computer lab into a gaming lab? What games are you actually going to use? Do you have someone who is coaching? It’s really developing it all from the ground up.” At the college level, Bajorek said that schools tend to be more informed—with many looking to recruit players on scholarships—but still need help establishing the proper infrastructure.

To help accomplish this, the association works with a number of technology companies, including distributors like Ingram Micro, integration firms like AVI-SPL, and AV manufacturers like Crestron. “That’s something that I’ve had to become an expert in,” she said. “Working with companies like Ingram Micro, but then also the integrators, is so important. I need them desperately. To be able to make a phone call and say, ‘I’ve got this school that really needs your help and guidance.’”

Bajorek said it’s crucial that more companies in the AV industry establish divisions focused on esports, and encourages them to reach out to the National Esports Association for guidance. “That’s one of the things I like working on with companies, helping them develop the educational platform for the people who are selling their products,” she said. “Most what we do is just on the educational side, but that’s what’s so important: understanding how this works in the classroom so you can figure out where your products actually fit in, and where you can help strengthen the mission of what it is that esports is trying to do.”

And in the end, that mission is all about the players. “How do you create that esports structure for teaching healthy gaming habits? How do you integrate gaming into the classroom? And how do you use it to help the digitized youth of today become the future leaders of tomorrow?” she said.

Hear more from Bajorek at Leveling Up: The Esports Conference & Expo on Fri., Dec. 4. 

Registration is free for qualified attendees. To register or learn more, visit eduesportsexpo.com.

As we start the school year in whatever learning environment your district or school is in, there’s a great deal of emphasis and pressure on students and educators related to learning gaps and loss from the spring. However, from a trauma-informed research and mental health perspective, concentrate on well-being first. We all have experienced trauma in so many different ways throughout this pandemic, so to establish a strong foundation for learning, we need to acknowledge and work through it. 

Dr. Dan Siegel of UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center defines trauma as “an experience we have that overwhelms our capacity to cope.” Recent research in neuroscience finds that trauma is stored in our bodies and needs movement in order to work through and understand the effects on our body, mind, and psyche. Additionally, educators can suffer secondary traumatic stress from working with students through their trauma. 

Trauma can manifest itself in children in a multitude of ways. For young children, they could experience fear of strangers and separation anxiety, have trouble eating or sleeping, or regress after hitting a developmental milestone. For school-age children, they may engage in aggressive behavior, become withdrawn, or exhibit difficulty concentrating in school. For adolescents, they may be anxious or depressed, feel intense guilt, anger, and shame, or in a worst case scenario, experience thoughts of suicide. 

When children exhibit these behaviors, we as educators can sometimes forget about taking the time to understand the root cause of the behavior and trying to help the child rather than see them as being “difficult” or “bad.” As Bessel van der Kolk, a Professor of Psychiatry and President of the Trauma Research Foundation, states in his book The Body Keeps the Score, Brain, Mind and Body in the healing of Trauma: “When children are oppositional, defensive, numbed out, or enraged, it’s also important to recognize that such ‘bad behavior’ may be repeat action patterns that were established to survive serious threats, even if they are intensely upsetting or off-putting.”

Polyvagal Theory 

Dr. Stephen Porges introduced the Polyvagal Theory to help us understand our response to trauma and stress, and can serve as a foundation for creating trauma-informed learning environments. This theory is based on the vagus nerve, which touches upon every major system in our bodies, and its health is essential to caring for our nervous system. 

The Polyvagal Theory puts focus on our window of tolerance, which you can see below in the image from the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. When we are triggered, we are outside of our window of tolerance. When we are numb, feeling hopeless, we are also outside of our window of tolerance. In these two spaces, no new learning can take place. 

Let’s repeat that, and let it sink in. No new learning can take place when we are outside of our window of tolerance. Only within our window of tolerance can new learning take place, which brings us to why understanding these concepts is so vitally important to the field of education, especially where we are today in post-pandemic learning. Van der Kolk emphasizes, “After trauma, the world is experienced with a different nervous system.” Trauma changes our ability to adapt based on what it leaves behind in our physiology and nervous system. As learners, we want to get to a place where we feel a sense of safety in our bodies and learning space. 

Start with Self Care

One of the most important things that we can do for ourselves and our students who have experienced trauma is give space to process and as emphasized in Permission to Feel, Marc Brackett’s new book. Oftentimes, we are told to not feel our emotions (emotional bypassing), to think positively instead (toxic positivity), when in reality, we should be processing emotions so that they don’t come up for us later. The ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale) reports that among 17,421 patients, childhood trauma correlated to serious adult medical conditions. Dr. Vincent Felitti, the Director of the ACE Study, shared, “Contrary to conventional belief, time does not heal all wounds, since humans convert traumatic emotional experiences in childhood into organic disease later in life.”

We as educators need to remember the Four Rs of trauma-informed care. We need to realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand potential paths for recovery. We need to recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in our students and others involved in the learning process. We need to respond by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into our school and classroom procedures and practices. And we need to resist re-traumatization of children, as well as the adults who care for them. 

Some key trauma-informed SEL practices include (but are not limited to) creating predictable routines, building strong and supportive relationships, empowering students’ agency, supporting the development of self-regulation skills, and providing opportunities to explore individual and community identities.

Additionally, through mindfulness practices, we can grow our windows of tolerance so that we are better able to cope with challenges. With meditation, yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi, for example, you can work with your students to move and help them build their window of tolerance and help change the physiological states left behind by trauma. Tying this to social-emotional learning, Bessel van der Kolk shares in his book that our own internal systems, when trusted by ourselves and those with whom we interact, can help us heal: “Give people greater access to their innate self-regulatory systems - the way they move, breathe, sing, interact with one another - so they can discover their natural resources to regulate themselves in a different way, especially when life gets challenging...The last things that should be cut from school schedules are chorus, physical education, recess, and anything involving movement, play, and joyful engagement.” 

These practices help us work through our traumas, to become comfortable with being in the present moment and being able to stay embodied rather than to disassociate, which is a common practice for trauma survivors. It can help us to feel the places that have no words. 

We acknowledge that we as educators are stressed. We were stressed pre-COVID, but then went into absolute emergency crisis mode to continue to serve our students, their families, our schools and districts, and our communities. And we did this on top of also taking care of our own families as well. This has been an extremely traumatic time. 

Practice self compassion and be gentle with yourself and everyone around you. Engage in grounding practices on a regular basis to keep yourself healthy for yourself and those around you. Remember to fill your own cup first so you can fill the cups of others. 

About the Author

Dr. Kennedy is an educational researcher and consultant. She has focused on the areas of K-12 online, blended, and digital learning for over 15 years as well as SEL for teachers and students, in addition to healing trauma through somatic approaches for over five years. Most of her work in these areas centers on research to practice. In addition to her consulting work, she owns and operates Wellness for Educators, which centers around the importance of well-being of educators. Through somatic approaches, including but not limited to yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, as well as contemplative, reflective practices such as meditation and mindfulness, and other therapeutic modalities (cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), EMDR, etc), the tissues that hold traumatic experiences, such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), have the potential to be healed. Using her own personal experience with severe ACEs, Dr. Kennedy and her team provide strategies, professional learning, and other opportunities to educators so they can empower themselves to work with their own traumas, secondary traumatic stress, and emotions so that they can heal and better be there for their students as well as help their students empower and heal themselves. 

Additional Resources

American School Counselor Association Virtual High School Counseling - Resources, lessons and links for providing online student support

CASC & WSCA Educational Resources for Virtual School Counseling - Takeaways and resources from a recent virtual school counseling webinar from the California Association of School Counselors

As school leaders, many people come to us to help solve problems and work through issues both large and small. Some of the problems we’re dealing with right now, however, we just can’t fix--districts have students who have lost family members to COVID-19; staff members whose own children have been put on ventilators; and several principals who have contracted COVID-19 since coming back to school. 

These are challenges beyond anything we’ve ever dealt with before, and it doesn’t even include all of the typical issues that we manage on a daily basis (e.g., children living in poverty, in abusive households, or dealing with social and emotional issues). In other words, the pressures didn’t start with COVID-19 and they won’t end with it. 

5 Roadblocks to Work Through 

Once schools got the official word that they were going to be closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 year, some pivoted from getting their staff used to teaching online to better understanding what their students were experiencing during this disruption. Fortunately, we have some modern tools to help us through this trying time. 

As the former director of digital learning at my district, having a student safety platform in place allowed me to confidently say to parents, "My only two jobs are to make sure your kids are safe and make sure they have the best learning environment possible." With remote learning coming to the forefront during the pandemic, we have to stick to this commitment and ensure that students are safe no matter where they’re learning.  

Here are five roadblocks that our district is working through right now in order to reach that goal:  

1. Digital inequity. Students want to be able to do their work, but not all have a means for doing that. Without devices, they can’t get online and work. And without internet access at home, they can’t connect to our systems. They also can’t interact on social media platforms, which has replaced much of their in-person socializing during the pandemic. Students who don’t have technology and connectivity feel left out and stranded, and need a way to connect. We have to take it upon ourselves to help even out some of this digital inequity.  

2. Navigating uncertain environments. Students are used to seeing one another, interacting with teachers, and talking in person on a daily basis. In one fell swoop, COVID-19 took all of this away. To help fill that void, some districts are implementing a hybrid learning model in which students can meet their teachers in person (following proper mask and social distancing protocols, of course), participate in campus tours (particularly for freshmen who have never set foot in our high school before), and get acclimated to being on campus while also learning virtually. We’ve also learned about districts that created buttons with teachers’ faces so that younger students can see what their teachers’ faces look like and to help alleviate any anxiety.

3. Creating a flexible curriculum. Today’s educational curriculums have to be elastic enough to handle changes on the spot. We don’t want to get into another “crisis remote learning” situation in which everyone is scrambling to quickly take an existing curriculum and make it into one that’s suitable for remote learning. One of the best approaches is to help teachers understand that everything they’re doing should be geared for remote learning. That way, they’ll be prepared either way, whether students are sitting in the classroom or at home.

4. Monitoring hot topics of conversation. This past summer, many students wanted to discuss issues related to race. As educators address these issues, they’ve seen students proactively use tools such as G Suite to congregate and share information. They sometimes create small groups and develop their own activities that can get out of hand, and that’s when we turn to student safety platforms such as Gaggle to help us keep an eye on what’s happening. Regardless of these challenges, I'm just pleased to see the ways kids are connecting despite their lack of proximity to one another. It really hasn't slowed them down much at all.

5. Prioritizing social-emotional learning. When the pandemic emerged, our schools looked at trauma-informed practices and some of the research around how to support students, knowing that 100% of our students (and their families) are going through some level of trauma. Recognizing this, educators have prioritized social-emotional learning practices, checked in regularly with students, allowed them to go at their own pace, and paid attention to our student safety platform. We want students to know that we're there for them and that we’ll respond to any issues immediately.   

As educational leaders, when we know these issues are occurring, we can do a much better job of intervening and protecting our kids, and keeping them safe.

Dr. Matthew Joseph is Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Leicester Public Schools in Massachusetts. 

In early August, Tech & Learning talked with two district leaders about their reopening plans: one district was going to open fully virtual, while the other was going to open fully in-person. Here is the link to view the August webinar.  

During a recent Tech & Learning District Leadership Lunch ‘n Learn Roundtable these district leaders talked about what they’ve learned this past month, from deploying devices, to delivering instruction to keeping students safe online. What lessons have they learned since that conversation? What worked and what did they need to modify? How are they addressing student safety in this new environment?

See the on-demand version here 

Key Takeaways

Looking back to go forward. “The key to being successful has been looking back to see how we survived last spring,” said Marc Elliott, Chief Information Officer for Olympia School District in Washington, which is currently holding classes only remotely. “We were in survival mode in the spring, so after it was over, we built a theme that this fall was going to be better.” The district “dumped a lot of PD in the laps of our teachers,” he said, from how-tos to basic learning of edtech tools. “Principals have been telling us that teachers are now beginning to settle in and are finding a groove with remote teaching with students. We’re seeing that our prep has really paid off.”

Easing the load. To free up more time for remote teaching, the district built its own proprietary check-in system that allows students to register every day rather than the teacher having to chase them down. The tool is also used as “a screener” in that students can give a thumbs up/down for each class, provide information on their social-emotional health, and offer basic information regarding their physical health. “Teachers are getting more info than ever before and they’re struggling with how to process it all,” says Elliott. IT is providing extra support.

One day at a time. In the Metropolitan School District of Steuben County in Angola, Indiana, teachers are approaching every day “as if tomorrow could be a virtual learning day,” said Chantell Manahan, Director of Technology. The district’s class mix is currently 75% face-to-face and 25% virtual. “Every day of face-to-face learning is a bonus,” Manahan said. 

Addressing the stress. “My son came home and said, ‘Mom they took all the fun out of school,’” said Manahan. Learning is looking a lot different for everyone now, so the focus is on mental health. “Teachers are exhausted,” she said. “They’re working more now than ever in a hybrid environment. Now what they most want is time. I wish we could fabricate time for them out of thin air.” Leaders have tried to get creative with scheduling to provide breaks, for example, implementing reading time in face-to-face classes to free up time so teachers can check on virtual students. The district is also partnering with a local college to have in-training education students serve as co-teachers in online environments to ease some of that burden.

Family support. In Olympia School District, Elliott says the biggest request they get is, “When are we going to train the families? And with 10,000 students, that can be intimidating.” To provide support, IT built an online resource center and help desk. The district is now up 85% with 1:1 Chromebooks for elementary school students, and more than 300 hotspots have been distributed to students with no access. The district was also able to engage the district foundation to provide funds for monthly internet access for families who can’t afford it.

Early warning system. “Students don’t lie to Google,” said Anders Johnsson, SVP of Global Sales for Securly. By being able to monitor their search results on school-issued devices, a district can alert parents if a child is struggling with mental health or thinking of hurting themselves. “Kids are like electrons--they follow the path of least resistance, so they’ll use the screen in front of them, which means they will use their school devices to search mental health issues,” said Johnsson.

App-ropriate support. Johnsson also pointed out that kids want to be social and now that they’re often stuck at home, they’re using their devices more than ever. The good news is that there’s been a decrease in bullying, however, students are facing new mental health challenges. Securly offers a new app that allows parents to see what students are searching online so they can have discussions if a student is searching for ways to hurt themselves. It can also send mental health notifications if students are potentially at risk. “Parents want to know what their kids are doing, they are concerned, and are appreciative to have apps and tools that can help them stay connected,” said Johnsson.

Lunch 'n Learn with Tech & Learning

This report is part of Tech & Learning's District Leadership Lunch ‘n Learn Roundtable series, hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray. In this series, districts from across the U.S. share their strategic plans, the challenges they are facing, and the creative solutions they are using to support students and teachers. Access previous webinars and register for our upcoming events here. 

More from T&L: Lunch 'n Learn roundtable recaps

What They're Doing in Georgia

What They're Doing in Illinois

What They're Doing in Texas

What They’re Doing in New York

What They’re Doing in California

What They’re Doing in Florida

Transitioning from Remote Learning to Blended Learning

Cybersecurity Planning for Next School Year

Finding & Funding the Best Tools for Any Learning Environment

How to Use Data to Prepare for the Upcoming School Year

Using Data to Prepare for Back to School

Online Filtering and Monitoring for Districts

Distance to Hybrid Learning: How to Drive Student Success

Collaborating with IT and Instruction to Ensure Continuous Instruction in Any Learning Environment

When COVID-19 forced the closure of most schools nationwide, district leaders were left scrambling to find an alternate way to instruct students for the remainder of the school year. Most immediately turned to remote learning, knowing that this modality—which was already well past the “testing” phase for most K-12 institutions—could be used to pick up where their brick-and-mortar schools were forced to leave off. 

The transition has been smooth for some, but bumpy for others. Those schools with online learning frameworks in place likely experienced fewer challenges, while those that were either behind the curve on virtual learning—or just getting in the swing of things—faced some significant obstacles.

Leveraging Familiar Frameworks 

The good news is that while the educational delivery method may have needed to shift quickly to accommodate school closures, the same leadership strategies apply in both the online and offline world. For example, effective leadership traits focused on student success drive the familiar frameworks that ensure equitable instruction for all students. 

These frameworks support the contingencies that facilitate continuity of learning in unfamiliar circumstances (e.g., in the middle of a global pandemic). In the face of such high levels of uncertainty, anxiety, inequity, and angst, many school leaders believe they need to create a whole new playbook. 

In most cases, though, the opposite is true. In fact, leaders need to consider frameworks, goals, and mission statements that were in place pre-pandemic to determine which elements still work and which need modification.

For example, here at Chocowinity Primary School in North Carolina, selecting our remote learning tools was fairly easy because we were already using Lexia Core5 Reading for five years, along with several other products including Pioneer Valley digital books. Our students and families were already familiar with technology and how we used it at our school, which helped us transition to remote learning.  We also made sure that our parents understood the data that we were providing and the information that their children were interacting with online. 

We also had a framework in place that transferred over when the shutdowns happened. That framework includes meeting weekly after school and developing plans as a grade-level team. We just kept that going using Zoom meetings with our administrative team, our assistant principal, and our school counselor.

Data is the New Oil 

As we moved learning into the fully online environment, data became more important than ever. On the literacy platform, for example, students can track their own progress: A little red apple pops up when a student isn’t meeting the standard, whereas students who are moving up a level or otherwise excelling are recognized for their progress. Our students are very proud of “leveling up,” and it’s usually the first thing we hear when we get in a Zoom meeting with them. Our teachers also use Lexia data when meeting with their students online. If we didn't have such programs, we’d still have the communication and be in touch, but guiding students remotely would be much more difficult. 

For social-emotional learning, we’re also using Zoom as the foundation when we’re out of the classroom. Our teachers are on the platform daily and weekly with small groups of students, asking them how they’re doing, whether we’re meeting their needs, and asking for suggestions. This is just further proof that tools don’t work without an educator and without a full, holistic educational approach that includes students, teachers, and parents.

Key Leadership Traits 

Now more than ever, leaders should rely on what research and practice have already proven works in the educational environment. More specifically, they should consider frameworks, goals, and mission statements that were in place pre-COVID to determine which elements still work (and which of them need modification). 

For example, these six leadership traits can serve as the foundation for that plan: 

1.  Articulate a clear vision and plan for the academic success of all students. 
2.  Cultivate collaborative community networks that share the vision of student success. 
3.  Promote teachers’ professional development and leadership skills. 
4.  Rely on data to drive decision making and to measure progress. 
5.  Maintain high standards for instruction that meets student needs. 
6.  Foster the social and emotional learning of students and teachers. 

It’s also important to remember that educational leadership involves influencing others to achieve goals. While most leaders would agree that student achievement and educator empowerment are their primary goals, educational equity should always be the ultimate goal.

By developing a framework for remote learning success that fully leverages your current resources while revealing any “gaps” that need to be filled in your program, districts can build out equitable, sustainable remote learning plans based on proven methodologies and success strategies. 

Alicia Vosburgh is Principal at Chocowinity Primary School in Beaufort County, North Carolina. 

Gabriel Cardenas is principal at Mildred B. Janson School in California's Rosemead School District, a TK-6th grade school with 577 students that is 68% Asian and 30% Hispanic, with more than 77% of students classified as socio-economically disadvantaged and receiving free or reduced lunch. The school is currently completely virtual.

Tools being used

We are using Google Classroom for all grade levels. For communication, we use Class Dojo and Zoom for virtual classes. We have many school-wide initiatives such as iReady and PBIS under The Leader in Me Framework. One of our most popular tools is iReady; we ensure all students access iReady lessons daily, in both Math and Reading, and for a minimum of 45 minutes a week per subject. iReady has been very useful to drive our instruction and to provide intervention and enrichment programs. 

Every student is provided with a chromebook and hot spot if needed. The district has created a student portal where all curriculum and programs can be easily accessible through this portal.

Biggest challenge

There are several challenges when teaching virtually, however, one key piece is that of "student connectedness." Although our staff is working extremely hard to meet the needs of all of our students, we find it challenging to get the most out of our students. We know that each child has strengths and gifts and it is our duty to ensure we recognize those. However, it has been challenging during virtual learning. It is also challenging to develop the social skills students are presented with when they are in person compared to online. 

What are the advantages of teaching in this environment? 

Our staff has grown professionally in the area of technology and collaboration. Although we all much rather be on campus with students in our classrooms, we have seen so much good come out of this environment. As a principal at this site for the past 12 years, I am amazed to see the creativity, collaboration and skill set that everyone has displayed. I could not be prouder. 

How are teachers being supported? 

Fortunately, thirteen of our staff members are Google-certified and have a lot of technology experience. The staff has truly come together to collaborate and share ideas. Also, as a site administrator, I do my best to create an environment for everyone that is safe and okay for "mistakes." The district has also put together a team of strong technology educators to provide professional development in many areas for teacher support. 

As a principal I also am cautious of our staff's social and emotional state, and I try to be the biggest cheerleader and support for all of them. I will reach out to each one of them via phone, text message, or phone call to check in. We try to make staff meetings fun, engaging, and meaningful, and acknowledge them for the great work that they are doing. I have the best staff ever!

How are you supporting your students? 

I send videos from my office with inspiring messages, post on social media, and will have various conversations with different students during class break out rooms to check in. 

How are you supporting your parents and families? 

We use Class Dojo to post daily messages and videos, and have Zoom Principal Coffee Chats often. I also invite parents to come to the school's office for technical support and am sure to be available to help or even have a casual conversation. I also allow for public comments and questions to be asked to me via Class Dojo anytime. 

Anything else you'd like to add about your successes and challenges being an administrator during the pandemic? 

I truly believe that I have been blessed with such an amazing staff and community. As a product of this community, I am honored to be the principal. I've learned that there is so much that can be done when challenges face us, such as this pandemic. It has made us think outside the box, synergize as a team, and truly follow the motto of "It takes a village to raise a child."

If you would like to participate in the COVID Diary series, please complete this form. Email Ray.Bendici@futurenet.com with any questions. 

With COVID-19 showing no signs of slowing down, it is likely that few schools if any will get through the next school year without some form of remote learning. The key to the success of these programs will be an effective collaboration between the technology and instruction departments. 

To help districts address these questions, Dr. Kecia Ray recently talked with thought leaders about how districts are bringing together their technology and curriculum departments to build effective plans to ensure students will receive quality, consistent instruction to ensure learning success in any learning environment. The webinar is part of our "New Year, New Normal" series. 

Watch the on-demand version here 

Key Takeaways

Understanding usage. “When we entered remote learning, we had to make sure our students were engaged, so when thinking about the various platforms, we had to understand our usage first,” said Shawntee Cowan, Chief Technology Officer of Duncanville ISD in Texas. The tech department had to determine if the devices that were distributed were effective, or if the ones students had at home were better. This study of data supported the district’s efforts to upgrade devices for all students, and also helped to determine which platforms and apps were providing a good return on investment. “One of the pieces we talk about all the time is ROI,” she said. “Many times we purchase the same thing over and over, and now that we have a platform [CatchOn] to track that, we’re not double dipping.”

Learning data lessons. “The work we were able to do in the spring was a foundation for the fall,” said Dr. Silvia E. Martinez, Director of Curriculum & Instruction for Duncanville ISD. By using data collected in the spring during remote learning, the district was able to close communication gaps between teachers, students, and parents, and among staff, which provided a strong start for everyone this year. 

The power of partnerships. “We are not alone and we know we have partners who will work with us,” said Martinez. In addition to vendor partnerships, collaboration between departments has been critical. “We’ve had to work vertically as well as horizontally,” said Cowan. “We know that all the instructional materials are tech-based, so if we’re all not working together, we’re not successful.” Curriculum and technology have had to work together, she said, so intentional communication and collaboration has been a huge win for the district. 

Monitoring at-risk students. “By monitoring what our students are doing, what apps they are using, and what their screen time is like, we can see who is at risk and who is engaged,” said Monica Cougan, Manager of Strategic Relationships & Initiatives for CatchOn, an ENA affiliate. By being able to use data to detect trends and improve usage, districts can make shifts quickly in platforms to better ensure student success.

Cougan also suggested that districts create data plans with the following strategic objectives.

Cougan discussed how the CatchOn platform works in terms of tracking student online engagement and platform usage, and how CatchOn works with districts to create customized solutions.

Communicate, communicate, communicate! “You don’t need to be a techie to open the conversation about improving your technology integration,” said Martinez. “If that communication dynamic doesn’t already exist, be the spark to create it.” She recommended departments continue to work together, and stay strong. “Refresh, renew, and know there are tools to reach out for support,” she said. “You’re not alone in this. Be innovative, be creative, and enjoy the journey!”

Lunch 'n Learn with Tech & Learning 

This report is part of Tech & Learning's District Leadership Lunch ‘n Learn Roundtable series, hosted by Dr. Kecia Ray. In this series, districts from across the U.S. share their strategic plans, the challenges they are facing, and the creative solutions they are using to support students and teachers. Access previous webinars and register for our upcoming events here. 

More from T&L: Lunch 'n Learn roundtable recaps

• How to Use Data to Prepare for the Upcoming School Year
• Transitioning from Remote Learning to Blended Learning
• T&L Webinars

STEM skills are career skills, says Dr. Catherine Jones, principal at Prescott South Elementary School in Cookeville, Tennessee. 

“STEM skills, such as problem solving, are necessary for all jobs,” Jones said during a recent webinar focused on encouraging STEM engagement. 

“We need to teach students that we don’t need to just be the consumers of technology, but we need to teach them how to troubleshoot, how to code, and almost build those as literacy skills,” said Jones.

At Prescott South Elementary, the engineering design process is a point of emphasis, even in subjects such as English, to help students learn to solve problems. 

During the webinar, presented by edtech provider Trox, Jones and other educators discussed strategies and tools to help schools adapt existing STEM lesson plans or create new ones to engage learners of any age in a remote learning environment.

Key Takeaways 

Two-pronged approach. At Prescott South Elementary, Jones and her staff have both remote and in-person students, so traditional STEM instruction is being supplemented with devices that are sent home and choice boards to determine what activities students can participate in. “It has definitely refreshed my belief in the STEM practices,” Jones said. Face-to-face students have been very enthusiastic about STEM projects, and teachers have been printing out and displaying the work of remote students for all to see. Manufacturing is this year’s schoolwide theme at Prescott Elementary, and the purpose of this theme is to increase students’ understanding of the manufacturing process and STEM careers within this field. Manufacturing is incorporated into the school’s special “Encore” classes, teaching students how the objects they use are created. For example, they learn how various sports equipment is made or how books are produced from start to finish.

Harford Day School is approaching STEM in a similar manner, says Director of Technology Tracy Schoene. Devices and other materials are sent home on Fridays for projects the following week, and the students have been responding very positively. “It’s great to see how excited and engaged students are,” says Schoene. All classes are live streamed, so educators can see students working in real time at home. The school is using various online resources such as thingiverse, invent.org and imagineeringinabox. For online coding, Dash’s Neighborhood, Scratch and Scratch Jr. are used. 

“We’ve shifted to a lot of online resources, but we’re trying to keep that hands-on feeling for our students as well,” says Schoene.

Flexibility is key. “Flexibility is the biggest lesson we’ve learned,” says Schoene. A big emphasis was on professional development to help teachers be prepared to support students in these new environments. Video tutorials have been created to also support teachers, as has been making sure that students and teachers not only have the materials they need for learning, but that everyone has equal access.

In that vein, Wonder Workshop has released Dash’s Neighborhood, a virtual robot program that allows students who are in a remote environment to enjoy a virtual hands-on coding learning experience. More curriculum and lessons are being added because a number of schools have already gone through everything already available, says Tim Tomasso, a former high school technology instructor now with Wonder Workshop. “That’s how we pivoted everything,” Tomasso says. “Going from having physical robots in front of the kids to work with them to creating the virtual tools so they can still do the same thing.” Having virtual options also help schools who may have to transition quickly from face-to-face to remote learning.

Also shifting has been Maker Bot, which in lieu of actual 3D printing is sponsoring 3D printing design challenges. “You don’t have to wait until you have a 3D printer to start designing projects,” said Dottie Stewart, a former educator and now education consultant with Maker Bot. The platform is also providing cloud-printing options that allow students to send projects to teachers’ 3D printers for rendering and distribution. It can also be used in conjunction with other resources, such as Tinkercad, to create unique STEM projects.

Find new STEM challenges. Encouraging students to find solutions for challenges related to the pandemic, such as opening doors, designing PPE or no-touch dispensers, is also a creative way to develop problem-solving skills, said Stewart. “Watching how students can find a problem and then solve that problem is just phenomenal.”

If teachers aren’t sure how to use certain STEM tools, there are plenty of video tutorials out there, said Schoene. “And then the kids just run with it, and they start to teach one another.”

Equity challenges. Making sure that all students have access to learning and STEM tools and materials continues to be an issue for many schools. Teachers have had to rethink their lessons to accommodate what students have on hand, and being at home has added an extra layer of problem-solving opportunities for students, said Schoene. “The goal is the application of the learning,” added Jones, citing examples of students using everything from stuffed animals to furniture in projects. “The pieces are just pieces.” It’s important to encourage students to explore the world around them rather than just look at PowerPoint slides all day.

Shifting STEM resources. At Prescott South, Jones has reallocated STEM funding from personnel and one-time projects that students might take home to investing in products such as robots that would stay on campus and can be used to better illustrate to parents how coding works. The STEM program has also been designated a schoolwide program, so general funds can be used for purchases, and the school has tried to partner with community organizations as well.

Safety first. During STEM robot projects, students at Harford Day School have shields up at desks and are assigned particular roles to help increase safety, said Shoene. Projects that used to go across multiple grades are now done one grade at a time to allow for sanitizing of robots in between as well. 

Starting from nothing. When trying to build a STEM program from scratch, Jones said she started small with just a few educators who were interested in participating. And then as the interest grew among others watching the first classes experiment, the demand grew, which encouraged her to find funding for additional projects. “Start with one robot for three kids, and let them get excited and tell someone else about it, and then it starts growing naturally,” she said. “And then it’s never work, it’s the fun part. ‘Are we going to get to do that?’” Visual examples, either on hallway walls or social media, can encourage other teachers and students to participate.

Tomasso echoed the need to “find champions” to start STEM learning and build excitement. “And then who doesn’t want to teach something that kids are excited to learn?” he said. 

Watch the webinar here

• How to Teach Science Remotely
• How It's Done: Remote STEM Learning

Erica Hartman is the Director of Technology Integration for Morris School District in Morristown, New Jersey, home to 5,200 students, 34% of whom receive free or reduced lunch. The district is currently operating in hybrid mode, with a combination of face-to-face and remote learning. 

Tools being used

Clever, Canvas, Google Meet, Google Classroom, iReady, Flipgrid, Raz Kids, Ready Classroom Math, Reflex, GoGuardian, Kami, and Screencastify. T -Mobile for home wifi access.

Biggest challenge

The biggest challenge is the emotional toll and the unknowns ranging from “Will one of our classrooms or schools need to shut down tomorrow?” to “Will my webcam work? to “Will our online platforms be able to handle the traffic?” Taking all of the things that schools normally do in a non-pandemic environment, such as providing a safe and healthy place to learn, food, Wifi, technology, and counseling, and providing all of these things remotely, has been quite a challenge. 

Pre-pandemic, there were signs outside of classrooms asking students how they would like to be greeted, with a handshake, a fist bump, a hug, a smile, or a dance--none of these are acceptable options anymore and I think that realization, for our teachers and our students, has been the hardest. This summer when I was preparing devices for a pickup, I passed the signs in the hallway and began to tear up knowing that it will be a long time before we can see the smiles of a student without a mask or high five a student in the hallway. None of the things translate well in the virtual environment.

What are the advantages of teaching in this environment? 

The advantages are that our already amazing and tech-savvy teachers have upped their skills even more and have become experts at creating screencasts, instructional videos, curating content, and not only teaching via videoconference, but also taking full advantage of professional learning opportunities. The silver lining in all of this is how successful our virtual learning professional development series has been--we should have been providing virtual PD before the pandemic.

Do teachers like instructing in this environment? 

I think our teachers would prefer every student was in school with them everyday. They have adapted to teaching virtually, but it takes a toll on teachers and families alike. A huge amount of preparation is needed to create online content and to learn new digital tools. Our teachers should be very proud of themselves and they are all working as hard as they can to provide students with the best instruction possible under very difficult circumstances.

How are teachers being supported? 

We realize how hard our teachers have been working and have supported them by creating a virtual hub, purchasing new laptops and document cameras for them, and continuing to provide virtual PD opportunities on topics ranging from classroom management in the virtual world to creating engaging and interactive presentations. 

Do your students like learning in this environment? 

Our K-5 students have the option to come in for a half day, 5 days per week, but our students in grades 6-12 are split into cohorts and come in for two days and then stay home for two days. Some students have come to love the flexibility of virtual learning and some wish they could be in the physical buildings more. It’s hard to make a blanket statement that students like either environment when there are so many other factors going on at the moment.

How are you supporting your students? 

We provide each student with a device and we have a community Wifi program for students in need via our partnership with T-Mobile. We also provide lunches and breakfasts, even for students who are remote. Our counseling departments are touching base with virtual students and we created a hub for them as well.

Are parents and families satisfied with this teaching environment? 

I think our parents are grateful we offer an in-person option as well as a completely virtual one. Our parents can see the work that has been put into both of these plans and realize that neither solution has been perfect.

How are you supporting your parents and families? 

We created a virtual hub for parents and have hosted webinars for parents on technology such as Google Classroom and Google Meet. 

Dr. Weber has created a series for virtual learning at home: For example - creating routines

For our Spanish-speaking families, we have created a Facebook page, and outreach staff use apps such as Remind to distribute information about virtual learning. 

Did anything unexpected happen (good or bad) during remote learning that can now be used as a teachable moment for others? 

One thing unexpected is that our parents have become very tech savvy! They are open to learning about the technology we use and how they can support their students online. They also see that technology is not always perfect and there are many variables we cannot control, and that everyone has to be flexible and have patience.

Anything else you'd like to add about your successes and challenges being an educator during the pandemic? 

As the director of technology, I have learned that it is very important to have a team of educational technology specialists and technicians who are fully invested in the plan and will work very hard to provide every staff member and students with access to a device and wifi. I am lucky to have such a team where I work. Since March 1, my team has not taken any breaks and withstood all elements to get devices into the hands of our students, including setting up tents outside to hand delivering mifis to students in need. They treat each technology issue with care and compassion, knowing the technology issue may be the smallest issue that a staff member or child is dealing with that day.  

I also think most people wouldn't understand the amount of work that any person involved in education has done in the past 6 months. From our custodians to our principals, to our nurses and business office staff, they have all worked tirelessly while dealing with their own personal pandemic issues to offer our students the opportunity to attend school in person for as long as we possibly can. I hope after this people realize that schools provide much more than an education.

If you would like to participate in the COVID Diary series, please complete this form. Email Ray.Bendici@futurenet.com with any questions.