Category: districts

  • Resilient learning begins with Zero Trust and cyber preparedness

    Resilient learning begins with Zero Trust and cyber preparedness

    Key points:

    The U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recently warned of a surge in cyberattacks from “insider threats”–student hackers motivated by dares and challenges–leading to breaches across schools. While this trend is unfolding overseas, it underscores a risk that is just as real for the U.S. education sector. Every day, teachers and students here in the U.S. access enormous volumes of sensitive information, creating opportunities for both mistakes and deliberate misuse. These vulnerabilities are further amplified by resource constraints and the growing sophistication of cyberattacks.

    When schools fall victim to a cyberattack, the disruption extends far beyond academics. Students may also lose access to meals, safe spaces, and support services that families depend on every day. Cyberattacks are no longer isolated IT problems–they are operational risks that threaten entire communities.

    In today’s post-breach world, the challenge is not whether an attack will occur, but when. The risks are real. According to a recent study, desktops and laptops remain the most compromised devices (50 percent), with phishing and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) cited as top entry points for ransomware. Once inside, most attacks spread laterally across networks to infect other devices. In over half of these cases (52 percent), attackers exploited unpatched systems to move laterally and escalate system privileges.

    That reality demands moving beyond traditional perimeter defenses to strategies that contain and minimize damage once a breach occurs. With the school year underway, districts must adopt strategies that proactively manage risk and minimize disruption. This starts with an “assume breach” mindset–accepting that prevention alone is not enough. From there, applying Zero Trust principles, clearly defining the ‘protect surface’ (i.e. identifying what needs protection), and reinforcing strong cyber hygiene become essential next steps. Together, these strategies create layered resilience, ensuring that even if attackers gain entry, their ability to move laterally and cause widespread harm is significantly reduced.

    Assume breach: Shifting from prevention to resilience

    Even in districts with limited staff and funding, schools can take important steps toward stronger security. The first step is adopting an assume breach mindset, which shifts the focus from preventing every attack to ensuring resilience when one occurs. This approach acknowledges that attackers may already have access to parts of the network and reframes the question from “How do we keep them out?” to “How do we contain them once they are in?” or “How do we minimize the damage once they are in?”

    An assume breach mindset emphasizes strengthening internal defenses so that breaches don’t become cyber disasters. It prioritizes safeguarding sensitive data, detecting anomalies quickly, and enabling rapid responses that keep classrooms open even during an active incident.

    Zero Trust and seatbelts: Both bracing for the worst

    Zero Trust builds directly on the assume breach mindset with its guiding principle of “never trust, always verify.” Unlike traditional security models that rely on perimeter defenses, Zero Trust continuously verifies every user, device, and connection, whether internal or external.

    Schools often function as open transit hubs, offering broad internet access to students and staff. In these environments, once malware finds its way in, it can spread quickly if unchecked. Perimeter-only defenses leave too many blind spots and do little to stop insider threats. Zero Trust closes those gaps by treating every request as potentially hostile and requiring ongoing verification at every step.

    A fundamental truth of Zero Trust is that cyberattacks will happen. That means building controls that don’t just alert us but act–before and during a network intrusion. The critical step is containment: limiting damage the moment a breach is successful.  

    Assume breach accepts that a breach will happen, and Zero Trust ensures it doesn’t become a disaster that shuts down operations. Like seatbelts in a car–prevention matters. Strong brakes are essential, but seatbelts and airbags minimize the harm when prevention fails. Zero Trust works the same way, containing threats and limiting damage so that even if an attacker gets in, they can’t turn an incident into a full-scale disaster.

    Zero Trust does not require an overnight overhaul. Schools can start by defining their protect surface – the vital data, systems, and operations that matter most. This typically includes Social Security numbers, financial data, and administrative services that keep classrooms functioning. By securing this protect surface first, districts reduce the complexity of Zero Trust implementation, allowing them to focus their limited resources on where they are needed most.

    With this approach, Zero Trust policies can be layered gradually across systems, making adoption realistic for districts of any size. Instead of treating it as a massive, one-time overhaul, IT leaders can approach Zero Trust as an ongoing journey–a process of steadily improving security and resilience over time. By tightening access controls, verifying every connection, and isolating threats early, schools can contain incidents before they escalate, all without rebuilding their entire network in one sweep.  

    Cyber awareness starts in the classroom

    Technology alone isn’t enough. Because some insider threats stem from student curiosity or misuse, cyber awareness must start in classrooms. Integrating security education into the learning environment ensures students and staff understand their role in protecting sensitive information. Training should cover phishing awareness, strong password practices, the use of multifactor authentication (MFA), and the importance of keeping systems patched.

    Building cyber awareness does not require costly programs. Short, recurring training sessions for students and staff keep security top of mind and help build a culture of vigilance that reduces both accidental and intentional insider threats.

    Breaches are inevitable, but disasters are optional

    Breaches are inevitable. Disasters are not. The difference lies in preparation. For resource-strapped districts, stronger cybersecurity doesn’t require sweeping overhauls. It requires a shift in mindset:

    • Assume breach
    • Define the protect surface
    • Implement Zero Trust in phases
    • Instill cyber hygiene

    When schools take this approach, cyberattacks become manageable incidents. Classrooms remain open, students continue learning, and communities continue receiving the vital support schools provide – even in the face of disruption. Like seatbelts in a car, these measures won’t prevent every crash – but they ensure schools can continue to function even when prevention fails.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • How school IT teams lock down QR-based SSO without hurting usability

    How school IT teams lock down QR-based SSO without hurting usability

    Key points:

    Schools can keep QR logins safe and seamless by blending clear visual cues, ongoing user education, and risk-based checks behind the scenes

    QR-based single sign-on (SSO) is fast becoming a favorite in schools seeking frictionless access, especially for bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environments.

    The BYOD in education market hit $15.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a 17.4 percent CAGR from 2025 to 2033, driven by the proliferation of digital learning and personal smart devices in schools.

    However, when attackers wrap malicious links into QR codes, school IT leaders must find guardrails that preserve usability without turning every login into a fortress.

    Phishing via QR codes, a tactic now known as “quishing,” is where attackers embed malicious QR codes in emails or posters, directing pupils, faculty, and staff to fake login pages. Over four out of five K-12 schools experienced cyber threat impacts with human-targeted threats like phishing or quishing, exceeding other techniques by 45 percent.

    Because QR codes hide or obscure the URL until after scanning, they evade many traditional email spam filters and link scanners.

    Below are three strategies to get that balance between seamless logins and safe digital environments right.

    How to look out for visual signals

    Approximately 60 percent of emails containing QR codes are classified as spam. Branded content, such as the school or district logo, consistent with the look and feel of other web portals and student apps, will help students identify a legitimate QR over a malicious one.

    Frontier research shows that bold colors and clear iconography can increase recognition speed by up to 40 percent. This is the kind of split-second reassurance a student or teacher needs before entering credentials on a QR-based login screen.

    Training your users to look for the full domain or service name, such as “sso.schooldistrict.edu” under the QR, is good practice to avoid quishing attacks, school-related or not. However, this will be trickier for younger students.

    The Frontier report demonstrates how younger children rely more heavily on color and icon cues than on text or abstract symbols. For K-12 students, visual trust cues such as school crests, mascots, or familiar color schemes offer a cognitive shortcut to legitimacy.

    Still, while logos and “Secured by…” badges are there to reassure users, attackers know this. Microsoft, Cisco Talos, and Palo Alto Unit42 have documented large-scale phishing campaigns where cybercriminals cloned Microsoft 365 and Okta login pages, complete with fake security seals, to harvest credentials.

    For schools rolling out QR-based SSO, pairing visible trust cues with dynamic watermarks unique to the institution makes it harder for attackers to replicate.

    User education on quishing risk

    Human error drives most breaches, particularly in K-12 schools. These environments handle a mix of pupils who are inexperienced with security risks and, therefore, are less likely to scrutinize QR codes, links, or credentials.

    Students and teachers must be taught the meaning of signs and the level of detail to consider in order to respond more quickly and correctly. A short digital literacy module about QR logins can dramatically cut phishing and quishing risk, reinforcing what legitimate login screens should look like. These should be repeated regularly for updates and to strengthen the retrieval and recognition of key visual cues.

    Research in cognitive psychology shows that repeated exposure can boost the strength of a memory by more than 30 percent, making cues harder to ignore and easier to recall. When teaching secure login habits, short, repeated micro-lessons–for example, 3-5 min videos with infographics–can boost test scores 10-20 percent. Researcher Piotr Wozniak suggests spacing reviews after 1 day, then 7 days, 16 days, 35 days, and later every 2-3 months.

    With proper education, students should instinctively not trust QRs received via text message or social media through unverified numbers or accounts. Encouraging the use of a Secure QR Code Scanner app, at least for staff and perhaps older students, can be helpful, because it will verify the embedded URL before a user opens it.

    When to step up authentication after a scan

    QR codes make logging in fast, but after a scan, you don’t have to give full access right away. Instead, schools can use these scans as the first factor and decide whether to require more proof before granting access, depending on risk signals.

    For example, if a student or teacher scans the QR code with a phone or tablet that’s not on the school’s “known device” list, the system should prompt for a PIN, passphrase, or MFA push before completing login. The same applies to sensitive systems that include student data or financial information.

    Microsoft’s 2024 Digital Defense Report shows that adding MFA blocks 99.2 percent of credential attacks. That means a simple SMS or push-based MFA can drastically slash phishing and quishing success rates. By adding a quick MFA prompt only when risk signals spike, school IT teams preserve the speed of QR logins without giving up security.

    Schools can also apply cloud-security platforms to strengthen QR-based SSO without sacrificing ease of use. These tools sit behind the scenes, continuously monitoring Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and other education apps for unusual logins, risky devices, or policy violations.

    By automatically logging every QR login event, including device, time, and location, and triggering alerts when something looks off, IT teams gain visibility and early warning without adding extra friction for staff or students. This approach lets schools keep QR sign-ins fast and familiar with risk-based controls and data protection running in the background.

    Schools can keep QR logins safe and seamless by blending clear visual cues, ongoing user education, and risk-based checks behind the scenes. Students and staff learn to recognize authentic screens, while IT teams add extra verification only when behavior looks risky. Simultaneously, continuous monitoring tracks every scan to catch problems early and improve education resources, all without slowing anyone down.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • How districts can avoid 4 hidden costs of outdated facilities systems

    How districts can avoid 4 hidden costs of outdated facilities systems

    Key points:

    School leaders are under constant pressure to stretch every dollar further, yet many districts are losing money in ways they may not even realize. The culprit? Outdated facilities processes that quietly chip away at resources, frustrate staff, and create ripple effects across learning environments. From scheduling mishaps to maintenance backlogs, these hidden costs can add up fast, and too often it’s students who pay the price. 

    The good news is that with a few strategic shifts, districts can effectively manage their facilities and redirect resources to where they are needed most. Here are four of the most common hidden costs–and how forward-thinking school districts are avoiding them. 

    How outdated facilities processes waste staff time in K–12 districts

    It’s a familiar scene: a sticky note on a desk, a hallway conversation, and a string of emails trying to confirm who’s handling what. These outdated processes don’t just frustrate staff; they silently erode hours that could be spent on higher-value work. Facilities teams are already stretched thin, and every minute lost to chasing approvals or digging through piles of emails is time stolen from managing the day-to-day operations that keep schools running.  

    A centralized, intuitive facilities management software platform changes everything. Staff and community members can submit requests in one place, while automated, trackable systems ensure approvals move forward without constant follow-up. Events sync directly with Outlook or Google calendars, reducing conflicts before they happen. Work orders can be submitted, assigned, and tracked digitally, with mobile access that lets staff update tickets on the go. Real-time dashboards offer visibility into labor, inventory, and preventive maintenance, while asset history and performance data enable leaders to plan more effectively for the long term. Reports for leadership, audits, and compliance can be generated instantly, saving hours of manual tracking. 

    The result? Districts have seen a 50-75 percent reduction in scheduling workload, stronger cross-department collaboration, and more time for the work that truly moves schools forward.

    Using preventive maintenance to avoid emergency repairs and extend asset life

    When maintenance is handled reactively, small problems almost always snowball into costly crises. A leaking pipe left unchecked can become a flooded classroom and a ruined ceiling. A skipped HVAC inspection may lead to a midyear system failure, forcing schools to close or scramble for portable units. 

    These emergencies don’t just drain budgets; they disrupt instruction, create safety hazards, and erode trust with families. A more proactive approach changes the narrative. With preventive maintenance embedded into a facilities management software platform, districts can automate recurring schedules, ensure tasks are assigned to the right technicians, and attach critical resources, such as floor plans or safety notes, to each task. Schools can prioritize work orders, monitor labor hours and expenses, and generate reports on upcoming maintenance to plan ahead. 

    Restoring systems before they fail extends asset life and smooths operational continuity. This keeps classrooms open, budgets predictable, and leaders prepared, rather than reactive. 

    Maximizing ROI by streamlining school space rentals

    Gymnasiums, fields, and auditoriums are among a district’s most valuable community resources, yet too often they sit idle simply because scheduling is complicated and chaotic. Paper forms, informal approvals, and scattered communication mean opportunities slip through the cracks.

    When users can submit requests through a single, digital system, scheduling becomes transparent, trackable, and far easier to manage. A unified dashboard prevents conflicts, streamlines approvals, and reduces the back-and-forth that often slows the process. 

    The payoff isn’t just smoother operations; districts can see increased ROI through easier billing, clearer reporting, and more consistent use of unused spaces. 

    Why schools need facilities data to make smarter budget decisions

    Without reliable facilities data, school leaders are forced to make critical budget and operational decisions in the dark. Which schools need additional staffing? Which classrooms, gyms, or labs are underused? Which capital projects should take priority, and which should wait? Operating on guesswork not only risks inefficient spending, but it also limits a district’s ability to demonstrate ROI or justify future investments. 

    A clear, centralized view of facilities usage and costs creates a strong foundation for strategic decision-making. This visibility can provide instant insights into patterns and trends. Districts can allocate resources more strategically, optimize staffing, and prioritize projects based on evidence rather than intuition. This level of insight also strengthens accountability, enabling schools to share transparent reports with boards, staff, and other key stakeholders, thereby building trust while ensuring that every dollar works harder. 

    Facilities may not always be the first thing that comes to mind when people think about student success, but the way schools manage their spaces, systems, and resources has a direct impact on learning. By moving away from outdated, manual processes and embracing smarter, data-driven facilities management, districts can unlock hidden savings, prevent costly breakdowns, and optimize the use of every asset. 

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • K-12 districts are fighting ransomware, but IT teams pay the price

    K-12 districts are fighting ransomware, but IT teams pay the price

    Key points:

    The education sector is making measurable progress in defending against ransomware, with fewer ransom payments, dramatically reduced costs, and faster recovery rates, according to the fifth annual Sophos State of Ransomware in Education report from Sophos.

    Still, these gains are accompanied by mounting pressures on IT teams, who report widespread stress, burnout, and career disruptions following attacks–nearly 40 percent of the 441 IT and cybersecurity leaders surveyed reported dealing with anxiety.

    Over the past five years, ransomware has emerged as one of the most pressing threats to education–with attacks becoming a daily occurrence. Primary and secondary institutions are seen by cybercriminals as “soft targets”–often underfunded, understaffed, and holding highly sensitive data. The consequences are severe: disrupted learning, strained budgets, and growing fears over student and staff privacy. Without stronger defenses, schools risk not only losing vital resources but also the trust of the communities they serve.

    Indicators of success against ransomware

    The new study demonstrates that the education sector is getting better at reacting and responding to ransomware, forcing cybercriminals to evolve their approach. Trending data from the study reveals an increase in attacks where adversaries attempt to extort money without encrypting data. Unfortunately, paying the ransom remains part of the solution for about half of all victims. However, the payment values are dropping significantly, and for those who have experienced data encryption in ransomware attacks, 97 percent were able to recover data in some way. The study found several key indicators of success against ransomware in education:

    • Stopping more attacks: When it comes to blocking attacks before files can be encrypted, both K-12 and higher education institutions reported their highest success rate in four years (67 percent and 38 percent of attacks, respectively).
    • Following the money: In the last year, ransom demands fell 73 percent (an average drop of $2.83M), while average payments dropped from $6M to $800K in lower education and from $4M to $463K in higher education.
    • Plummeting cost of recovery: Outside of ransom payments, average recovery costs dropped 77 percent in higher education and 39 percent in K-12 education. Despite this success, K-12 education reported the highest recovery bill across all industries surveyed.

    Gaps still need to be addressed

    While the education sector has made progress in limiting the impact of ransomware, serious gaps remain. In the Sophos study, 64 percent of victims reported missing or ineffective protection solutions; 66 percent cited a lack of people (either expertise or capacity) to stop attacks; and 67 percent admitted to having security gaps. These risks highlight the critical need for schools to focus on prevention, as cybercriminals develop new techniques, including AI-powered attacks.

    Highlights from the study that shed light on the gaps that still need to be addressed include:

    • AI-powered threats: K-12 education institutions reported that 22 percent of ransomware attacks had origins in phishing. With AI enabling more convincing emails, voice scams, and even deepfakes, schools risk becoming test grounds for emerging tactics.
    • High-value data: Higher education institutions, custodians of AI research and large language model datasets, remain a prime target, with exploited vulnerabilities (35 percent) and security gaps the provider was not aware of (45 percent) as leading weaknesses that were exploited by adversaries.
    • Human toll: Every institution with encrypted data reported impacts on IT staff. Over one in four staff members took leave after an attack, nearly 40 percent reported heightened stress, and more than one-third felt guilt they could not prevent the breach.

    “Ransomware attacks in education don’t just disrupt classrooms, they disrupt communities of students, families, and educators,” said Alexandra Rose, director of CTU Threat Research at Sophos. “While it’s encouraging to see schools strengthening their ability to respond, the real priority must be preventing these attacks in the first place. That requires strong planning and close collaboration with trusted partners, especially as adversaries adopt new tactics, including AI-driven threats.”

    Holding on to the gains

    Based on its work protecting thousands of educational institutions, Sophos experts recommend several steps to maintain momentum and prepare for evolving threats:

    • Focus on prevention: The dramatic success of lower education in stopping ransomware attacks before encryption offers a blueprint for broader public sector organizations. Organizations need to couple their detection and response efforts with preventing attacks before they compromise the organization.
    • Secure funding: Explore new avenues such as the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate subsidies to strengthen networks and firewalls, and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre initiatives, including its free cyber defense service for schools, to boost overall protection. These resources help schools both prevent and withstand attacks.
    • Unify strategies: Educational institutions should adopt coordinated approaches across sprawling IT estates to close visibility gaps and reduce risks before adversaries can exploit them.
    • Relieve staff burden: Ransomware takes a heavy toll on IT teams. Schools can reduce pressure and extend their capabilities by partnering with trusted providers for managed detection and response (MDR) and other around-the-clock expertise.
    • Strengthen response: Even with stronger prevention, schools must be prepared to respond when incidents occur. They can recover more quickly by building robust incident response plans, running simulations to prepare for real-world scenarios, and enhancing readiness with 24/7/365 services like MDR.

    Data for the State of Ransomware in Education 2025 report comes from a vendor-agnostic survey of 441 IT and cybersecurity leaders – 243 from K-12 education and 198 from higher education institutions hit by ransomware in the past year. The organizations surveyed ranged from 100-5,000 employees and across 17 countries. The survey was conducted between January and March 2025, and respondents were asked about their experience of ransomware over the previous 12 months.

    This press release originally appeared online.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • I asked students why they go to school–this answer changed how I design campuses

    I asked students why they go to school–this answer changed how I design campuses

    This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

    At first, the question seemed simple: “Why do we go to school?”

    I had asked it many times before, in many different districts. I’m a planner and designer specializing in K-12 school projects, and as part of a community-driven design process, we invite students to dream with us and help shape the spaces where they’ll learn, grow, and make sense of the world.

    In February of 2023, I was leading a visioning workshop with a group of middle schoolers in Southern California. Their energy was vibrant, their curiosity sharp. We began with a simple activity: Students answered a series of prompts, each one building on the last.

    “We go to school because …”

    “We need to learn because …”

    “We want to be successful because …”

    As the conversation deepened, so did their responses. One student wrote, “We want to get further in life.” Another added, “We need to help our families.” And then came the line that stopped me in my tracks: “We go to school because we want future generations to look up to us.”

    I’ve worked with a lot of middle schoolers. They’re funny, unfiltered, and often far more insightful than adults give them credit for. But this answer felt different. It wasn’t about homework, or college, or even a dream job. It was about legacy. At that moment, I realized I wasn’t just asking kids to talk about school. I was asking them to articulate their hopes for the world and their role in shaping it.

    As a designer, I came prepared to talk about flexible furniture, natural light, and outdoor learning spaces. The students approached the conversation through the lens of purpose, identity, and intergenerational impact. They reminded me that school isn’t just a place to pass through — it’s a place to imagine who you might become and how you might leave the world better than you found it.

    I’ve now led dozens of school visioning sessions, no two being alike. In most cases, adults are the ones at the table: district leaders, architects, engineers, and community members. Their perspectives are important, of course. But when we exclude students from shaping the environments they spend most days in, we send an implicit message that this place is not really theirs to shape.

    However, when we do invite them in, the difference is immediate. Students are not only willing participants, they’re often the most honest and imaginative contributors in the room. They see past the buzzwords like 21st-century learning, flexible furniture, student-centered design, and collaborative zones, and talk about what actually matters: where they feel safe, where they feel seen, where they can be themselves.

    During that workshop when the student spoke about legacy, other young participants asked for more flexible learning spaces, places to move around and collaborate, better food, outdoor classrooms, and quiet areas for mental health breaks. One asked for sign language classes to better communicate with her hard-of-hearing best friend. Another asked for furniture that can move from inside to outside. These aren’t requests that tend to show up on state-issued planning checklists, which are more likely to focus on square footage, capacity, and code compliance, but they reflect an extraordinary level of thought about access, well-being, and inclusion.

    The lesson: When we take students seriously, we get more than better design. We get better schools.

    There’s a popular saying in architecture: Form follows function. But in school design, I’d argue that form should follow voice. If we want to build learning environments that support joy, connection, and growth, we need to start by asking students what those things look and feel like to them — and then believe them.

    Listening isn’t a checkbox. It’s a practice. And it has to start early, not once construction drawings are finalized, but when goals and priorities are still being devised. That’s when student input can shift the direction of a plan, not just decorate it.

    It’s also not just about asking the right questions, but being open to answers we didn’t expect. When a student says, “Why do the adults always get the rooms with windows?” — as one did in another workshop I led — that’s not a complaint. That’s a lesson in power dynamics, spatial equity, and the unspoken messages our buildings send.

    Since that day, about a year and a half ago, when I heard, “We want future generations to look up to us,” I’ve carried that line with me into every planning session. It’s a reminder that students aren’t just users of school space. They’re stewards of something bigger than themselves.

    So if you’re a school leader, a planner, a teacher, or a policymaker, invite students in early. Make space for their voices, not just as a formality but as a source of wisdom. Ask questions that go beyond what color the walls should be. And don’t be surprised when the answers you get are deeper than you imagined. Be willing to let their vision shift yours.

    Because when we design with students, not just for them, we create schools that don’t just house learning. We create schools that help define what learning is for. And if we do it right, maybe one day, future generations will look up to today’s students not just because of what they learned, but because of the spaces they helped shape.

    Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

    For more news on district and school management, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • 25 insights about what back-to-school season has in store

    25 insights about what back-to-school season has in store

    As the back-to-school season begins, educators and students alike are stepping into classrooms that look and feel increasingly different from just a few years ago. Technology is no longer just a supporting tool–it is a central part of how learning is delivered, personalized, and measured. From AI that helps teachers design lessons and personalize learning, to adaptive learning platforms that meet students where they are, education technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

    Innovation is at the forefront this year, with districts embracing tools that support academic growth, streamline workflows, and foster deeper engagement. AI-powered tutoring, immersive experiences, and tools that enhance collaboration are just a few of the technologies entering classrooms and lecture halls. These resources are not only helping educators save time but also are equipping students with critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital skills they will need for future careers.

    As schools balance new opportunities with challenges around implementation, equity, and data privacy, industry leaders and educators are offering valuable insights into what’s next. Teachers are sharing how these tools reshape day-to-day instruction, while technology providers are highlighting trends that will shape the coming year. Together, these perspectives paint a picture of a learning landscape that is both dynamic and adaptable, where innovation is guided by the shared goal of supporting student success.

    This back-to-school season, the conversation is not just about new devices or apps, but about how technology and thoughtful innovation can transform education for all learners–making 2025 a year of possibilities, progress, and promise.

    This school year, career and technical education (CTE) won’t just be an elective, but will be a priority. As more districts recognize the powerful outcomes tied to CTE, we’ll see a shift in graduation requirements to reflect what students actually need for their futures. That might mean rethinking four years of traditional math in favor of math courses that are career-aligned to specific career pathways. Administrators and superintendents are paying attention and for good reason. The data shows CTE not only boosts student outcomes, but also brings relevance back to learning.
    —Edson Barton, CEO, YouScience

    Throughout my administrative experience, it has become increasingly evident that many educational preparation programs fall short in emphasizing the importance of fostering connection and relevance in learning from the student’s perspective. Too often, the pedagogical approach positions educators as drivers of a rigid, outdated instructional model, centered on the teacher in a highly directive role, rather than as reflective facilitators willing to ride alongside students on a learning journey. To shift this reality, I take every opportunity to embrace and share the practices promoted by PBLWorks, which offer a framework where students not only learn content and skills but do so in ways that are connected to their own interests and community. Through the Project Based Learning (PBL) methodology, learning becomes more personal, meaningful, and accountable, with expected learning products that showcase depth in student understanding and growth.  Every school-age child has personal experiences from which to make connections, and with PBL, we are better equipped to serve all children effectively. While traditional testing data has its own importance in driving strategic moves, the outcomes derived from the application of learning are immeasurable in their long-term impact on career readiness. In our MSAP Norwalk implementation, shifting the approach requires more than updating curriculum units, it also demands a redefinition of the educator’s role as a collaborative team member in the classroom. Educators must evolve into co-learners and creative engineers of dynamic, student-centered learning environments. They must become comfortable with uncertainty and confident in guiding student discovery. Such a workshop-like classroom environment is essential for authentic PBL, which demands both deep preparation and flexible facilitation. Here, success is defined not only by content mastery but also by the authentic application of knowledge and skills. Importantly to note, the teacher is also a learner in this dynamic process. Ultimately, quality teaching and learning is measured not by the delivery of instruction but by the evidence of student learning. As I have grown in my leadership and implementation of the PBL framework, the phrase “I taught it, but they didn’t get it” is beyond obsolete, replaced by a continuous cycle of reflection, refinement, and real-world, relevant outcomes. Learning is represented dually in personalized student exemplars and in improved results on high-stakes assessments.
    –Victor Black Ed.D., Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) Norwalk Project Director, Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut

    Learning is fundamentally about meaning-making. It’s a dynamic human process that involves our whole selves. It involves the brain as well as emotions, attitudes and beliefs, relationships, environments, and contexts. AI can’t make meaning for you. If the AI makes the meaning for you, you haven’t learned anything–that is the core of distinguishing between what is useful AI that is going to advance learning, and what is hype that could actually be counterproductive and destructive to learning.
    – Auditi Chakravarty, CEO, AERDF

    Welcome to your teaching journey. As we begin the 2025-26 school year, I want to extend my heartfelt welcome to our new educators. Your passion and fresh perspectives are invaluable assets to our learning community. I encourage you to remember that teaching is about building relationships. Get to know each student, learn their interests, challenges and dreams. Strong connections create the trust necessary for meaningful learning. Don’t hesitate to lean on your colleagues and mentors. Teaching can feel overwhelming, but you’re never alone. Seek guidance, share resources and collaborate whenever possible. Be patient with yourself as you find your rhythm. Focus on progress, not perfection, and celebrate small victories along the way. Most importantly, never lose sight of why you chose this profession. You have the power to change lives, one student at a time.
    –Dr. Debra Duardo, Superintendent of Schools, Los Angeles County & Board Member, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

    Hello, new teachers!  As a 32-year veteran of teaching, I vaguely remember those first few days and weeks, but I do remember being thoroughly overwhelmed. So, my first piece of advice is to find yourself a mentor who can help you navigate the waters. Second, think outside the box. Educational technology has exploded in the last few years and us old people can’t keep up. Find something that works and immerse yourself in it. May I make a suggestion? Creation over consumption. Let’s give an example. VR is amazing. You and your students can “visit” places that you would never be able to take them on a field trip. Awesome! Do it! But I have found that creating our own VR experiences by integrating ClassVR with tools like ThingLink or DelightEx brings a whole new level of engagement and understanding. My last piece of advice? Love it! Love those kids. They need you. Bond with your colleagues. You need each other.  You got this. I’m happy you’re part of the team.
    –Craig Dunlap, Blended Learning Teacher, Yealey Elementary School, Kentucky

    I began teaching 25 years ago, and thirteen years ago I was introduced to Project-Based Learning (PBL). From that moment, I “enrolled.” PBL is not just a strategy, it’s a mindset. It transformed not only my students, but also me as an educator. Through engaging in and witnessing PBL, I have learned that it changes the way students view their education and their place in school. They no longer see themselves as passive recipients of information, but as active learners with a voice, a purpose, and a sense of belonging. PBL builds their self-efficacy, ignites their curiosity, and turns learning into a lifelong journey. Because learning in PBL is authentic, engaging, and connected to real life, every student can access it, every student feels valued, and every student has the chance to succeed. Most importantly, every student has the opportunity to be seen and to see themselves reflected in their education, their classrooms, and their school community. And while my primary goal as an educator has always been my students, I must say that PBL also transforms teachers in deeply positive ways. Unlike a scripted, one-size-fits-all curriculum, PBL gives teachers full autonomy to design, to create, and to make learning relevant. It allows us to become problem-solvers, innovators, and true professionals. As PBL teachers, we model exactly what we want from our students. PBL isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about unleashing your craft as an educator and showing your students what authentic, meaningful work looks like. What I have come to believe, after years of teaching and leading, is that PBL is not just a method of instruction, it’s a way of seeing students, teachers, and learning itself. It is the path that allows students to fall in love with learning, and teachers to love their craft. And once you experience it, it’s hard to ever imagine teaching any other way.
    –Beth Furnari, Principal, P-TECH Norwalk in Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut

    For new district administrators, don’t chase every shiny object. Education is full of vendors promising silver bullets. Anchor your decisions in what solves your district’s problems, not in what looks flashy. Additionally, remember to prioritize relationships over initiatives. People will follow your lead if they believe you value them, not just their output. When you prioritize relationships, oftentimes the initiatives naturally follow. For example, our district’s performing arts manager came to me with the idea of virtual set design knowing I’d be open to his ideas and willing to try something new.
    –Tim Klan, Administrator of Information and Instructional Technology, Livonia Public Schools, Michigan

    In today’s educational landscape, our instructional strategies must evolve to meet the needs of digital-native learners. While traditional resources have their place, we recognize that deep engagement often requires more immersive and interactive experiences. To bridge this gap, our school district has strategically implemented virtual reality (VR). For the past five years, our schools have been utilizing the ClassVR platform by Avantis. This technology has proven to be a powerful tool for transcending the physical limitations of the classroom. The moment students see the VR kits arrive, a visible excitement builds for the learning ahead. These curated experiences are not simply virtual field trips; they are pedagogical springboards that empower students to explore historical eras, global locations, and complex scientific concepts. Most importantly, VR provides a unique medium for fostering essential skills in observation, critical analysis, and content creation.
    –Kyle Kline, Director of Digital Learning, Twin Lakes School Corporation, Indiana

    In the 2025 to 2026 school year, we will see a greater push for ongoing, explicit instruction in foundational literacy skills for older students. Most students need ongoing, developmentally appropriate, explicit literacy instruction in upper elementary and middle school, but very few of them receive it. Most students in grades 4-8 do not receive explicit instruction for crucial foundational skills that older students need to develop, like decoding multisyllabic words. More often than not, teachers in grades 4-8 lack the resources, time, or training to provide explicit instructional support to help their students continue to grow as readers. Giving teachers what they need to support their students will certainly be part of the solution, along with more targeted interventions that provide support to students where they need it.
    – Rebecca Kockler, Executive Director, AERDF’s Reading Reimagined Program

    After decades of progress narrowing gender gaps in STEM, the pandemic may have set girls back significantly–and the gap is likely to grow wider unless schools and policymakers act quickly. New NWEA research reveals that pandemic-era setbacks hit middle school girls hardest in math and science, erasing decades of progress. With fewer girls now enrolling in 8th-grade Algebra–a key gateway to advanced STEM coursework–there’s a real risk that fewer young women will pursue STEM in high school, college, and careers. To reverse this trend, schools will need to closely monitor gender participation in key STEM milestones, expand access to advanced coursework, provide early interventions and academic supports, and examine classroom practices to ensure girls are being actively engaged and encouraged in math and science. Without these steps, the future STEM talent pipeline will be less diverse and less equitable.
    – Dr. Megan Kuhfeld, Director of Growth Modeling and Analytics, NWEA

    Reliable, longitudinal student data is critical to drive strategic action. As federal support for education research is scaled back and key data collection efforts remain uncertain, districts and states may find themselves without trusted information to guide decisions. In the absence of these investments, schools will need to rely more heavily on research organizations and data partners that can offer the longitudinal insight and analytical capacity schools need to understand where students are, where they’re headed, and how to support them. With academic recovery proving slower and more uneven than expected, schools need evidence-based insights to navigate this complex landscape. Expect a growing shift toward research-backed, nonpartisan data sources to fill the vacuum and support smarter, more equitable decision-making.
    – Dr. Karyn Lewis, Vice President of Research and Policy Partnerships, NWEA

    As cybersecurity becomes an increasing risk for K-12 districts this year, it’s more critical than ever that IT leaders establish a culture of security at the start of the school year. Schools are continuously working to maintain 1:1 technology without compromising user safety or straining budgets, and asset tracking and inventory management is an integral part of that process. With shrinking IT teams working to track thousands of devices across schools, having a centralized asset management system allows districts to avoid costly surprises and manage devices more efficiently. It helps them to monitor device location and application use, make targeted and data-backed incident response decisions, and identify assets potentially affected by a security breach. It also streamlines the inventory auditing process, which allows school IT teams to track and manage the maintenance and updating needs of deployed devices, both of which function to improve security. Cyberattacks are not only becoming more frequent, but more complex and it’s time for schools to safeguard their technology by investing in smarter, more resilient solutions that protect learning environments and support long-term success.
    —Bill Loller, Chief Product Officer, Incident IQ

    As a new principal, your most important work is building relationships. That includes building and strengthening the trust with your staff, as well as your parents and families. Take the time to make those connections, to listen to people and get to know them. In Hawaii, we have a term “ahonui” which means “waiting for the right moment.” As a principal, you need to know when it’s the right time to act and when it’s the right time to listen. As a new leader, it’s natural to have a sense of urgency: You have a long list of things you want to do to help kids be safe and learn, but to do that you first need to honor what has been done so far. By getting to know the people who make up your school community you’ll learn how you can enhance it. To help build my relationship with my teachers, especially the new ones, we have an onboarding day the day before teachers report back. This is my chance to introduce them to some of the things that we have going on and the structures we have in place to support them as they teach. We introduce them to some tech tools that our school has that others don’t, like the AI-powered tutoring app SuperTeacher–but we try not to overload them because we understand that for a new teacher (or even a teacher who’s new to our school) it can be overwhelming if we just upload a lot of initiatives and must-dos and expectations. Instead, we get to know each other, and my vice principal and I share the theme we’ve come up with for each school year. Our theme for this year is “alu i ka hana me ke kuana’ike like,” which means “to join together in the work with a unified mindset.”
    – Derek Minakami, Principal, Kāneʻohe Elementary School, Honolulu, HI

    Through my years of teaching, I have found myself talking less and listening to students more. It’s important to make space for student voices to help create richer discussions and more meaningful learning experiences that connect to their own lives. At the same time, grounding those experiences in strong scientific practices ensures that learning is both engaging and rigorous. As a new school year begins, I encourage every teacher to connect the learning happening in your classroom to potential career paths and help students see the real-world impact of what they’re studying.
    –Mike Montgomery, Natural Resources Teacher, Littleton Public Schools EPIC Campus (recently featured in the “Building High-Impact CTE Centers: Lessons from District Leaders” e-book)

    Everyone is working with fewer resources this school year. As the number of bilingual and multilingual students continues to grow, it will be important for teachers to be creative and resourceful in how they are using those limited resources to support ELL students. For example, they can look outside their school for resources and partnership opportunities with businesses, non-profit associations and higher education institutions. They can also seek out grant funding that is specific for bilingual students. Multilingualism is a superpower, but English language learners face unique barriers that can put them at a disadvantage compared to their native-English-speaking peers. It is critical to continue to advocate for these students and be creative in finding ways to help them grow this superpower. Teachers: you will be key to ensuring shifting policy decisions and uncertain budgets don’t result in our most vulnerable students being left behind.
    –Ulysses Navarrete, Executive Director, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

    As we begin this new academic year, I want to thank you for the incredible work you do each day to inspire and shape the minds of our students. In times when our nation–and especially Los Angeles–faces critical conversations about democracy and social justice, your role is more important than ever. Let us empower our students to think critically, question thoughtfully, and express their voices in meaningful ways–whether through essays, art, letters, or dialogue. Together, we have the opportunity to guide them toward becoming informed, compassionate, and courageous leaders who can influence the future. Your dedication matters, and the impact you make will be felt far beyond the classroom walls.
    –Ruth Perez, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent, Los Angeles County Office of Education & Board Member, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS)

    One thing we often hear from school districts is that after they purchase new technology, there is a lag in implementation. To ensure technology products improve teaching and learning in year one, I recommend district IT leaders work with companies that act as true partners with the district, offer built-in professional development, and provide opportunities for schools to learn best practices from each other. To help with adoption, districts can handle implementation in small increments to not overwhelm teachers, enlist classroom innovators who can lead the charge on integrating new technologies, and offer opportunities for teachers to learn from others who are implementing the technology.
    –Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer, Avantis Education, creators of ClassVR

    Students learn best when they are engaged. My advice to new teachers is to find new, innovative ways to make learning relevant to real life. This will help students get more out of their lessons and prepare them for the world. Technology is a powerful way to do this. Providing immersive experiences such as through virtual or augmented reality can help teachers connect classroom concepts with real-world experiences. Whether it’s virtually touring ancient ruins, traveling through a blood vessel to learn about the circulatory system, or visiting a job site to learn about that career path–immersive experiences like these can help improve student-engagement and take instruction to the next level.
    –Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer, Avantis Education, Creators of ClassVR

    While school safety conversations often focus on rare but severe emergencies, day-to-day medical incidents remain among the most frequent challenges schools face. From asthma attacks and allergic reactions to seizures, many medical emergencies occur away from the nurse’s office or outside traditional classrooms, making rapid response crucial. This school year, we will see the continued prioritization of real-time alert systems that enable immediate action in medical emergencies. Location-aware tools and mapping technology, such as the strategic placement of AEDs, help responders quickly locate life-saving equipment and reach incident scenes without delay. Since teachers and staff are often the first to respond, they need easy and accessible ways to summon help quickly.
    —Dr. Roderick Sams, Chief Development Officer, CENTEGIX 

    Reading fluency is a foundational skill for lifelong learning, even more so in an ever-changing, technology-based world. As such, supporting students in developing their reading fluency goes beyond building in time for practice. It is important for new and experienced teachers alike to understand that students need access to high-quality, research-based curriculum; differentiated lessons and small groups; multi-level systems of support; and well-implemented, quality instructional technology. It is also important for teachers to implement a repertoire of strategies and tools to specifically support literacy development. While there is no substitute for a differentiated reading lesson taught using high-quality curriculum by a highly-qualified educator, instructional technology is an excellent resource to further support student learning! When implemented effectively, and paired with teacher-led lessons, instructional technology platforms allow teachers to track student growth in real time, provide differentiated supports that target the needs and goals of individual students, and extend learning beyond teacher-led lessons. In a world of staffing shortages, larger class sizes, and ever-changing demands on educators, instructional technology can be an excellent supplemental support to further student achievement and learning. Building fluent readers sets our students up for success far beyond the classroom, empowering them to continue to challenge themselves and grow into the future with confidence and skills to succeed in a society with careers and livelihoods that will surely look very different from what we now see.
    –Sam Schwartz, Associate Principal, La Causa Charter School, a Fluency Innovator Grant recipient

    As a science teacher, I believe there is no replacement for hands-on learning experiences, so I suggest starting each year with an activity where students make measurements using tools or items around the classroom. This way, once students are given access to data-collection sensors and probeware for scientific investigations throughout the year, they have a better understanding and appreciation for why we use the technology. When it comes to labs and measurements, even for inquiry-based experiments, teachers should always do their own dry run of the data-collection process first. This allows teachers to see any stumbling blocks in the collection process and have a data set to refer to during the class discussion. Also, a class set of data gives students a basis of comparison when they are looking at their own data-collection practices and it allows students who may have been absent or unable to collect data at the time to still engage in the analysis process.
    –Kathleen Shreve, Physics Teacher, Homestead High School, California & Member, Vernier Trendsetters Community

    There’s incredible untapped potential in the wealth of data that schools already collect. Districts are sitting on years of attendance patterns, assignment completion rates, and family engagement metrics–all of which could predict which students need support before they hit crisis mode. With federal benchmarks unreliable and new assessments being expensive, 2025-26 is going to be the year districts finally turn inward to the data they already have. The challenge isn’t collecting more information–it’s making existing data actionable for teachers and families.
    – Dr. Joy Smithson, Data Science Manager, SchoolStatus

    As a new teacher starting the school year, remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first—set clear work hours, protect time for rest, and don’t feel guilty about saying no when needed. Building relationships with colleagues and families is important, but healthy boundaries make those connections stronger and more sustainable. Start small: be approachable, communicate clearly, and show consistency. When you balance self-care with professionalism, you’ll create space to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
    –Betsy Springer, Instructional Coach, Gull Lake Community Schools & a Teacher Leader Impact Award winner

    High school attendance is in crisis, and it’s about to force the conversation we’ve been avoiding for decades. When nearly 30 percent of high schoolers are chronically absent, we’re seeing clear signals that many students need different pathways to engagement and success. The districts that survive this attendance crisis will be the ones brave enough to completely reimagine what high school looks like, with flexible schedules that let students apprentice during traditional school hours and partnerships with local employers who can show students why their education matters.
    – Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education, SchoolStatus

    The start of every school year is charged with possibility, with students and educators alike bringing energy, curiosity, and the excitement of new connections. That momentum can be a powerful tool as schools work to strengthen their Project Based Learning (PBL) practices. The insight is simple: PBL succeeds when schools build a culture where questions are encouraged, collaboration is natural, and feedback is welcomed. Without that culture, projects risk becoming just activities or separating into silos. With it, PBL becomes transformative–helping students see themselves as capable learners and community members who are encouraged to ask what’s possible and empowered to act. My advice is to use the energy of the new year to establish that culture early. Invite students and teachers to share their thinking openly, model vulnerability by sharing your own work-in-progress, and normalize feedback as a gift. When we frame PBL not only as project-based learning, but as possibility, belonging, and love, we create the conditions where authentic learning thrives, and we sustain that momentum from the first day of school through the last.
    –Taya Tselolikhina, Director of District and School Leadership, PBLWorks

    Laura Ascione
    Latest posts by Laura Ascione (see all)

    Source link

  • Phones, devices, and the limits of control: Rethinking school device policies

    Phones, devices, and the limits of control: Rethinking school device policies

    Key points:

    By now, it’s no secret that phones are a problem in classrooms. A growing body of research and an even louder chorus of educators point to the same conclusion: students are distracted, they’re disengaged, and their learning is suffering. What’s less clear is how to solve this issue. 

    Of late, school districts across the country are drawing firmer lines. From Portland, Maine to Conroe, Texas and Springdale, Arkansas, administrators are implementing “bell-to-bell” phone bans, prohibiting access from the first bell to the last. Many are turning to physical tools like pouches and smart lockers, which lock away devices for the duration of the day, to enforce these rules. The logic is straightforward: take the phones away, and you eliminate the distraction.

    In many ways, it works. Schools report fewer behavioral issues, more focused classrooms, and an overall sense of calm returning to hallways once buzzing with digital noise. But as these policies scale, the limitations are becoming more apparent.

    But students, as always, find ways around the rules. They’ll bring second phones to school or slip their device in undetected–and more. Teachers, already stretched thin, are now tasked with enforcement, turning minor infractions into disciplinary incidents. 

    Some parents and students are also pushing back, arguing that all-day bans are too rigid, especially when phones serve as lifelines for communication, medical needs, or even digital learning. In Middletown, Connecticut, students reportedly became emotional just days after a new ban took effect, citing the abrupt change in routine and lack of trust.

    The bigger question is this: Are we trying to eliminate phones, or are we trying to teach responsible use?

    That distinction matters. While it’s clear that phone misuse is widespread and the intent behind bans is to restore focus and reduce anxiety, blanket prohibitions risk sending the wrong message. Instead of fostering digital maturity, they can suggest that young people are incapable of self-regulation. And in doing so, they may sidestep an important opportunity: using school as a place to practice responsible tech habits, not just prohibit them.

    This is especially critical given the scope of the problem. A recent study by Fluid Focus found that students spend five to six hours a day on their phones during school hours. Two-thirds said it had a negative impact on their academic performance. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 77 percent of school leaders believe phones hurt learning. The data is hard to ignore.

    But managing distraction isn’t just about removal. It’s also about design. Schools that treat device policy as an infrastructure issue, rather than a disciplinary one, are beginning to implement more structured approaches. 

    Some are turning to smart locker systems that provide centralized, secure phone storage while offering greater flexibility: configurable access windows, charging capabilities, and even low admin options to help keep teachers teaching. These systems don’t “solve” the phone problem, but they do help schools move beyond the extremes of all-or-nothing.

    And let’s not forget equity. Not all students come to school with the same tech, support systems, or charging access. A punitive model that assumes all students have smartphones (or can afford to lose access to them) risks deepening existing divides. Structured storage systems can help level the playing field, offering secure and consistent access to tech tools without relying on personal privilege or penalizing students for systemic gaps.

    That said, infrastructure alone isn’t the answer. Any solution needs to be accompanied by clear communication, transparent expectations, and intentional alignment with school culture. Schools must engage students, parents, and teachers in conversations about what responsible phone use actually looks like and must be willing to revise policies based on feedback. Too often, well-meaning bans are rolled out with minimal explanation, creating confusion and resistance that undermine their effectiveness.

    Nor should we idealize “focus” as the only metric of success. Mental health, autonomy, connection, and trust all play a role in creating school environments where students thrive. If students feel overly surveilled or infantilized, they’re unlikely to engage meaningfully with the values behind the policy. The goal should not be control for its own sake, it should be cultivating habits that carry into life beyond the classroom.

    The ubiquity of smartphones is undeniable. While phones are here to stay, the classroom represents one of the few environments where young people can learn how to use them wisely, or not at all. That makes schools not just sites of instruction, but laboratories for digital maturity.

    The danger isn’t that we’ll do too little. It’s that we’ll settle for solutions that are too simplistic or too focused on optics, instead of focusing  not on outcomes.

    We need more than bans. We need balance. That means moving past reactionary policies and toward systems that respect both the realities of modern life and the capacity of young people to grow. It means crafting strategies that support teachers without overburdening them, that protect focus without sacrificing fairness, and that reflect not just what we’re trying to prevent, but what we hope to build.

    The real goal shouldn’t be to simply get phones out of kids’ hands. It should be to help them learn when to put them down on their own.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • Report highlights growing movement to elevate student voice in school communications

    Report highlights growing movement to elevate student voice in school communications

    Key points:

    As K-12 leaders look for ways to strengthen trust, engagement, and belonging, a growing number of districts are turning to a key partner in the work: their students.

    A new national report from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and SchoolStatus reveals that districts that incorporate student voice into their communication strategies–through videos, messaging, and peer-created content–are seeing real results: stronger family engagement, increased student confidence, and more authentic school-community connection.

    The report, Elevating Student Voice in School Communications: A Data-Informed Look at Emerging Practices in School PR, is based on a spring 2025 survey, which received 185 responses from K-12 communications professionals. It includes real-world examples from school districts to explore how student perspectives are being incorporated into communication strategies. It highlights the growing use of first-person student storytelling, direct-to-student messaging, and student internships as strategies to build trust, improve engagement, and strengthen school-community relationships.

    “School communicators do more than share information. They help build connection, trust, and belonging in our communities,” said Barbara M. Hunter, APR, Executive Director of NSPRA. “Elevating student voice is not just a feel-good initiative. It is a powerful strategy to engage families, strengthen relationships, and improve student outcomes.”

    Key findings include:

    • Video storytelling leads the way: 81 percent of districts using student voice strategies rely on video as their primary format.
    • Direct communication with students is growing, but there is room for improvement in this area: 65 percent of districts report at least some direct communication with students about matters that are also shared with families, such as academic updates, behavioral expectations or attendance
      • However, just 39 percent of districts copy students on email messages to families, and just 37 percent include students in family-teacher conferences, allowing them to be active participants
    • Internships on the rise: 30 percent of districts now involve students as interns or communication ambassadors, helping create content and amplify student perspectives
    • Equity efforts around student storytelling vary significantly. While some districts say they intentionally recruit students with diverse perspectives, fewer encourage multilingual storytelling or provide structured support to help students share their stories

    Early results are promising: Districts report improved engagement, stronger student confidence, and more authentic communication when students are involved.

    • 61 percent of districts that track comparisons report student-led content generates higher engagement than staff-created communications
    • 80 percent of respondents observe that student voice positively impacts family engagement
    • A majority (55 percent) said direct communication with students improves academic outcomes

    Building Inclusive Student Voice Strategies
    The report outlines a three-part approach for districts to strengthen student voice efforts:

    • Start with student presence by incorporating quotes, videos, and creative work into everyday communications to build trust and visibility
    • Develop shared ownership through internships, ambassador programs, and student participation in content creation and feedback
    • Build sustainable systems by aligning student voice efforts with district communications plans and regularly tracking engagement

    The report also highlights inclusive practices, such as prioritizing student consent, offering mentorship and support for underrepresented students, featuring diverse stories, involving student panels in review processes and expanding multilingual and accessible communications.

    “When districts invite students to take an active role in communication, it helps create stronger connections across the entire school community,” said Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education for SchoolStatus. “This research shows the value of giving students meaningful opportunities to share their experiences in ways that build trust and engagement.”

    The report also explores common challenges, including limited staff time and capacity, privacy considerations and hesitancy around addressing sensitive topics. To address these barriers and others, it offers practical strategies and scalable examples to help districts start or expand student voice initiatives, regardless of size or resources.

    This press release originally appeared online.

    eSchool News Staff
    Latest posts by eSchool News Staff (see all)

    Source link

  • A smarter way to manage public dollars

    A smarter way to manage public dollars

    Key points:

    For public school districts across Florida and much of the country, employee benefits–particularly health insurance–are among the largest and fastest-growing budget line items. But too often, decision-makers in these districts manage benefits with incomplete information, little visibility into vendor practices, and limited tools for addressing escalating costs.

    Part of the problem is the complexity of the healthcare delivery system itself. The supply chain encompasses numerous moving parts, making cost drivers challenging to identify. While not intentional, school districts need to both educate and empower their agents and their team of specialists to peel back the layers that create added costs. Districts must also be willing to look inward.

    One of the real secrets to cost containment is transparency. A committed school district that wants to take control of its program must first understand its strengths and weaknesses, then fill gaps with specialists who can uncover hidden costs–an ongoing, vigilant effort that reveals the actual sources of waste and inefficiency. These efforts include transparent procurement and optimizing deal tension, as well as pharmacy contract negotiation, claims repricing, claims redirection, and more. Only then can districts make informed, strategic decisions that control costs and improve outcomes.

    The cost of opaque processes

    The result is a system that too often lacks meaningful transparency. School boards are presented with insurance renewals but not the data behind cost increases, insights into why claims costs are as they are, or guidance on how to contain them. Carriers field calls from district employees, but little to no reporting is returned to help the district understand what’s driving service demand. Without actionable data and intelligence, many districts default to passive renewals, accepting annual rate hikes without a clear strategy to contain costs or improve the employee experience.

    Building a foundation for smart decision‑making

    It doesn’t have to be this way. True transparency–in procurement, data, and intelligence–is not just a matter of regulatory compliance; it’s the foundation for smarter decision-making, better benefits engagement, and long-term cost control. When school districts gain access to previously unavailable data and unfiltered insights into how their benefits programs are performing, they can better serve their educators and protect their budgets.

    One example is call utilization data. Many school boards have no visibility into how often–and why–their employees contact their insurance carriers. Without this insight, they may not realize, for instance, that a large number of calls could pertain to prescription benefit confusion–something they could address through targeted employee education or plan redesign. Transparency in that data enables the district to act rather than react. It transforms benefits management from a cycle of guesswork into a proactive strategy, where decisions are driven by real needs rather than assumptions.

    Beyond call utilization, pharmacy and provider network fees can quietly escalate into six- or seven-figure losses if not monitored. Pharmacy contracts in particular demand negotiation by seasoned experts who understand the contractual nuances and levers that drive real savings. Ideally, a benefits partner will have a pharmacy benefits consultant or Doctor of Pharmacy on staff to review contracts and formularies line by line. Likewise, provider network claims and therapies must be benchmarked against competitive pricing. Transparency in these areas unleashes competition, and competition drives costs down.

    Operationalizing and incentivizing transparency leads to cost containment

    When a school district commits to operationalizing and incentivizing transparency, it can start to regain control of its costs. This process begins with examining the bigger picture of why and how the health-delivery supply chain can be leveraged or disintermediated to produce better outcomes. District leaders realize they have the power to effect change. Superintendents, HR, and finance departments can work in unison to embed transparency by empowering and incentivizing their benefits consultants to focus on solutions that reduce the district’s costs. This includes aligning agent compensation models with the district’s cost-containment roadmap.

    Equally important is how this transparency gets operationalized. Most small- to mid-sized school districts don’t have the staff or resources to analyze claims trends, facilitate wellness programs, or manage a complex benefits ecosystem. That’s why some are turning to outside partners to act as an extension of their internal team–not just as benefits brokers but as collaborative advisors who help design, implement, and maintain smarter benefits strategies. The difference is night and day: Instead of a transactional approach focused solely on renewals, these partners bring a year-round, data-driven mindset to benefits administration.

    Reclaiming control through radical transparency

    Ultimately, it’s about control. For too long, many public entities have ceded control of their benefits strategy to intermediaries operating behind closed doors. Radical transparency flips the script. It empowers school districts to take ownership of their benefits programs to lower costs and improve outcomes for the people they serve.

    That change doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with asking better questions:

    • Do we receive actionable data on employee engagement and utilization, and are we using it to drive measurable change?
    • Is our procurement process fully competitive and transparent, or are outdated practices perpetuating the status quo?
    • Do we have the tools and thought leadership from our broker to act on these insights?
    • Is our broker delivering transparent, cost-containment strategies, and are those solutions proven to reduce expense?
    • Are we empowered by a partnership structured around ROI?
    • Are we incentivizing our broker and vendor partners to prioritize ROI, transparency and ongoing savings?
    • Is our internal team contributing to transparency, data analysis and ROI? If not, what organizational changes are needed?

    The answers may be uncomfortable, but they’re necessary for reclaiming control. And in today’s fiscal climate, where every dollar matters and expectations for good governance are higher than ever, doing what’s always been done is no longer good enough.

    Transparency is more than a buzzword. It’s a path to fiscal responsibility, employee trust, and strategic clarity. And for public school districts facing mounting healthcare costs, it may be the smartest investment they can make.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link

  • 6 steps to transforming parent engagement, one message at a time

    6 steps to transforming parent engagement, one message at a time

    Key points:

    When you open the doors to a brand-new school, you’re not just filling classrooms, you’re building a community from the ground up. In August 2023, I opened our Pre-K through 4th grade school in Charlotte, North Carolina, to alleviate overcrowding at several East Charlotte campuses. As the founding principal, I knew that fostering trust and engagement with families was as essential as hiring great teachers or setting academic goals.

    Many of our students were transitioning from nearby schools, and their families were navigating uncertainty and change. My top priority was to create a strong home-school connection from the very beginning–one rooted in transparency, inclusivity, and consistent communication, where every parent feels like a valued partner in our new school’s success. Since then, we’ve added 5th grade and continue to grow our enrollment as we shape the identity of our school community.

    Up until two years ago, our district was primarily using a legacy platform for our school-to-home communication. It was incredibly limiting, and I didn’t like using it. The district then switched to a new solution, which helped us easily reach out to families (whose children were enrolling at the new elementary school) with real-time alerts and two-way messaging.

    The difference between the two systems was immediately obvious and proved to be a natural transition for me. This allowed us to take a direct, systematic, and friendlier approach to our school-home communications as we implemented the new system.

    Building strong home-school bonds

    Here are the steps we took to ensure a smooth adoption process, and some of the primary ways we use the platform:

    1. Get everyone on board from the start. We used comprehensive outreach with families through flyers, posters, and dedicated communication at open-house events. At the same time, our teachers were easily rostered–a process simplified by a seamless integration with our student information system–and received the necessary training on the platform.
    1. Introduce the new technology as a “familiar tool.” We framed our ParentSquare tool as a “closed social media network” for school-home communication. This eased user adoption and demystified the technology by connecting it to existing social habits. Our staff emphasized that if users could communicate socially online, they could also easily use the platform for school-related interactions.
    1. Promote equity with automatic translation. With a student population that’s about 50 percent Hispanic and with roughly 22 different languages represented across the board, we were very interested in our new platform’s automatic translation capabilities (which currently span more than 190 languages). Having this process automated has vastly reduced the amount of time and number of headaches involved with creating and sharing newsletters and other materials with parents.
    1. Streamline tasks and reduce waste. I encourage staff to create their newsletters in the communications platform versus reverting to PDFs, paper, or other formats for information-sharing. That way, the platform can manage the automatic translation and promote effective engagement with families. This is an equity issue that we have to continue working on both in our school and our district as a whole. It’s about making sure that all parents have access to the same information regardless of their native language.
    1. Centralize proof of delivery. We really like having the communication delivery statistics, which staff can use to confirm message receipt–a crucial feature when parents claim they didn’t receive information. The platform shows when a message was received, providing clear confirmation that traditional paper handouts can’t match. Having one place where all of those communications can be sent, seen, and delivered is extremely helpful.
    1. Manage events and boost engagement. The platform keeps us organized, and we especially like the calendar and post functions (and use both a lot). Being able to sort specific groups is great. We use that feature to plan events like staggered kindergarten entry and separate open houses; it helps us target communications precisely. For a recent fifth-grade promotion ceremony, for example, we managed RSVPs and volunteer sign-ups directly through the communications platform, rather than using an external tool like Sign-Up Genius. 

    Modernizing school-family outreach

    We always want to make it easy for families to receive, consume, and respond to our messages, and our new communications platform helps us achieve that goal. Parents appreciate receiving notifications via email, app, voice, or text–a method we use a lot for sending out reminders. 

    This direct communication is particularly impactful given our diverse student population, with families speaking many different languages. Teachers no longer need third-party translation sites or manual cut-and-paste methods because the platform handles automatic translation seamlessly. It’s helped us foster deeper family engagement and bridge communication gaps we otherwise couldn’t–it’s really amazing to see.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)

    Source link