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| November 11, 2025 |
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| Edtech news for those building the future of Edtech
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| (Parmeshwar Dewangan/Getty Images) |
School districts are facing significant challenges in ensuring that edtech vendors delete student data after contracts end, as federal and state laws require. As districts increasingly scrutinize their edtech portfolios because of budget constraints and privacy concerns, they are discovering that ending relationships with vendors can be more complicated than expected.
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Be part of Learning Commons' user research program to help build open edtech infrastructure that better connects the ways students learn with the tools they learn with. Sign up now |
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There remains a persistent "digital use divide" despite improved student access to technology, a report from the State Educational Technology Directors Association finds. The divide is attributed to insufficient professional development for teachers, particularly in integrating technology into instruction, and the report recommends that state and district leaders use Federal Title II, Part A funds for sustainable professional learning to bridge this gap.
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The Center for Democracy and Technology evaluated more than 100 edtech companies and identified significant transparency issues about how their education AI tools are developed, tested or governed -- hampering school leaders' efforts to make informed choices and sometimes resulting in serious consequences. The Center for Democracy and Technology's report features an eight-part rubric for school leaders to consider before buying AI tools.
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"If you build a tool and haven't meaningfully tested it, you can't be transparent about those things because there's nothing to say."
-- Hannah Quay-de la Vallee, senior technologist, Center for Democracy and Technology
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A fake photo created by AI depicting a fire at Bellaire High School in Texas caused panic Monday, leading to an evacuation. The Bellaire Fire Department responded to the alarm and found only a small amount of smoke from a freon leak in the ventilation system.
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Schools are increasingly turning to AI to address rising student mental health needs, with tools like Lenny Learning and Sonny chatbot providing support for educators and students. Lenny Learning, used in over 400 schools, helps create lesson plans and interventions quickly, while Sonny offers real-time conversations with students, supported by human coaches.
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Simple classroom design changes and smart education technology can help students focus better, writes middle-school math teacher Pamela Warner, who highlights the importance of flexibility, ergonomic tools and clear audio and visual solutions. Warner suggests allowing students to rearrange furniture, using child-sized accessories and normalizing movement to create a more engaging and comfortable learning environment.
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Schools are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence into their curricula to prepare students for a future dominated by AI. Districts such as Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia and Wichita Public Schools in Kansas are leading the way by creating specialized roles to manage AI integration, developing comprehensive AI policies and focusing on ethical usage.
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The federal shutdown is exacerbating challenges in special education by increasing teachers' workloads and causing disruptions in funding and support. Education Secretary Linda McMahon's downsizing of the Office of Special Education Programs and the Office of Civil Rights has led many teachers to turn to AI tools, such as Streamline from Better Speech, to manage Individual Education Plans and track student progress.
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California has enacted laws to enhance online safety for children, focusing on AI and social media. The legislation requires age verification, mental health warnings on social media and stronger penalties for deepfake exploitation. Gov. Gavin Newsom says the laws aim to balance technological advancement with child safety.
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India's edtech sector is experiencing a significant valuation reset as pandemic-era enthusiasm fades and the limitations of online-only models become evident. Mergers and acquisitions, such as the potential UpGrad-Unacademy deal valued at less than half of Unacademy's total funding, highlight how far valuations have fallen. This correction reflects a broader shift from rapid growth to sustainable business models.
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Top stories from last week's newsletter
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Every edtech product claims to be "research-backed," but what evidence actually matters? New research from LXD Research reveals educators trust studies from contexts similar to their own classrooms--not generic research claims. Learn how to decode certification badges, validation labels, and research evidence to quickly identify tools with genuine impact in settings like yours, saving time and improving student outcomes.
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| About ISTE Solutions Network |
| The Solutions Network a member-based community that aims to 1) connect innovative solution providers to one another to learn, explore, and share best practices, 2) engage with the ISTE/ASCD member community to gather feedback and increase the impact of high-quality learning solutions, 3) engage in thought leadership conversations and 4) provide benefits for the annual ASCD + ISTE conference, where approximately 16,000 educators, decision-makers, and vendors convene. This community is made up of edtech companies of various sizes that are interested in engaging with each other and with ISTE to discuss Edtech’s role in teaching and learning, industry trends, and solve common challenges. Members of this network can benefit from connecting with industry experts and thought leaders, as well as from gaining key buyer information and insights.
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| Product announcements appearing in SmartBrief are paid advertisements and do not reflect actual ASCD + ISTE endorsements. The news reported in SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official position of ASCD + ISTE.
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| When duty calls, that is when character counts. |
William Safire,
writer, columnist, journalist, speechwriter |
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