| |
| September 29, 2026 |
| CONNECT WITH ISTE |
| CONNECT WITH ISTE |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| |
| Edtech news for those building the future of edtech
| SIGN UP ⋅ SHARE |
|
|
The rise of AI has made schools increasingly vulnerable to security threats, according to our In the Schools story today. As school districts continue to plan their AI adoption strategies, school leaders will focus on ensuring data privacy and network stability while driving student outcomes.
Also in this issue:
🏫 Texas school takeovers lead to gains, aggressive reforms
💰 Canton schools receive grant for literacy curriculum
✅ Tracker: Screen time, device limits in major school districts
|
|
| |
 |
| (Westend61/Getty Images) |
Artificial intelligence is transforming K-12 devices from tools for accessing software into active learning companions that generate instructional material, guide students through problems and connect classroom workflows. Microsoft Elevate's Travis Ames highlights the importance of considering AI capabilities when procuring devices to ensure they can support personalized instruction and emerging AI experiences.
|
|
|
| |
 |
| (Peshkov/Getty Images) |
Schools must focus on visibility and trust mapping to improve cybersecurity, as attacks are becoming faster with artificial intelligence, though many breaches occur through valid access. Instructure detected unauthorized activity in Canvas twice this year, and PowerSchool data was compromised last year through stolen credentials. These incidents, plus breaches at school districts in Spokane, Wash., and Springfield, Mass., underscore the complex nature of the threat landscape and are prompting school leaders to prioritize cybersecurity in their budget plans. |
|
| |
 |
| (Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/Getty Images) |
|
|
|
|
|
Discover how 2,277 K-12 decision-makers evaluate, research, and purchase products. The State of School Purchasing Report reveals key trends shaping 2026 buying strategies, from year-round decisions to trusted discovery channels. Download today » |
|
|
|
| ADVERTISEMENT |  |
|
 
|
The Trump administration has canceled nearly $100 million in education funding through a mechanism known as "pocket rescissions," which is widely seen as illegal. The funding was intended to expand college-level foreign-language instruction and to help agricultural workers earn GEDs and attend college. The move has faced bipartisan criticism, with Sen. Susan Collins calling it an illegal effort to undermine Congress' power of the purse.
|
|
|
|
Verizon wants to train hundreds of thousands of workers under a new $70 million investment in a nationwide AI initiative aimed at job seekers, small businesses and educators. The telecom firm is teaming with nonprofits and leveraging resources from IBM, Google, Anthropic, Microsoft and OpenAI. CEO Dan Schulman has urged other large companies to join the effort to create a multibillion-dollar fund for AI skills development.
|
|
|
|
Top stories from last week's newsletter
|
|
|
A monkey plays a keyboard with a drumstick, and nobody stops to ask if that is really how one works. A male teacher walks into a school, and someone decides he must be the gym coach before he says a word.
|
|
|
|
What does it actually take to keep a child at the center of their own education, and why does the market meant to support children in their earliest years keep failing both families and educators?
|
|
|
The platform represents one of the most ambitious attempts by a single organization to solve a major edtech headache: easily accessing and incorporating state academic standards and proven teaching methods into edtech products and services.
|
|
|
The Profile of an AI-Ready Graduate defines the higher-order skills that emerge when students and AI work together.
|
|
|
| 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.
|
|
|
|
| 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.
|
|
|
|
|
| Got this from a friend? Subscribe now and stay in the loop! |
|
 |
|
| |
| You shall create beauty not to excite the senses but to give sustenance to the soul. |
Gabriela Mistral,
poet, diplomat, educator, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature
Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 |
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Copyright © 2026 SmartBrief. All Rights Reserved. A division of Future US LLC. |
| Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036. |
|
|
|
