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| March 31, 2026 |
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| (Malte Mueller/Getty Images) |
In addition to a look at recent, increasing cybersecurity statistics, including students' role in cybersafety, Keeper Security CEO and co-founder Darren Guccione points out the possibilities of the private sector and technology leaders partnering with schools to share expertise, provide scalable solutions, support professional development for educators and enhance digital literacy for students. "Addressing today’s challenges requires more than awareness alone. It calls for collaboration that helps close knowledge gaps, deliver critical resources and strengthen cybersecurity education through partnerships with schools, communities and bipartisan organizations," Guccione writes.
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SmartTake: Public-private partnerships and significant state investment have helped Oklahoma and Texas become edtech hubs, with companies such as Boodle, SchooLinks and CareerCraft calling the area home and finding plenty of resources for sustained edtech innovation.
Such partnerships are a grab-it-now opportunity for edtech developers to build strong, lasting relationships.
"While education policy and governance will continue to evolve, one thing is clear: Schools cannot afford to wait until the regulatory landscape catches up; they need strong cybersecurity support now," Guccione writes. "The private sector, particularly cybersecurity experts, has an essential role to play in partnering with educators and administrators to provide the tools, training and awareness needed to protect educational systems, learners and the data they produce."
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52% of districts have faced a data breach, with nearly a third of those originating through vendor connections. Trust is now the price of entry. Discover the Shared Responsibility Model and walk away with the confidence to build the long-term trust required for lasting K-12 partnerships. Register Now |
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School districts are no longer rushing the adoption of AI tools or waiting passively to see what's next; instead, districts like Indianapolis Public Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg (N.C.) Schools are using adaptive governance. Several education leaders explain how they're building internal competency and cross-departmental engagement, continuously developing organizational capacity, focusing on problem-driven implementation, and embarking on targeted pilot programs that have specific goals and measurable outcomes.
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| (10'000 Hours/Getty Images) |
Teachers are using generative artificial intelligence primarily as a productivity tool, not as a core instructional technology, with the main use case being for lesson planning and other administrative tasks, according to a study by EdSurge. The study found that teachers are still trying to figure out how AI can be used to enhance student learning, and there is a general sense of indifference toward the technology.
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Share your thoughts on school tech and products! Complete our quick 10-minute survey for a shot at a $250 Amazon voucher. Join the conversation and influence future purchasing. Take the survey |
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Floyd M. Jewett Elementary School in Mesick, Mich., has banned digital devices for its 250 students to address declining reading scores, with only 18% of third-graders proficient. The ban, implemented midyear by Superintendent Jack Ledford and Principal Elizabeth Kastl, has led to increased student engagement and more reading time, supported by a $30,000 investment in physical books.
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Tara Del Sordi, a fourth-grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School in Rahway, N.J., used AI for geography lessons, creating a dedicated digital space and interactive chatbot to help students research the 50 states in a more engaging, focused, confident manner. The AI integration transformed traditional lessons into tech-driven explorations, and Del Sordi put it into action the day after attending a SchoolAI professional development program.
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As the final portions of the $189.5 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds are spent, education experts remain divided on the effectiveness of the funding in helping schools recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Some highlight projects that have boosted academic performance and created safer school environments, while others note that the funding has led to lasting operational improvements such as online parent-teacher conferences, but a Brookings Institution report notes that the funding was insufficient to mitigate learning loss, estimating that schools needed $440 billion to make up learning that was lost for students experiencing poverty.
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Underwhelmed with the limited computer science curriculum at a prestigious school in Miami, 8-year-old Chopra earned certificates in computer science and entrepreneurship from MIT, Harvard and Stanford -- and, now 9, he has founded IvySchool.ai. The platform gives students short, hands-on challenges and freedom to explore, letting them learn by building real projects and solving real problems. Chopra recently partnered with Delhi Public School, which used IvySchool for a 10-day boot camp in AI and programming.
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SmartPass, a digital hall pass system used in 167 New York City public schools, is facing criticism from students and the New York Civil Liberties Union. Students have expressed discomfort with the technology, likening it to surveillance, while the NYCLU has questioned its necessity for routine activities such as bathroom breaks. The Department of Education has emphasized that use of SmartPass is optional for schools and compliant with privacy regulations.
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Top stories from last week's newsletter
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| About ISTE Solutions Network |
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| 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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