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| October 7, 2025 |
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| Edtech news for those building the future of Edtech
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Fresh Intel
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| (Izusek/Getty Images) |
Schools are increasingly offering cybersecurity courses to meet growing industry demand and student interest. Beavercreek City Schools in Ohio launched a Cybersecurity Pathway in 2024, allowing students to earn college credits and industry certifications, and Suffern Central School District in New York and Chandler Unified School District in Arizona have introduced cybersecurity programs, with the latter partnering with Google for a cybersecurity clinic.
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SmartTake: Sure, cybersecurity is still in the news (also see the cybersecurity legislation elsewhere in this newsletter), but the dig-deeper concept is student involvement in edtech. From students who are paid to fix computers at their schools to those who design it on their own, it's clear students want -- and are taking -- a big role in the mechanics of what they learn and how their schools function. As we mentioned in July, even Colin Kaepernick thinks edtech companies should give students a more prominent seat at the table.
Most of these edtech-involved students are in college and high school, but elementary- and middle-school students want a say, too. A UK study found that 8- to 12-year-old students -- who have "unique perspectives and insights" about AI's effect on their lives -- believe that their rights and interests aren't part of school AI tool development. Mhairi Aitken, Ph.D., a senior ethics fellow at The Alan Turing Institute, surveyed the 750 children, noting that their age group is "most impacted by advances in AI technology, but they're simultaneously the group who are least represented in decision making about the ways that AI is designed, developed and deployed, and are almost entirely excluded from decision making around policymaking and regulation relating to AI. Now I think that's wrong, and I think that needs to change."
How many edtech firms are asking students not just to test products but to play a role in the initial design and development? Not only can that make even the youngest students more invested in their education, but it also introduces STEM and career options early on. If your company involves students this way, please share some details about your process, along with the most effective input you've received from K-12 students.
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Scanning the News
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Teachers are being actively warned to avoid premature adoption of unproven AI tools, with MIT digital media professor Justin Reich stressing that new teaching methods should be rigorously tested and scaled up only upon strong evidence of their effectiveness, followed by ongoing assessment. Reich -- who offers examples of prior overconfidence -- believes that AI forces its way into schools rather than being gradually adopted; thus, it's unwise for educators to ignore AI's presence.
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| (Malte Mueller/Getty Images) |
Code.org and CSforALL have introduced the Hour of AI, a global initiative aimed at enhancing AI education through self-guided activities that will run during Computer Science Education Week from Dec. 8 to Dec. 12. The initiative, which is supported by major companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and Adobe, is designed to help students understand and create with AI, building on the success of the Hour of Code.
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| (Xavierarnau/Getty Images) |
A report by a work group from Missouri's K-12 and postsecondary education departments recommends "plug-and-play instructional resources" and employer incentives to enhance career and technical education. The report, prompted by Gov. Mike Kehoe, highlights funding challenges and suggests increasing staffing for career advisors, creating a grant program for apprenticeships and developing an online career exploration resource.
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In the Schools
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| (Eugene Mymrin/Getty Images) |
School districts are facing financial challenges due to the expiration of pandemic relief funds and declining enrollment. Misty Rieber, chief of staff at Lubbock Independent School District in Texas, shares how Lubbock and Edgewood Independent School District have used AI to optimize master scheduling, balancing class sizes and workloads without laying off teachers, saving millions of dollars and allowing reinvestment in academic programs.
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OpenAI has released "Chats for High School Teachers," a collection of ChatGPT examples from US high school teachers demonstrating its use in lesson planning, assessment and classroom management. The resource features contributions from educators across various subjects, highlighting practical applications such as refining assignments, drafting quizzes and creating curriculum maps.
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Schools are increasingly investing in AI technology such as Zero Eyes and Evolv to prevent shootings, but there are concerns about effectiveness. Grand Island Central School District Superintendent Brian Graham acknowledges that while Zero Eyes can detect guns outside buildings, it might not stop a shooting.
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Technology Policies
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The FCC has reversed two previous decisions regarding Wi-Fi access for library patrons and students. The first is a declaratory ruling that prohibits E-rate funding for Wi-Fi on school buses, citing concerns about poor fund management. The second is an Order on Reconsideration that reverses an initiative to fund Wi-Fi hotspots outside schools and libraries, stating that it exceeded the FCC's authority.
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State policymakers are having trouble keeping up with the fast, ongoing advancements in AI and problems with cybersecurity. While bills have been introduced in several states, only Arkansas and Texas have enacted significant K-12 cybersecurity legislation, while only Ohio and Tennessee require district AI policies. |
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Companies in the News
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Tighter education budgets are slowing edtech investment, but it hasn't decreased as a percentage of overall funding, JEGI Leonis co-CEO Robert Koven writes. He expects an uptick in investment interest in data privacy, cybersecurity and AI, among other areas, and says investors also are starting to funnel money "into areas where there is a clear need to either reset or refresh a product that is maybe two generations back or is just not new anymore."
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ICYMI
Top stories from last week's newsletter
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Association News
Looking to demonstrate your edtech solution's commitment to quality and research-backed effectiveness? The ISTE Seal is education's trusted mark of excellence, verifying that digital tools meet rigorous standards for classroom readiness and impact. Earning the ISTE Seal helps you build confidence with schools and districts seeking evidence-based solutions for future-ready learning. Note: The ISTE Seal program also accepts applications for creativity tools. If your digital product empowers students and educators to generate ideas, express themselves, and innovate, we want to hear from you. Join the growing community of ISTE Seal-certified solutions making a difference in education. Ready to begin? Contact our team to learn more about the ISTE Seal application process. |
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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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Disclaimer
| 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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