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| October 28, 2025 |
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| Edtech news for those building the future of Edtech
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Fresh Intel
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| (Bo Feng/Getty Images) |
A successful edtech company "digs a little bit deeper" when researching district priorities rather than trying to sell a generic solution for a problem the district doesn't have, and it also ensures interoperability and builds long-term relationships, according to Neil Gupta, an Ohio superintendent, and Jose Gonzalez, the chief technology officer for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, at the recent EdTech Week conference in New York City. Gonzalez and Gupta said an edtech company shouldn't treat its pilot schools poorly, should prove its product's connection to student outcomes and should continue support after the initial introduction.
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Also from EdTech Week:
SmartTake: When district leaders had plenty of money to spend during the pandemic, they were excited to try several new edtech options. Now that budgets have been pared way back, districts have recognized what their needs truly are and have become far more discerning about their expenditures. Yet, they can't seem to state enough that edtech companies need to find out what schools want now rather than pushing something schools don't need, and that their programs must have proven efficacy. Schools have discovered that edtech promises fall short if teachers don't use programs precisely as directed. But teachers are busy and don't have time to figure out complicated software or devise adaptations -- and edtech developers need to figure out how to deal with that. You need to adjust to them, not the other way around.
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 | AI in education is evolving — you can help lead the way
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.
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Scanning the News
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A 19-year-old Massachusetts college student who pleaded guilty to hacking into PowerSchool's network and extorting the company has been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of almost $14.1 million. The 2024 breach compromised sensitive data of over 60 million students and 10 million teachers, leading to multiple lawsuits against PowerSchool. Doug Levin, co-founder of the nonprofit K12 Security Information eXchange, says the incident has eroded districts' faith in Big Edtech vendors, sparked discussions on data retention policies and the wisdom of relying on third-party vendors for data security, and led to increased scrutiny of edtech companies' practices regarding school data.
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A study by researchers from the National Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics in Morocco highlights the transformative impact of AI, the Internet of Things and human-computer interaction on special education. The study discusses how these technologies enhance accessibility and personalized learning for students with disabilities. However, challenges such as cybersecurity risks and the high cost of assistive tools remain significant barriers, the study notes.
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The OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) program at Firthmoor Primary in the United Kingdom emphasizes the importance of purposeful play in child development, contrasting with the increasing push for early technology use in education, writes educator Nesren El-Baz. Research supports the need for this balance, highlighting potential negative effects of excessive screen time on children's well-being.
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In the Schools
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Schools are increasingly using AI chatbots such as Alongside to address student mental health, but experts such as Rand researcher Ryan McBain say more rigorous trials are needed to ensure safety and effectiveness. The app, which partners with at least 200 schools, collects student data to identify issues such as feeling overwhelmed and poor sleep, and it uses built-in safety features to flag concerning conversations, prompting human intervention.
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Grand Valley Local Schools in Ohio is utilizing structured, skill-based interventions, professional development, and technology to enhance literacy among K-5 students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. The school employs phonics-based programs through a multi-tiered system of support, regularly assesses students, provides targeted instruction, and uses AI programs like Dysolve to reach students who struggle with traditional methods.
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| (Sergii Kolesnikov/Getty Images) |
In a course called "The Art and Science of Cosplay," students learn engineering skills, Python programming, costume design and event planning. Funded initially by a state grant to increase diversity in computer science, the course culminates in a student-led comic convention and has successfully attracted a gender-balanced group of students, many of whom earned their first college credits through the program.
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Companies in the News
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| A flashcard from MathFactLab. (MathFactLab/Instagram) |
Vermont fifth-grade math teacher Mike Kenny, motivated by research and classroom needs, developed visual flash cards to build math fluency and later turned it into a digital app. Students interact with digital flashcards that pair equations with images, such as groups of cubes or dots, giving them deeper understanding of the concepts behind the numbers, along with better retention. A graduate of the Vermont Mathematics Initiative, Kenny left teaching to run MathFactLab full-time, and the app now has over 1 million users and, last year, generated nearly $1 million in revenue.
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OverDrive has introduced an AI-powered book recommendation feature called Inspire Me, which CEO Steve Potash says is designed to help users discover lesser-known books and promote libraries amid declining literacy rates. While the feature has received mixed reactions from users wary of AI, Potash says Inspire Me has already increased the circulation of under-the-radar titles. OverDrive plans to expand its use of AI to integrate various media forms across its platforms.
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ICYMI
Top stories from last week's newsletter
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Association News
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| (ISTE+ASCD) |
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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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| I never see the dawn ... that I don't say to myself perhaps ... perhaps today. |
John Dos Passos,
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