Digital Transformation

By 2015, for-profit management companies ran a large share of the cyber schools across the U.S., but for Commonwealth Charter Academy, separating from them brought in more money, independence and control over curricula.

Even after the initial pandemic-era rush to cyber charter schools subsided, Commonwealth Charter Academy has continued to grow because many parents are dissatisfied with their local public schools.

The University of Colorado Boulder launched a free mobile app for students, faculty and staff that can send emergency alerts and connect with local dispatch, mental health assistance and campus reporting services.

Lessons in digital literacy and citizenship, along with positive teacher-student relationships, may help schools combat the negative impact of online influencers on boys who struggle with loneliness or low self-esteem.

Given the results of school cellphone restrictions so far, some education leaders argue that overreliance on screens and devices in general is responsible for years of declines in student attention and achievement.

Opening this fall, the Colome Cyber Academy will give students individualized learning plans tailored to their goals, intended to meet growing demand for flexibility amid declining enrollment at traditional schools.

Pennsylvania only renews charters of cyber schools that agree to enrollment caps, but those schools can continue to operate without a charter. Some cyber leaders say this approach gives those schools more freedom to grow.

The first time Waterbury Fire Department in Connecticut conducted its EMT exam on computers, an investigation found seven of 13 cadets had taken advantage of the technology and lax supervision to cheat.

Major growth and investment by major companies in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, along with the federal government's new stake in Intel, could affect institutional decision-making.

Following New York City's partnership with T-Mobile last year, the city is working with T-Mobile and Dell to address the digital divide by giving more students access to personal computers.

Three elementary schools in Compton Unified School District received iPads, data plans and a technology coach who will provide professional development through the Verizon Innovative Learning Program.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is among the first to adapt Microsoft’s SharePoint platform into a student planner, replacing paper versions with a more dynamic tool.

A recent poll found a 13 percent drop in support for using AI to prepare lesson plans, a 9 percent drop in support for AI as practice for standardized tests, and a 5 percent drop in support for students using it on homework.

By integrating its student information system with TuitionEP's payment features, the Nebraska-based software company aims to simplify the digital administration of student records, communications and payments.

While the initial rollout of the EZ A2B app led to some confusion for parents and district staff, administrators say it has put bus drivers and parents at ease by tracking where their student is at any given time.

School IT leaders are experimenting with different methods to improve the life cycle of student devices. Without targeted federal funding, 1:1 programs will need other sustainable revenue streams to survive.

San Francisco Unified School District teachers filed a state labor complaint after a new $20 million payroll system led to incorrect deduction of union dues, missing vacation pay and incorrect pay for substitutes.

As of last year, Texas had 24 full-time, public virtual schools in operation serving nearly 62,200 students. In 2014, the state had only a few virtual schools and less than 5,000 students in them.