Government Experience

The 2025 EDUCAUSE Top 10 list, a snapshot of top priorities in higher education, focuses on earning back trust through technology and data. Several indicators show faith in the value of higher ed and the integrity of tech companies is declining.

The Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles is deploying kiosks this fall as part of a pilot program to help residents access services like driver’s license renewals more efficiently. Average transaction times are estimated at roughly two minutes.

The Idaho Department of Correction has significantly improved document management processes by utilizing Laserfiche to enable digitization and the automation of administrative tasks. This, in turn, has enhanced communication and facilitated field work.

IT directors and cybersecurity professionals in ed tech are no strangers to burnout, and neither are their counterparts in student success. But technology and teamwork may be able to relieve some of that pressure, leaders said at the 2024 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference.

A new executive order adds teeth to the state’s permit transparency and streamlining work. It instructs agencies to do more to simplify the user experience on their platform, and bring more approval processes on board.

The territory’s digital ID initiative, IDEAL, lets government agencies do a better job of sharing information they already have on residents, after securing their permission. It’s aimed at simplifying processes and making them quicker.

After guiding the Texas county through the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Philip Huang, its health director, pushed for collaboration and long-term strategies to prepare for future crises. Data modernization proved to be crucial.

Washington, D.C., CTO Stephen Miller describes a large-scale modernization project that aims to reorient government services so residents can quickly get what they need no matter how they got there.

The concept of a “smart city” or “connected community” has been around for decades, but experts argue the meaning of the term, and the expectations around it, have changed in recent years. Residential input remains vital, city leaders explain.

Three existing government technology firms, including Black Mountain Software, comprise the new company, which said it has 2,000 clients out of the gate. The deal includes backing from Black Mountain owner Peterson Partners, an investment firm.

From revitalizing the economy to confronting his city’s racial past, Tulsa, Okla., Mayor G.T. Bynum leaves office having created a focus on unity and progress. He is the fourth member of his family to serve as mayor.

Michael Sloon, its acting CIO and a longtime executive, has stepped away after more than 15 years at the city. The City Council affirmed his successor as acting CIO, but a recruitment is not immediately planned.

A new mobile and online licensing and permit system is in the works, with a target date of March 2025. Hunters, skiers and others will be able to store licenses on their phones, and register a harvest without tagging an animal.

At the recent NASCIO 2024 Annual Conference, CIOs talked about the legal concerns that will help guide the development of AI and other technologies. Freedom of Information matters around public data are in the forefront.

The state hasn't broadly promoted the service yet, but Deputy CIO Paula Peters hopes one day residents across Missouri will also be able to access local government services through the platform.

On the final day of its 2024 Annual Conference, the organization recognized tech and cyber teams and leaders in more than a dozen states for their long-term contributions, and for success in specific initiatives.

Jobs and Hope West Virginia, a state program created to respond to the substance use disorder crisis, uses technology to support residents in their paths to recovery, sustainable employment and re-entering society.

State and local government agencies’ efforts to streamline service delivery for residents risk being held back by outdated case management processes. Low-code technology may be the answer.