K-12

After a ransomware attack left it without Internet service for days, a Pennsylvania school district is still conducting classes with unconnected devices and old-school papers, pencils, lectures and group activities.

Having already confirmed an unauthorized intrusion of its network, a Minnesota school district has further confirmed it was a ransomware attack, which it did not pay, and which compromised some employee data.

One of the largest school districts in Arizona has joined a lawsuit against several social media companies, alleging that their algorithms, corporate decisions and business strategies have harmed student mental health.

A report from the nonprofit CALSTART says California, Maryland and Florida lead the way, but 11 states are not on board. The report also offers recommendations for making zero-emission fleets more affordable.

Barker Central School District in New York will use federal funding to buy 12 new electric buses, an idea that has been relatively well received within the district for its potential to reduce carbon emissions.

Data-driven well-being audits are becoming more common in Denmark’s classrooms, and experts are mixed on the potential for mood-monitoring tech to help address student mental health in the United States.

Advanced chatbots could be used as powerful classroom aids that make lessons more interactive, teach students media literacy, generate personalized lesson plans and even save teachers time on administrative tasks.

A school district in Virginia is applying for a federal grant to put sensors, artificial intelligence and other smart technology in each school building to screen students and detect concealed weapons.

An analysis by the Virginia-based cybersecurity firm GuidePoint Security found a 17 percent increase in ransomware attacks on schools since last quarter, and almost half of cases globally involve U.S. public entities.

K-12 schools and universities in several states are using gamification to teach science through virtual experiments, simulators and LMS integrations like those offered by the global ed-tech company Labster.

Having dealt with a ransomware attack a few years ago, Great Bend USD 426 is using two-factor authentication, a cybersecurity audit, staff training and other measures to stay ahead of innovative cyber criminals.

School districts across Pennsylvania are suing Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and similar companies based on the public nuisance legal theory and alleged contributions to mental health issues in children.

New career and technical education programs, including associate's degrees and certificates in cybersecurity, data science and machine learning, are part of a statewide push to fill jobs in the technology sector.

A laptop-building seminar for younger Florida students is a highlight of Remake Learning Days, an initiative to bring computer literacy and other learning opportunities in STEM subjects to low-income communities.

High school and college students will be part of Massachusetts' Digital Equity Partnerships Program, a grant funding initiative to train seniors in technology skills and how to use devices.

An Illinois school district used a $50,000 grant from the utility company Commonwealth Edison to add an electric vehicle and charging station to the fleet of its high school driver's education program.

Especially in light of a CISA report last fall warning about cyber attacks against K-12 schools, a district in Washington state is implementing two-factor authentication and other security protocols.

Pending the governor’s signature, Florida House Bill 379 will require school districts to prohibit students from accessing social media platforms during school and develop curricula on social media safety.