K-12

The state is investing $2.7 million in STEM programming at Kalamazoo RESA, Grand Valley State University and Washtenaw Intermediate School District, the state announced this week.

Advanced students at Hazelwood Middle School in Indiana worked with a former astronaut and the nonprofit Higher Orbits to design experiments, one of which was chosen to be launched to the International Space Station.

Scores of bills have been introduced to limit or forbid classroom discussion of topics at the heart of modern civic life, including race and gender. Even if most won’t become law, they’re putting educators on edge.

Students from 73 middle and high schools on Tuesday attended MisinfoDay, an annual, nonpartisan event hosted by the University of Washington to teach people about misinformation and disinformation.

Money from the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund will go toward laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hot spots, modems, routers and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff and library patrons.

The U.S. Department of Education has detailed many ways that states are using American Rescue Plan funds to make up for lost instructional time, create new CTE and summer programs, and incentivize work-based learning.

An annual report from the K12 Security Information Exchange says ransomware has surpassed data breach attacks as the largest category of cyber attacks on schools, often coming from sophisticated criminals overseas.

School districts across the U.S. have invested heavily in digital devices in recent years, but some teachers are concerned about the sheer amount of screen time and distractions that come with them.

To enhance K-6 learning in science, technology, engineering and math, Modesto City Schools have a new technology curriculum that covers Google Workspace products, computer programming and digital citizenship.

Bakersfield students created CLUTCH Driving, a wallet-sized card with a QR code that links to instructions about fixing a flat tire, steps to take after an accident, filing an insurance claim and other information.

Gearing up for the VEX Robotics World Championships this summer, elementary students are building and programming robots to lift, throw and move balls into baskets to out-score opponents in 60-second matches.

The Mathpid app can read photos of math problems, describe core concepts involved and then generate new problems for students to practice, assessing their weaknesses and customizing problems to help them improve.

The Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Grant Program this year will train more than 57,000 employees from 210 municipalities and school districts, more than double the number of organizations last year.

School districts in North Carolina, Ohio and Indiana represent case studies in three of the biggest challenges facing K-12 schools today: tech equity for students, cybersecurity and IT staff shortages.

Some school board members criticized teachers for adding artificial intelligence material to STEM courses. However, students should be learning about all technology in their environment, including AI.

Russia’s violent push into Ukraine has teachers and students more than 6,000 miles from the conflict sifting through fact and fiction. Social media feeds and a lack of digital literacy are complicating the issue.

The Boulder Valley School District plan includes expanding career and technical education at secondary schools, creating pathways starting in elementary school with career exploration and more industry certification options.

Chiefs for Change released a comprehensive tool to help education leaders at the state and local levels to tackle mental health. The resource fills in gaps where K-12 students who need support might be overlooked.