K-12

In support of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, the tractor company is donating FIRST robotics class packs to the district. It is also supporting elementary and middle school mentors for students.

In total, the $14.8 million in funding from the federal government will support 3,081,131 devices and 774,115 broadband connections and help connect more than 3.6 million students throughout the state.

Tech company SAP is promoting the use of virtual reality to help students gain the skills they need for the job market. The company offers a VR program designed to assist students from underserved communities.

Enid Public Schools announced a program that offers discounted Internet service for families that qualify for the free and reduced-price lunch program through at least the rest of the school year.

K-12 schools gave students laptops and tablets to let them learn virtually. But many schools also closely track students’ activities on the devices — and advocacy groups are raising the call for less invasive monitoring.

The U.S. Department of Education will gather additional federal data to examine the full scope of problems faced by schools throughout the pandemic. The study hopes to guide policymakers tasked with reopening schools.

Public outcry against standardized testing, along with adjustments required by COVID-19, have led to a new generation of academic tests.

Students in Plainview, Texas, will soon have access to a private LTE wireless network throughout the school district. The total cost of the project is expected to come in around $1.1 million.

The new agreement, led by Massachusetts, will allow eight neighboring states and Washington, D.C., to offer Internet access, devices and other technology to constituents through local agencies at a discounted rate.

At New Lisbon School District in Wisconsin, Technology Director Ross Hurley said many teacher computers from 2013, interactive white boards from 2008, and electrical wiring in school buildings need be replaced.

The Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce and JLG Architects are seeking a $10 million grant, a portion of the $70 million dedicated by the North Dakota Legislature to career and technical education centers across the state.

In addition to new COVID-related policies, Monroe County Community School Corp. in Indiana approved buying new Versatrans software for bus drivers to route, report, monitor attendance and communicate with parents.

The nearly 205-year-old school in West Hartford, Conn. is offering online bilingual courses in English, mathematics, science and social studies to deaf children worldwide, ages 12 to 16, supplementary to other schooling.

A Maryland school district reversed its policy that students had to keep backpacks in their lockers after school-provided devices, carried by hand, started getting dropped, slammed into walls or otherwise damaged.

North East Independent School District has warned close to 5,000 current and former employees that their data could have been compromised by an intruder last month who accessed the email account of a payroll employee.

The private cellular network company has partnered with cities such as Tucson, Ariz., to establish and manage new 5G/LTE networks to close the digital divide and give schools control over their users.

Launched in June, the Public Education Department’s program has helped 110 school districts, tribal-affiliated and charter schools apply for more than $65 million in federal aid. A new application window starts Sept. 28.

Two global education technology companies have announced plans to combine their resources, boost innovation, better serve customers and develop new digital learning products to compete in the growing ed-tech market.