K-12

A cyber attack by a Russian hacking group in February compromised private student data, and the district is advising those affected to change their passwords and remain vigilant in looking out for identity theft.

Ohio lawmakers last year passed a bill requiring schools to limit phone use during the day, but Gov. Mike DeWine called on them to finish the job and pass a bill banning phones from use during school hours altogether.

The American Federation of Teachers and two other labor unions have sued the Education Department for violating federal privacy laws by granting DOGE access to the agency's data systems.

ED laid off nearly half of its employees this week. Sources say the cuts have dismantled the Office of Educational Technology, which produced the National Education Technology Plan, among other resources.

Lexington-Richland School District 5 is considering investing in an AI assistant to help with developing tests and worksheets, individualized student feedback, or translating texts to multiple languages and reading levels.

A new educational facility in Wisconsin built through a private-public partnership teaches students about mechatronics, engineering design, computer programming, industrial control systems, robotics and drones.

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins canceled state funding to OverDrive, a digital platform that lets users download and read books on their personal devices, over concerns about inappropriate material.

The Michigan Department of Education this week will host the first of two virtual job fairs to combat widespread teacher shortages, where districts statewide can list openings and interact online with candidates.

A cyber attack in late 2024 exposed names, dates of birth, student identification numbers and Medicaid identification numbers, but not Social Security numbers or financial information, of current and former students.

A report this week from the nonprofit Center for Internet Security shows that most school cyber attacks rely on human error and tend to spike during exam weeks and other busy, high-pressure times.

Huntsville City Schools are installing weapons detection systems from Opengate at its elementary campuses. The district put Evolv weapon detectors at high schools in 2023, and Opengate systems at middle schools in 2024.

All public school districts in Washington state are transitioning from a patchwork of websites for student career planning to the new High School and Beyond Plan online platform, as mandated by the Legislature in 2023.

In response to public input, Willoughby-Eastlake Schools in Ohio are investing in workforce development by adding middle school and early high school programs in fields such as IT, manufacturing tech and cybersecurity.

Santa Fe Public Schools announced a shift to remote learning on Thursday for grades K-12 after being notified of potential power shutdowns and Internet outages due to high winds and fire conditions.

Bipartisan bills advancing through the North Carolina House and Senate would require school districts to create their own restrictions for cellphone use during class.

A Colorado school district has come out against legislation that would require the Colorado Department of Education to develop a new reporting database to receive complaints about contracts with digital vendors.

A conservative-leaning FCC, coupled with legal and congressional challenges, have created uncertainty around the E-rate program that funds school broadband. Experts say districts will need local funding and community partnerships to fill the gap.

The Kentucky Board of Education moved to limit enrollment in virtual schools in light of academic underperformance, but lawmakers blocked the measure and proposed to stop enrollment restrictions on virtual schools until 2028.