K-12

The Texas Education Agency's Office of School Safety and Security is rolling out a mass communication and threat reporting system called Sentinel, available to all schools in the state at no charge.

A new framework from the Los Angeles County Office of Education offers step-by-step instructions for the implementation and use of artificial intelligence in TK-12 schools that other districts might find useful.

The South Carolina Department of Education is expected to draft a model cellphone policy in August. Many students at schools that have already piloted cellphone restrictions were pleasantly surprised at their effect.

According to recent data from the education research organization foundry10, about a third of college applicants in 2023-24 acknowledge using an AI tool for help in writing admissions essays.

Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Alberto Carvalho intends to assemble independent experts to conduct a wide-ranging review of what went wrong with the AI chatbot the district debuted in March.

School districts and state and local governments across the U.S. have been approving policies restricting student cellphone use in class. Many teachers are desperate for the help, and some have already seen improvements.

After KIPP NYC College Prep restricted smartphone use in class, AP test scores increased, grades bounced back to pre-pandemic averages, and attendance at sporting events and other activities jumped by 50 percent.

A recent report from the nonprofit Common Sense found that more than half of teens and young adults have used apps to support their mental health and well-being, although they have mixed views on their effectiveness.

The Federal Communications Commission voted July 18 to allow funding for Wi-Fi hot spots under the E-rate program. Schools can loan these hot spots to students who lack Internet access at home.

In a webinar this week, K-12 thought leaders from the Consortium for School Networking summarized the ethical implementation of AI in schools as a matter of preparation, communication, equity, privacy and flexibility.

A $2.3 million contract between the New Hampshire Department of Education and the nonprofit Khan Academy will make the AI teaching assistant Khanmigo available for free to teachers and students in grades 5-12 until 2025.

Innovation Center student designers, teachers and Northrop Grumman volunteers taught a week of STEM camps for middle and high school students, covering topics like cybersecurity, AI and computer science.

The House Appropriations Committee recently approved a bill that would eliminate $2.19 billion in federal funding for the professional development of teachers, principals and school leaders.

Officials in Middletown, N.J., have proposed a policy banning smartphone use in classrooms, bathrooms, locker rooms and most spaces outside of high school free periods, as a statewide ban is discussed.

Wyoming schools must create their own policies with respect to artificial intelligence, but the state is encouraging them to use it to free up time for teachers to focus on instruction and bring students up to speed.

In partnership with professionals in the field, professors from Sul Ross State University and the University of Scranton-Pennsylvania gave area high schoolers hands-on experiences and exercises in cybersecurity.

From abolishing the U.S. Department of Education to cutting Title I funding and certifying teachers based on ideology, a controversial proposal from a conservative think tank would upend public education nationwide.

In response to workforce shortages and unaffordable college tuition, K-12 districts are hiring specialists to help students find alternate paths to careers in cybersecurity, manufacturing and other in-demand fields.