Digital Transformation

In an effort to curb chronic absenteeism, school districts in Farmington, Raton, Carlsbad and Hobbs are piloting an AI tool by the software company Edia that automates student attendance tracking and notifies parents.

The nonprofit consortium announced Thursday it will use a “train-the-trainer” model to teach district teams nationwide how to assess and advance school AI readiness. The initiative’s precise timing is unclear.

The United States Leadership in Immersive Technology Act calls for a national plan to assess and advance the use of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies across key sectors, from education to agriculture.

Special educators are legally required to write Individualized Education Programs for students with educational disabilities. Experts say AI could ease the paperwork burden and improve the content of these plans.

At Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska, these policies work in tandem to cut down on phone-induced distractions, limit the time students spend outside the classroom, and prevent student conflicts and fighting.

Vigo County School Corp. contracted with ParentSquare for a platform that accommodates real-time communication among teachers, administrators and families, as well as notifications of events and emergencies.

Starting this fall, Frederick County Public Schools will host Individualized Education Plans in an online portal with parent access, translation services and other features to make them more automated and user-friendly.

Four ed-tech vendors shared their perspectives on how artificial intelligence in learning management systems has evolved throughout the year, and what they see on the horizon in 2025.

The testing company Pearson will create and administer a digital version of the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), following a similar transition by Advanced Placement and New York state tests.

According to several leaders of ed-tech companies and nonprofits, 2025 will bring a need for increased teacher and state-level leadership, better data, college modernization, and greater focus on the global ethics of AI.

Carlisle Area School District plans to improve network bandwidth to handle video conferencing, virtual classrooms, large data transfers and online testing, which the state of Pennsylvania has mandated by spring 2026.

Allowing people to speak over Zoom has led to the average number of registered speakers at board meetings quadrupling, and the number of unique speakers tripled in the 2023-24 school year compared to the year prior.

A resource is in the works to help schools understand how to use Title II-A funds for professional development and training teachers to design lesson plans that include technology.

Facing an uphill battle for new customers as schools lose pandemic-era funding, the educational video game company Immersed Games pivoted to embed their content into the platforms of other publishers.

A virtual tutoring program called Brainy Bulls connects grade school students in Western New York with vetted UB undergrads and graduate students to receive help in English, math, science or social studies on Zoom.

The nonprofit Digital Promise has merged its online Learner Variability Navigator with a new AI platform, creating a research-based tool for building lesson plans that support individual needs of struggling students.

The U.S. Department of Education says it made several improvements to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after last year's version excluded students whose parents did not have a Social Security number.

In a 1936 address celebrating the 300th anniversary of higher education in America, Albert Einstein articulated a vision of education that's more achievable than ever through digital technology.