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Why Your Voice Matters Right Now: Congress Is Asking How to Fix (and Future-Proof) the Universal Service Fund
TL;DR: A bipartisan, bicameral working group in Congress wants public input on the future of the Universal Service Fund (USF), the engine behind E-Rate for schools and libraries, Lifeline for low-income households, Rural Health Care, and High-Cost support for rural networks. If you care about reliable, affordable internet in classrooms (and beyond), this is your…
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Empowering Educators as Digital Guardians in the Cybersecurity Arena
In K–12 schools, we often talk about teaching digital citizenship to students. But in today’s cybersecurity climate, there’s another group we need to empower just as urgently: our educators. When it comes to ransomware, phishing, and social engineering, the front line isn’t our firewalls; it’s our people. And like any front line, they deserve training,…
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Bridging the Gap Between Vision and Value: How I Helped an EdTech Startup Align with Real School Needs
EdTech is full of bold ideas. But in the rush to innovate, it’s easy to lose sight of a crucial truth:Districts don’t need another tool. They need trusted partners who understand their challenges, align with their goals, and elevate the people doing the work every day. Recently, I had the opportunity to support an emerging…
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Clearing the Runway for Effective Tech Integration
After a week at ISTE, surrounded by new ideas, emerging tech, and the buzz of what’s next, one thing sticks with me: most of the barriers to good technology integration aren’t about the tech at all. They are about the runway. We ask our people to jump through hoops all the time, such as new…
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Beyond Wi-Fi: The Essential Duties of a K-12 CTO
Spoiler alert: It’s way more than fixing the Wi-Fi. When most people picture a school district CTO, or Chief Technology Officer, they usually jump to one of two things. Either we are the person who magically makes the Wi-Fi work, or we spend our days resetting passwords. And yes, keeping the internet humming is definitely…
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More Than a Shortcut: What Educators Really Want from AI
Generative AI has landed in schools, but most of what it’s doing right now is just scratching the surface. Lesson plan generators. Rubric writers. Auto-filled report cards. These tools are helpful. They save time. They reduce cognitive load. But in the grand scope of education, they’re not transformational yet. They’re making teaching faster. But they’re…
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Your Summer Leadership Blueprint: Planning with Purpose
Summer in education leadership can feel like a paradox. On one hand, the hallways are quiet, inboxes slow down (at least a little), and the buses stop rolling. On the other hand, the pressure doesn’t stop. Planning for the next school year begins before the last one ends. Staff need support, systems need upgrades, and…
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From the Hill to Home: Why EdTech Advocacy Isn’t Optional
I didn’t spend my vacation day last week on a beach.I spent it on Capitol Hill, talking to policymakers, dodging D.C. downpours, and advocating for the future of K-12 education. It was a whirlwind 24 hours in DC and 36 hours of travel. Because when it comes to education technology, how we fund it, protect…
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Unlocking the Power of Partnerships: A Leadership Playbook for EdTech Success
The Myth of the Solo Hero In education, we love the underdog stories—the visionary leader who pushes innovation forward against all odds. But the truth? No leader does it alone. Especially in edtech, where complexity is high and stakes are higher, the strongest leaders are those who build partnerships that support sustainable, meaningful growth. This…
