In 2012, the Utah State Legislature recognized the importance of closing the academic achievement gap between wealthy students and those below the poverty line, and specifically wanted to find a way to close the gap before it even started. As a result, the Legislature passed a bill creating an early intervention program to help at-risk preschoolers. After looking at multiple programs and technologies, Utah selected UPSTART.

States are beginning to feel neglected in the creation process of FirstNet, a broadband network intended to provide wireless communication for first responders, according to witnesses at the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet hearing.

Next week, 16,000 educators will descend on Denver for ISTE 2016. The International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) annual conference runs June 26-29 and will feature 1,000 sessions highlighting technology in education. Here’s a preview of what to expect.

An initiative is underway at the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory aiming to prevent hackers from gaining control of parts of the nation’s power grid, or Industrial Control System. As the grid gets smarter, threats increase, including damage to electrical equipment, local power outages, operational halts to production, and more.

Taking the lead for 36 states, Utah is expected to issue a National Association of State Procurement Officials cloud computing contract in August that helps states get the best deal for equipment and software by bundling their shopping lists into a single bid.

The Department of Veterans Affairs misused $51.9 million in medical appropriations to fund development of mobile health applications and an enhancement to the Veteran Information Systems and Technology Architecture, violating Federal appropriations law, according to a preliminary inspector general report obtained by MeriTalk.

The National Institutes of Health announced plans to fund a biobank to support the Precision Medicine Initiative and the Genomic Data Commons in an effort to increase data sharing more broadly across clinical and research fields.

The key to digital success and development in all levels of government is a strong and dedicated team of leaders, according to Deloitte’s director of government innovation William D. Eggers. “It really does rely on different levels of leadership,” Eggers said in an interview with MeriTalk. “Where you don’t have that leadership, it becomes much more difficult.”

The school year might be over, but learning hasn’t stopped. While their students are off splashing in pools, relaxing on beaches, and sleeping in late, teachers are working on lesson plans and preparing their classrooms for the next school year. Teachers can also strengthen their ed tech skills with free webinars offered over summer break.

Makers are the creators and problem-solvers of tomorrow, inspiring students to address the nation’s challenges with a STEM-focused approach. The second annual National Week of Making, June 17-23, coincides with the National Maker Faire, June 18-19.