The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) announced the launch of its ʻOhana Help Desk, which will provide self-service and chat support for families experiencing issues connecting to HIDOE systems remotely from home. In an Aug. 4 press release, HIDOE said the state has invested $1.7 million to establish the help desk.
The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) announced Aug. 6 the publication of a new website to provide a consolidated resource for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) in Illinois.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is working with local school districts statewide to implement two new pieces of legislation designed to give school districts the technology they need to facilitate distance learning.
The State of New York is looking to invest heavily in modernizing K-12 technology. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state has allocated $94 million for “reimagining teaching and learning for the 21st century.” As part of this round of funding, Cuomo approved 148 Smart Schools Investment Plans.
The National Science Foundation is investing in introducing quantum information science into K-12 schools, awarding a $750,000 award to an Illinois-based organization that is looking to spread quantum-related curricula.
The Department of Education wants to improve student privacy and cybersecurity at institutions of higher education, and listed engaging those institutions as a goal over the next year in its July 2020 President’s Management Agenda (PMA) update.
A California congressman has introduced a bill in the House to strengthen school districts’ cybersecurity by providing $25 million in grant funding over the next five years for that purpose.
While schools transitioned to online learning during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, over half of educators said, in a recent nationwide survey, that their students are not learning about cybersecurity.
Schools moving to distance learning to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown a bright light on the homework gap experienced by 12 million students who lack internet access at home.
The Baltimore City Council unanimously passed legislation to provide $3 million in emergency funding towards Internet access and computer equipment for the city’s children.
