Education Industry
Education news, analysis, and opinion about businesses who serve the K-12 sector.
- Education Industry How K-12 Schools Tamed Silicon ValleyForget disruption. Ed-tech startups Clever and Nearpod just sold for a combined $1 billion because they solved schools’ everyday problems.Meeting District Needs Districts' Back-to-School Shopping List: Masks, Gloves, Sanitizers and $25 Billion to Pay for ItWhen his staff’s tally for buying personal protective equipment reached $600,000, one superintendent said: “stop because we’re already bankrupt.”Meeting District Needs Briefly Stated Briefly Stated: Stories You May Have MissedA collection of stories you may have missed.Meeting District Needs Coronavirus Squeezes Supply of Chromebooks, iPads, and Other Digital Learning DevicesSchool districts are competing against each other for purchases of digital devices as remote learning expands to schools across the country.Executive Skills & Strategy Opinion Stop Ignoring the Innovation That Happens in Traditional Public SchoolsThree national educational funders explain a new program that is highlighting innovative practices in schools around the country.Executive Skills & Strategy 'Genius Hour' Lets Kids Take Charge: Would Einstein Have Liked This?Teachers open doors for students to fuel their curiosity and pursue passion projects, but educators warn against making it a free-for-all.Executive Skills & Strategy K12 Inc., Ga. Cyber Academy Contract Battle BrewsStudents locked out of their school's computer systems. Educators unable to get access to some students' records. Parents receiving emails asking that they return their children's laptops.Products Video Building a Research Base for Your K-12 ProductMany vendors like the idea of building a research base for their product, but they aren’t sure where to start. There are simple ways for companies to begin laying a research foundation, which can not only impress district buyers but help vendors learn more about their products and how schools are using them. In this Two-Minute Tip, EdWeek Market Brief Managing Editor Sean Cavanagh talks about large and small-scale research strategies that work.Products Video Creating Pilot Projects that Impress K-12 DistrictsSuccessful pilot projects can lead to school- or district-wide contracts if they’re successful. In this Two-Minute Tip, EdWeek Market Brief's Michelle Davis talks about the steps vendors need to take to make sure pilot projects meet their goals and those of district leaders and educators.Executive Skills & Strategy Report Roundup Research Report: TeachingForty percent of what elementary school teachers do on a typical workday could be automated by 2030, predicts a new report by the McKinsey Global Institute.Products Video 6 Tips to Boost Usage of Your Ed-Tech ProductSchool district leaders are looking at ed-tech products through a “use it or lose it” lens. With the help of new tools that monitor utilization of products in classrooms, they’re using data to determine whether to keep using different tools and platforms – or whether to pull the plug on them. How can ed-tech companies make sure their products are seen as essential? EdWeek Market Brief’s Michele Molnar offers tips for companies to make sure their usage is robust in classrooms.Executive Skills & Strategy What Educators Really ThinkTeachers say the technology ecosystems they experience in their schools are largely characterized by incremental, rather than transformational, changes.Executive Skills & Strategy Ed-Tech Problems Open Doors for Entrepreneurs to Solve ThemThe only way an ed-tech company can have a meaningful impact in schools is by addressing a specific problem and offering a real solution.Executive Skills & Strategy One Superintendent's Approach to Pragmatic, Sustainable Tech LeadershipWhen it comes to school technology, Superintendent Doug Brubaker emphasizes robust infrastructure, regular refresh cycles, and training. Taxpayers and teachers are buying into the practical approach.Sales & Marketing Video Selling to K-12 Principals Without Alienating District LeadersFor many education companies, winning over a school principal is a critically important strategy for securing business in school districts. If a principal tests a product and becomes its champion, it can pave a vendor’s path to a districtwide contract. But there are challenges with that strategy. Many central-office administrators are wary of companies working with individual principals, fearing it will sow confusion and lead to a disjointed educational or tech-based strategy. In this video, we'll show how K-12 companies can work with principals and build support for their products in districts without angering top administrators.