In today’s education environment, IT leaders juggle a complex set of priorities: securing infrastructure, supporting teachers and students, and finding efficiencies in every corner of operations. But one backend system that often flies under the radar — printing — can become surprisingly costly and chaotic when left unmanaged.
For Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA), a state-wide network of 156 schools serving more than 83,000 students and 12,000 staff, the challenge was clear: a fragmented print environment with inconsistent tools, limited visibility, and rising administrative overheads.
The Challenge of Scale and Fragmentation
Like many large education systems built over decades, CEWA’s printing infrastructure had grown organically. Individual schools ran a mix of software platforms, and IT staff at the central office found themselves trying to manage this sprawl while still supporting day-to-day IT needs.
In classrooms, print output ranged from simple worksheets and handouts to administrative forms and learning materials. Without a unified system, it was difficult to track usage, enforce security policies, or help smaller, regional schools access the same technology as larger campuses.
A Centralized Approach to Print Management
CEWA began its modernization journey by deploying PaperCut’s centralized print management platform to handle the full scale and diversity of its network. PaperCut was rolled out from the CEWA office and integrated with organizational identity services like Azure, allowing centralized control while also letting local IT staff manage printers and users within their schools.
According to CEWA’s team, this hybrid approach — a blend of cloud flexibility and on-premises resilience — was essential for schools with older infrastructure and varied connectivity. IT administrators now manage printer deployment and user policies from a single Paperut platform, and schools could benefit from delegated administration without increasing central helpdesk burden.
Outcomes That Go Beyond Printing
The results have been significant. Today, CEWA manages 831 printers across 91 locations from Broome to Albany and has processed more than 23 million print jobs through its centralized system.
Beyond sheer numbers, CEWA’s IT team highlights three strategic wins:
Increased Visibility and Reporting: With consolidated reporting tools, the central office can track usage patterns, monitor costs, and audit printing activity. This data isn’t just “nice to have” — it informs budgeting and operational decisions that directly affect schools’ bottom lines.
Operational Efficiency: Schools that were previously running standalone servers or legacy print systems now operate under a unified architecture, reducing the technical support overhead on both central and local IT teams.
Equity of Access: Smaller primary schools, once constrained by outdated print systems, now have access to the same technology and management tools available in larger campuses — an important factor in a geographically dispersed education network.
Ben Beaton, Team Leader of Digital Services and Partner Engagement at CEWA, underscores the value of this equity. It’s not just about technology; it’s about ensuring that all schools — regardless of size or location — can access the tools they need to support students and staff effectively.
Print Management as an IT Strategy
CEWA’s journey speaks to a broader truth in education IT: even “mundane” systems like printing can become strategic assets when they are standardized, visible, and centrally managed. For districts and networks contemplating similar moves, the CEWA experience offers a roadmap for balancing centralized governance with local autonomy.
As education systems look to stretch tight budgets, mitigate technical debt, and support equitable learning environments, print management may prove to be one of the under-recognized levers of operational efficiency.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future-facing experiment in education. For many schools and institutions, it is quickly becoming a practical response to shrinking budgets, staffing shortages, and mounting administrative workloads.
A new EdTech Trends 2026 report from Jotform underscores this shift, finding that 65 percent of educators are already using AI tools in their day-to-day work. The takeaway is not that educators are chasing the latest technology trend, but that they are seeking relief from systemic pressures that have intensified over the past several years.
AI adoption is being driven by workload, not novelty
The report makes clear that AI adoption is largely pragmatic. Nearly half of educators using AI say they apply it to both instructional and administrative tasks. From summarizing long documents and drafting communications to supporting lesson planning, AI is being used to reduce time spent on repetitive work rather than to replace teaching itself.
This distinction matters. Educators are not embracing AI to automate learning, but to protect time for it. As responsibilities expand beyond the classroom, AI is increasingly viewed as a productivity layer that helps educators stay focused on students instead of paperwork.
Tool sprawl is limiting the impact of edtech investments
Despite widespread technology adoption, the report highlights a persistent problem for education IT leaders: fragmentation. While 77 percent of educators say their digital tools work well individually, nearly three quarters cite poor integration between systems as a major frustration.
Educators report using an average of eight digital tools, and many describe the experience as overwhelming. Even with these tools in place, manual tasks still consume several hours each week. This disconnect illustrates a broader issue across education technology. The challenge is no longer access to tools, but how well those tools work together.
AI is filling gaps created by staffing and funding pressures
Concerns about infrastructure funding cuts were cited by more than half of survey respondents, reinforcing the reality that many institutions are being asked to do more with fewer resources. In this environment, AI is increasingly positioned as a stopgap solution.
Most educators report using AI for research, brainstorming, and content creation, tasks that often spill into evenings and weekends. By accelerating these workflows, AI helps mitigate burnout without fundamentally changing how education is delivered.
However, relying on AI to offset staffing and budget challenges also raises questions about sustainability. Without thoughtful implementation, AI risks becoming another layer of complexity rather than a meaningful solution.
Ethics and trust remain unresolved
The report also reflects ongoing concerns around data security and ethical use. As AI tools handle sensitive student and institutional information, educators are rightly cautious about transparency, privacy protections, and long-term accountability.
These concerns are not barriers to adoption, but they are signals that governance and policy must evolve alongside technology. Trust will play a decisive role in determining how deeply AI becomes embedded in education systems.
Integration will define the next phase of AI in education
What emerges most clearly from the report is that AI’s future impact will depend less on innovation and more on integration. Educators are already willing to use AI, but they want fewer platforms, cleaner workflows, and systems that communicate with one another.
For education IT leaders, the next phase of AI adoption will be about ecosystem design rather than tool selection. Institutions that prioritize interoperability, training, and ethical frameworks will be better positioned to turn AI from a tactical fix into a strategic asset.
In education, AI is no longer about what is possible. It is about what is practical, sustainable, and aligned with the realities educators face every day.
Across K–12 and higher education, artificial intelligence has moved from abstract concept to daily reality with startling speed. Students are using generative AI to study, write, and problem-solve.
Faculty are experimenting with AI-driven grading, tutoring, and curriculum design. Administrators are exploring AI for enrollment management, advising, and operational efficiency.
And yet, in many schools, the most consequential AI conversation is happening far away from classrooms and lecture halls. It is happening inside IT departments, where leaders are confronting an uncomfortable truth: enthusiasm for AI has outpaced the infrastructure required to support it.
The result is a growing AI readiness gap. Not a lack of ideas, but a lack of preparedness.
AI adoption is not a software problem
Much of the public conversation around AI in education frames adoption as a matter of selecting the right tools. Which platform is best? Which model is safest? Which features align with learning outcomes?
For IT leaders, those questions come later.
Before AI can be meaningfully deployed, schools must grapple with foundational issues that have lingered for years: network capacity, device management, identity governance, data security, and legacy systems that were never designed for always-on, cloud-based workloads.
Generative AI is resource-intensive. It increases demand on networks already strained by video learning, cloud applications, and 1:1 device programs. In districts and institutions where bandwidth planning has lagged, AI simply becomes another point of failure.
In higher education, where decentralized IT environments are common, AI tools often emerge through departments and faculty experimentation, bypassing formal review and security protocols. What looks like innovation at the surface can quickly turn into unmanaged sprawl underneath.
Shadow AI is the new shadow IT
If shadow IT was the defining governance challenge of the cloud era, shadow AI is rapidly becoming its successor.
Faculty and students are already using public AI tools with institutional data, often without clear guidance on acceptable use, data retention, or privacy implications. This is not a failure of policy alone; it is a failure of readiness.
When institutions move slowly, users move anyway.
IT teams are left trying to retroactively secure environments that were never designed to support AI at scale. Identity systems that struggle with role-based access control now must account for AI agents. Logging and monitoring tools built for traditional applications must adapt to opaque AI workflows. Data classification practices that were “good enough” suddenly matter a great deal.
The infrastructure everyone forgot still matters
One of the least discussed aspects of AI readiness is how deeply it intersects with existing, often overlooked infrastructure.
Printing is a useful example.
Despite years of digital transformation, print remains essential in education. Testing, special education accommodations, transcripts, financial aid documentation, and accessibility requirements all rely on it. AI does not eliminate these needs; in many cases, it increases them by accelerating content creation.
When AI-generated materials move from screen to paper, unmanaged print environments become a security and cost liability. Sensitive data produced faster than ever can just as easily be left on an unsecured printer. Sustainability goals are undermined when AI-driven workflows quietly increase output.
AI readiness is not just about new technology layers. It is about understanding how emerging tools interact with systems schools already depend on.
Security and privacy risks are structural, not theoretical
Education has long been a prime target for cyberattacks, and AI expands the attack surface considerably.
AI tools often require access to large datasets, raising questions about student data privacy, FERPA compliance, and institutional data governance. Many AI platforms are cloud-based and evolve rapidly, complicating vendor risk assessments and contract negotiations.
At the same time, AI is being used by attackers. Phishing attempts are more convincing. Social engineering is more personalized. Defensive strategies that rely heavily on user awareness training are increasingly insufficient.
This puts IT leaders in a difficult position. They are asked to enable innovation while simultaneously locking down environments that were not built for this level of complexity. Without investment in modern identity management, endpoint security, and continuous monitoring, AI adoption increases institutional risk rather than reducing it.
Equity gaps are widening, not closing
AI is often framed as a democratizing force in education, but infrastructure gaps tell a different story.
Schools serving lower-income communities are more likely to struggle with aging devices, inconsistent connectivity, and limited IT staffing. When AI tools assume reliable access and modern hardware, disparities widen.
Even within institutions, uneven access creates problems. Students may have AI-powered support at home but limited access on campus. Faculty may experiment freely while students navigate unclear or inconsistent policies.
True AI readiness requires viewing equity as an infrastructure challenge, not a philosophical one. Without intentional planning, AI adoption reinforces the very gaps education systems are trying to close.
What readiness actually looks like
AI readiness is not achieved through a single purchase or policy update. It is the outcome of sustained, coordinated effort across IT, academic leadership, and administration.
At a minimum, readiness includes:
Scalable network and cloud infrastructure designed for increased demand
Clear governance frameworks for AI tools, data use, and vendor relationships
Modern identity and access management systems
Integrated security practices that assume AI will be used, formally or informally
Visibility into legacy systems, including print and device management
Equity-focused planning that accounts for access beyond the classroom
Perhaps most importantly, it requires shifting the conversation. AI cannot be treated as an add-on or pilot project. It must be understood as a force multiplier that amplifies both strengths and weaknesses in existing environments.
The role of IT leadership
For education IT leaders, this moment is both challenging and clarifying.
AI has made invisible infrastructure visible again. It has exposed the cost of deferred maintenance, fragmented governance, and underinvestment in core systems. At the same time, it has created an opportunity for IT leaders to assert a more strategic role in institutional decision-making.
The schools and institutions that succeed with AI will not be those that adopt the most tools, but those that build the strongest foundations.
Innovation follows readiness. Not the other way around.
By Erin Werra, Marketing Content Specialist, Skyward.
Though the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA) was implemented in 2000, a 1974 law paved the way for kids’ privacy online.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) came first and dealt primarily with paper gradebooks and report cards then. How times change.
Today, FERPA holds the line in multiple ways. Not only does the regulation give families rights to access their children’s data, but it also provides guidance for what schools need to do to protect children’s data—whether it’s kept in paper files onsite or hosted files in the cloud. And as edtech providers build solutions for schools, FERPA provides the foundation for any decision dealing with student data.
Since schools are custodians of children’s data, the buck stops with the superintendent and school board. This means school districts must choose an edtech vendor with superior security strategy. What does that look like? There are two parallel security rails that keep student data safe in a student information system (SIS).
The first is FERPA’s language about “legitimate educational interest.” The way an SIS manages who can see which student matters. This may be permissions-based, which means certain roles will have less access in the software. From a security standpoint, this tactic supports least privilege: only the minimum necessary rights are granted to each user, creating higher levels of security in the system overall.
Next, it’s crucial that each edtech vendor have a deep and rich repository of authentication tools, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign on. But it’s perhaps even more important to have the right attitude about keeping data safe and each user’s responsibility to prevent exposing credentials to a cybercriminal.
It’s up to each school district to defend whether an educator has a legitimate educational interest and therefore can view a student’s data. So in practice, limiting access to student data may result in pushback.
After all, legitimate interest may exist, but an SIS system cannot be reasoned with to accept one-off cases. What can teams do to manage the real needs of educators and create a secure AND reasonable, FERPA-compliant approach to sharing data?
Just like edtech vendors, this is a double-winged approach. First, educators can understand student data in its repository role: that is, the data is kept safe and secure (whether that’s an onsite data center or a cloud-hosted approach) until it is needed.
Next, educators can own their roles in staying FERPA-compliant with complete administrative support. On occasion an educator is asked by families to share student data, but far more common is the review of student data by professional learning communities (PLC). This analysis helps educators determine their efficacy, crowdsource ideas from other professionals, and create detailed strategies for student progress. It’s important! It’s equally important to maintain student privacy.
That’s why the practice of FERPA first can inform how educators share information amongst each other, whether in software or via printouts and screenshots. If teachers choose to print and capture, those reproductions are covered under FERPA, too.
Educators are targeted by criminals spoofing edtech software providers. Being empowered to protect the network by being critical of email requests and aware of phishing scams can help your district stay FERPA compliant.
Another obstacle for FERPA compliance? The kids themselves.
Students who are digital natives do not automatically understand good boundaries of data stewardship, but you can bet they can navigate a device quickly. This can be a recipe for disaster.
The good news is educators and edtech vendors are well aware students can pose a threat to data security. Students can infiltrate secure systems using stolen or guessed passwords, so educators can create a strong passphrase and use MFA, reporting any unexpected prompts for credentials to IT. Students can stumble upon printed data, so educators can secure, destroy, or redact the information they export from edtech systems.
For an act pre-dating the widespread use of technology, FERPA does some pretty outstanding things to keep K12 data safe in cyberspace. Whether it’s written, typed, calculated using grading software, or otherwise introduced into an edtech system, the right attitude about protecting student data matters. FERPA matters.
Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging topic in higher education — it’s a core operational and pedagogical concern for campuses across the country. A new Inside Higher Ed analysis outlines five key ways AI will continue to reshape colleges and universities in 2026, offering a useful lens for IT leaders, academic technologists, and digital strategy teams.
The Future of AI Depends on the Tech Market and Public Perception
AI’s trajectory in higher education isn’t defined only by what happens within campuses — it hinges on broader societal attitudes and the health of the AI sector itself. If the AI market softens or faces high-profile setbacks, institutional momentum around new tools and investments could slow. Conversely, continued innovation and adoption could solidify AI as a central pillar of academic infrastructure.
This also ties directly to how potential students and employers perceive the value of traditional degrees versus AI-driven learning pathways — a conversation that will intensify throughout 2026.
Scaling AI Initiatives Means Measuring Impact
Institutions have moved past siloed pilots of AI tools. Next, they’re looking to scale strategic deployments — from campuswide AI literacy initiatives to enterprise-level services — while measuring outcomes. Leaders are increasingly asking:
How do we evaluate the ROI of AI tools?
What metrics matter most — learning gains, retention, operational efficiencies?
This shift from experimentation to strategic planning and evaluation marks a maturation of AI use in higher education.
A Period of AI Disillusionment May Be Ahead
Not all momentum will be linear. Some educators and students are already expressing fatigue or skepticism about AI’s place in the classroom. Ongoing use exposes limitations — whether ethical, pedagogical, or technological — and stimulates reflection about why we use these tools and what we hope they’ll achieve.
Rather than rejecting AI entirely, this phase could help campuses deepen critical engagement with both technology and core academic values.
Building Stronger Connections Between Tech and Campus Communities
AI adoption isn’t just about tools — it’s about people. Effective use in 2026 will depend on:
IT and ed-tech leaders becoming communicators and trainers
Faculty and staff empowered to integrate AI responsibly
Students equipped with the skills to use and critique AI
This involves strengthening governance, trust, and shared decision-making across institutional units — not just installing new software.
Reducing Fragmentation to Boost Efficiency
One of the most tangible promises of AI lies in connecting systems that historically don’t “talk” to one another: advising, enrollment, financial aid, billing, LMS data and more. AI-driven orchestration and automation could:
Eliminate redundant processes
Provide unified insights for administrators and advisors
Improve student experiences with smoother workflows
Rather than layering new platforms on top of old ones, institutions are looking to intelligently weave existing systems together.
What This Means for IT Leaders
For technology professionals in higher education, these predictions reinforce a few clear priorities for 2026:
AI governance and measurement are as important as tool selection.
Human-centered support and training will determine whether AI helps or hinders outcomes.
Operational integration of AI must be paired with transparency, ethics, and alignment to institutional missions.
In other words: AI isn’t just a technical challenge — it’s a strategic transformation. And campuses that treat it as such will be better positioned to deliver value for students, faculty, and the institution as a whole.
BioBrain, the innovative digital learning platform transforming how students master science, is officially launching in the United States. The platform will make its U.S. debut at the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference, held Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, 2025, at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel.
BioBrain’s founder, Caroline Cotton, will host a session alongside educators from Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado, on Saturday, November 1, from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. The session will highlight how teachers are integrating BioBrain into their classrooms to help students master and review essential concepts for AP and IB Diploma Programme (DP) Biology courses.
“We’re excited to partner with Fairview High School to show how BioBrain brings science to life for students,” said Cotton. “Teachers are using BioBrain to simplify complex biology concepts, personalize learning, and make study time more efficient and engaging for today’s digital learners.”
Dr. Paul Strode, AP/IB Biology teacher at Fairview High School, added: “BioBrain is extremely helpful for my students to prepare for what we will be doing or discussing in class. I assign certain topics and levels and can tailor the quizzes to fit what I will be teaching. Students come to class prepared.”
A Smarter Way to Learn and Teach Science BioBrain combines curriculum-aligned content, personalized learning, and real-time feedback to help students and teachers succeed in and beyond the classroom. Designed for Senior Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, the platform supports the Australian and U.S. curriculums, as well as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
With thousands of practice questions and quizzes, BioBrain helps students prepare for exams while allowing teachers to track progress efficiently. Each question provides instant feedback, including worked solutions for complex problems, allowing students to immediately identify whether they’re on the right track. The visual green “correct” indicator has quickly become a favorite among students who love seeing their progress in real time.
BioBrain’s differentiated and adaptive learning platform allows teachers to target individual student needs while monitoring overall class performance. Both students and teachers can track mastery of topics and identify areas needing review, turning study time into meaningful learning.
Why Teachers Love BioBrain Developed by teachers for teachers, BioBrain saves time and enhances classroom insight. It offers efficient tracking and grading tools, curriculum-aligned lesson content, and access to thousands of exam-style questions.
Teachers also value BioBrain’s ability to reinforce real-world scientific concepts and explain key practical investigation skills, making it a complete teaching companion.
Why Students Love BioBrain Students enjoy how BioBrain makes science approachable and flexible. Its bite-sized content are easy to digest, organized by topic, and accessible on any device. Whether studying on the bus, at home, or between classes, students can review material anytime, anywhere.
Illustrated glossaries, short-answer questions, and interactive quizzes make complex ideas clear and engaging, turning exam prep into a more dynamic, motivating experience.
How It Works Schools can sign up for BioBrain in minutes, giving every teacher and student immediate access to curriculum-aligned, interactive content across science subjects. Once a class is set up, students begin practicing concepts, receiving instant feedback on every quiz question to ensure they’re learning the material correctly. Teachers gain insight into class performance and can assign targeted work to address learning gaps.
Students around the world echo the benefits:
“BioBrain made it super easy to study for AP Biology. I didn’t need to hire a tutor,” said Marcos, a student in California.
“I’m not so good in biology and science, so BioBrain was very helpful!” added another student in Colorado.
An IB Biology student in South Africa said, “BioBrain helps make studying more fun and the information is comprehensive yet easily understandable. I’m using BioBrain to prepare for my IB finals.”
Built by Teachers for Digital-native Students BioBrain was created to meet the needs of modern learners, students who expect interactive, accessible, and engaging educational experiences.
“I used to write textbooks for a number of the big companies, Thomson and Pearson, and realized that today’s digital-native students were not engaging with them as they had other alternatives that weren’t available when I was at school,” said Cotton. “The idea for BioBrain was born to provide rigorous academic content in a format that appeals to today’s digital-native students. I also wanted to ensure that teachers could provide direct input into BioBrain, without layers of management separating their classroom experience from the development process.”
About BioBrain BioBrain is a science-learning platform built by teachers for today’s digital-native students. Covering AP Biology, IB DP Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Year 10 Science, BioBrain offers thousands of curriculum-aligned questions, real-time feedback, an illustrated glossary to help students master key concepts. With intuitive teacher and student dashboards and data-driven insights, BioBrain equips educators to tailor instruction and support every learner’s success.
Founded by former Biology and Chemistry teacher and textbook author Caroline Cotton, BioBrain was inspired by her realization that today’s students weren’t engaging with traditional textbooks. She set out to create rigorous academic content in a digital format that resonates with how students actually learn, through bite-sized, interactive, and accessible experiences. The platform’s teacher-first design ensures educators can provide direct input into ongoing development.
Today, BioBrain is used by more than 10,000 students and teachers across 30 countries, including schools in Australia, the U.S., and Asia.
About the NABT Conference The National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) Professional Development Conference is the premier event for biology educators at every level, offering opportunities to share best practices, new teaching tools, and research to enhance science education.
PaperCut, a leading print management and document workflow solutions company, today announced the global launch of PaperCut MF 25. This significant release introduces advanced scanning capabilities, extends support to new environments, and delivers a major architectural uplift to enhance security, stability and scalability for the future.
PaperCut MF 25 provides a powerful mix of innovation and infrastructure, empowering businesses to work faster, support a wider range of environments, and build a more secure foundation for their IT infrastructure.
“This release is about helping our customers and partners solve today’s challenges while future-proofing their technology stack,” says Matt Coad, Head of Self Hosted Software at PaperCut. “The new features in 25 enable more automated and efficient document workflows, while the core infrastructure upgrades lay the groundwork for a more secure and robust platform for years to come.”
Key features and benefits of PaperCut MF 25
Smarter scanning with Advanced Scan Actions
PaperCut MF’s Advanced Scan Actions transforms basic scans into actionable data by enabling users to capture crucial metadata directly at the multi-function device (MFD). Customers can now seamlessly integrate scanned documents into systems like ERP, E-MDS, and CMS, automating processes and minimizing manual intervention. This feature allows partners to offer a more comprehensive solution that addresses complex document workflow needs.
Expanded support for diverse environments
PaperCut MF 25 extends its Advanced Scan to Fax functionality to two critical segments:
Advanced Scan to Fax for Linux: Organizations committed to Linux can now integrate secure, intelligent faxing directly from their MFDs. This new functionality eliminates the need for separate servers or complex workarounds, reducing operational overhead and aligning with Linux-centric IT strategies. This opens up a new segment of the market for our partners, enabling them to offer a complete solution to Linux-first organizations.
Advanced Scan to Fax for Lexmark: The solution is now available directly on Lexmark MFDs, eliminating the need for separate hardware. This integration provides a unified, intuitive user experience and offers a more secure, efficient, and cost-effective solution for advanced faxing needs.
Major infrastructure and security upgrades
PaperCut MF 25 includes a significant infrastructure upgrade with updates to Java 21, Spring 6, and other core dependencies. This major architectural uplift improves long-term security, stability, and scalability by closing vulnerabilities (CVEs) and ensuring the platform is ready for future innovations.
Availability
PaperCut MF 25 is available now. Existing customers can upgrade to take advantage of these new features and security enhancements. For more information, please visit the official PaperCut website or contact your local PaperCut Authorized Partner or Reseller.
There’s a myth that school buildings go quiet during summer. Walk the halls in July, and you’ll hear the click of keyboards, the hum of laptops updating en masse, and the buzz of tech teams scrambling to patch systems, reset devices, and prepare for the digital demands of another school year.
For school district IT leaders, summer is less a break and more a deadline. It’s the one narrow window to assess, upgrade, secure, and strategize before the onslaught of helpdesk tickets, classroom rollouts, and surprise crises hit like a storm on the first day of school.
As we look toward the 2025–2026 academic year, here’s what’s top of mind for these unsung heroes—and why the work they do now may define how smoothly (or chaotically) the year ahead unfolds.
The Cybersecurity Time Bomb
In recent years, K–12 schools have become ransomware ground zero. Attackers aren’t guessing anymore—they know schools often run aging infrastructure, have limited security staff, and store goldmines of sensitive student data. And they’re exploiting that knowledge.
Overworked IT directors are spending their summers asking hard questions: Have we patched every exposed system? Can we trust our third-party vendors? What happens if our SIS goes down the first week of school?
Some districts are making real progress—adopting Zero Trust models, running phishing simulations, building incident response plans—but for many, it still feels like putting duct tape on a submarine. Funding is thin, awareness is spotty, and the stakes have never been higher.
The Chromebook Cliff
Remember the great rush to 1:1 device programs during the pandemic? Well, those devices—millions of them—are aging out. Batteries are failing. Screens are cracked. Charging carts are breaking down.
Summer is when IT departments try to get ahead of it all. They’re running diagnostics, triaging broken units, and scrambling to figure out how to replace entire fleets when budgets are stretched thin.
For many, it’s a sobering realization: the quick fixes of 2020 are now long-term operational burdens. And unless they make smart decisions now—standardizing device types, implementing MDM tools, tracking asset lifecycle—they’ll be trapped in a repair-and-replace cycle for years to come.
The EdTech Hangover
If you ever thought your school was using too many apps, you’re probably right. On average, districts use more than 1,400 digital tools each year. Many of them do the same things. Few of them talk to each other.
Educators are overwhelmed. Students are confused. And IT departments? They’re spending hours troubleshooting login issues and fielding support calls for tools no one really needed in the first place.
This summer, more districts are taking stock. They’re auditing usage, sunsetting underperforming tools, and trying to simplify the learning experience. It’s less about cutting costs (though that helps) and more about cutting the noise. Because when every tool claims to be “the future of learning,” it’s hard to know what’s actually helping.
Wi-Fi Woes and Connectivity Gaps
For most schools, Wi-Fi has become as critical as plumbing. And yet, network infrastructure often goes untouched for years, only getting attention when something breaks.
Summer gives IT teams the chance to breathe and look at the bigger picture: Are access points where they need to be? Can the network handle a hallway full of AI-enabled learning apps? What about those students at home who still can’t get online?
Upgrades to Wi-Fi 6, bandwidth increases, and expanded mesh networks are top of the to-do list. So is partnering with local ISPs to keep students connected off campus. Because in 2025, learning doesn’t stop at the school gate—and neither should connectivity.
Student Data, Privacy, and the Compliance Tightrope
With each new app, platform, or analytics dashboard comes a fresh load of student data. Grades, attendance, behavior, even biometrics in some cases. And districts are under more pressure than ever to safeguard it all.
IT leaders are spending these weeks re-reading vendor contracts, updating privacy policies, and working with legal teams to stay compliant with laws like FERPA and COPPA. They’re building guardrails—who can access what data, for how long, and under what conditions.
It’s tedious work. But with parents increasingly tuned in to digital privacy—and regulators watching closely—it’s no longer optional. If schools want trust, they have to earn it, and transparency about data practices is where that starts.
The AI Question No One Has Answered Yet
Every superintendent is asking about AI. Should we use it in classrooms? Can it reduce administrative burden? How do we prevent cheating? What about bias? What about the data?
Some districts are experimenting—with mixed results. Others are standing back, watching carefully. What’s clear is that IT leaders need to be part of these conversations, not pulled in after the fact to clean up the mess.
This summer, a few are drafting AI use policies, conducting risk assessments, and exploring partnerships with ethical AI vendors. It’s early days, but one thing’s certain: AI is coming to education whether we’re ready or not.
The Human Challenge: Burnout and Brain Drain
Technology isn’t the only thing under strain. The people managing it are, too.
Districts are struggling to recruit and retain qualified IT staff. The work is hard, the pay often lags behind the private sector, and the burnout is real. One person managing thousands of devices, users, and tickets? It’s not sustainable.
Forward-thinking districts are investing in automation, cross-training, and shared service models across regions. They’re advocating for better staffing ratios. Because even the best systems crumble without the people to maintain them.
A Narrow Window for Real Change
The clock is ticking. In a few short weeks, teachers will return. Students will log in. And any cracks in the system will widen under pressure.
Summer isn’t just a time to fix what’s broken—it’s a chance to reset. To rethink what’s necessary, what’s working, and what no longer fits. For school district IT leaders, it’s not just about avoiding disaster. It’s about building infrastructure that supports every learner, teacher, and admin—not just for this year, but for years to come.
Because education is changing. And the technology behind it has to keep up.
This Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) application is a cloud-based email security solution that supplements the native security of cloud email providers (such as Microsoft 365) using advanced detection techniques to identify malicious emails and suspicious activity.
ICES empowers organizations to identify and address email security vulnerabilities to better defend against today’s threats, such as Business Email Compromise, AI-crafted Phishes, Deepfake media, and more. For partners, this solution provides a valuable addition to their offerings, enhancing their ability to deliver comprehensive security solutions to customers.
Integrated Email Security Solution
The VIPRE Integrated Email Security Solution offers organizations a powerful, all-in-one defense system against today’s most persistent email-based threats. Combining advanced AI-powered detection, comprehensive protection of internal emails, real-time threat intelligence, automated policy enforcement, and seamless Microsoft 365 integration, this comprehensive solution helps businesses protect sensitive communications, block malicious content, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
“We are proud to deliver a fully integrated email security solution that empowers organizations to stay protected against the ever-evolving email threat landscape, without sacrificing simplicity,” said Oliver Paterson, director, product management, at VIPRE Security Group. “In a time when email remains the number one attack vector, this solution ensures our customers have the layered, adaptive protection needed to outpace evolving threats.”
The VIPRE Integrated Email Security Solution is available as a standalone service or as part of VIPRE’s broader suite of cybersecurity offerings. Its flexible deployment and integration capabilities support organizations in building a unified, layered security strategy tailored to their evolving business needs.
Yuba City Unified School District announced end-of-year results from its tutoring partnership with Fullmind, showing students identified as needing additional support consistently outperformed their non-tutored peers across nearly 200 participants.
The program expanded from 24 to 194 students while maintaining effectiveness. English Language Arts participants achieved 16 points of growth compared to 10.63 points among non-participants, a 50% advantage. Mathematics participants gained 8 points versus 7.93 points for non-participants.
“When students identified as at-risk of underperformance outperform the general population, we know we’ve found an approach that truly accelerates learning,” said Dr. Nicholas Richter, the program lead.
Exceptional Individual Results
Twelve ELA students gained 50 or more points between mid-year and end-of-year assessments, with one student achieving over 100 points of growth in a single semester. Students completed 93,349 minutes of tutoring with a 71% attendance rate.
Scale Without Compromise
The eightfold expansion maintained program quality and student engagement. ELA participants averaged 9 hours each while math students averaged 7 hours, aligning with research on effective tutoring dosage.
2025 Expansion Plans
Based on strong results, the district plans to expand ELA participation to 250-plus students and expand math tutoring to over 100 students. The program will extend beyond lowest-performing students to include those just below grade level.
“We’ve proven this model works at scale,” said Richter. “Now we’re expanding access to reach even more students who can benefit from this intensive support.”
The partnership represents a commitment to evidence-based interventions that address achievement gaps through high-quality tutoring services, using continuous monitoring to maintain effectiveness as it scales.
In today’s education environment, IT leaders juggle a complex set of priorities: securing infrastructure, supporting teachers and students, and finding efficiencies in every corner of operations. But one backend system that often flies under the radar — printing — can become surprisingly costly and chaotic when left unmanaged.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future-facing experiment in education. For many schools and institutions, it is quickly becoming a practical response to shrinking budgets, staffing shortages, and mounting administrative workloads.
Across K–12 and higher education, artificial intelligence has moved from abstract concept to daily reality with startling speed. Students are using generative AI to study, write, and problem-solve.
Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging topic in higher education — it’s a core operational and pedagogical concern for campuses across the country. A new Inside Higher Ed analysis outlines five key ways AI will continue to reshape colleges and universities in 2026, offering a useful lens for IT leaders, academic technologists, and digital strategy teams.
PaperCut, a leading print management and document workflow solutions company, today announced the global launch of PaperCut MF 25. This significant release introduces advanced scanning capabilities, extends support to new environments, and delivers a major architectural uplift to enhance security, stability and scalability for the future.
VIPRE Security Group
Yuba City Unified School District announced end-of-year results from its tutoring partnership with