Need your battery recharged? That’s Kevin Honeycutt’s specialty! Born of the difficulty and turbulence of COVID-19 and social upheaval, he’s found ways to reignite joy and spark passion within students and teachers alike. In this episode, Doing What Matters (Episode 73), we linked up with Honeycutt as he teaches us the importance of coming together, how to keep students and teachers passionate about instruction, and how to make creativity blossom in the face of adversity.
In our eye-opening episode, ‘The Science of Writing for Busy People’ (Episode 70), we linked up with Harvard professor, behavioral scientist, and lead researcher for Everyday Labs, Dr. Todd Rogers. He gives us valuable insights on optimizing communication between schools and families.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
Just as ClassLink Administrators have access to opportunities to hone their technical skills, your instructional leaders have access to a multitude of free professional development opportunities from ClassLink.
SAML signing certificates are essentially SSL certificates that ensure messages come from the expected identity and service providers. SAML certificates authenticate and secure SAML requests, responses, and assertions between software systems.
As the world adopts a new way of living due to COVID-19, here at LinkedUp we were curious about how schools are operating in the aftermath of the global pandemic. In this month’s episode, ‘The Toughest Year Yet’; Part 1 and Part 2 (Episodes 61 and 68), we linked up with Tom Ryan, Julia Evje, Geoff Brignola and Mary Roath to explore what unexpected challenges are being faced in this uncharted territory.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
School’s out for summer. OK, almost, but you’re probably already thinking about a new school year—and a new budgeting season. ClassLink Analytics can help you make tough decisions around spending on digital learning resources. Here we share courses to help you get the most from that data, whether you’re new to ClassLink or a seasoned pro!
Stressed about juggling summer school and your SIS data rollover? Don’t worry you can use our new Limited Imports feature or Blackout Dates in Roster Server to ensure students and teachers can access what they need through ClassLink—while you complete your summer rollover work in the background.
Spring has sprung and here at ClassLink Academy—and we’re buzzing with excitement to announce Q1 winners. And the fun doesn’t stop there, we’ve upped the ante for continuing education, added upvoting to discussion forums, and made a few cosmetic tweaks to the ClassLink Academy Course listing, because who doesn’t love a makeover? Let’s take a look at what’s just sprouting up and what’s in full bloom.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
Preparing for the back-to-school season starts now. That’s why we’re sharing our popular (and detailed) back-to-school checklist. With this step-by-step list, you’ll know what to do at every stage of getting your ClassLink platform ready for a successful start to the school year.
Here at LinkedUp, we love to explore the crossroads where education and technology meet, especially when they can be used as tools for social advocacy! This month we’re exploring Hidden in Plain Site (Episode 67). Hidden in Plain Site (HiPS) is an organization that uses virtual reality (VR) exploration to grow social advocacy through a historical journey of empathy.
Now it’s even easier to use Roster Server with everything related to your Student Information System (SIS) easily accessible on the Imports page. Along with clear access to all your import tools, you can also clearly see where you are in the import process by clicking on the caret (down arrow) on the left.
As 2022 rolls on we have exciting news from ClassLink Academy to make your learning experience even more magical! First up, our newly launched Discussion Forums will connect you with others like never before! Then, check your standings for our Q1 gaming competition. Finally, check out our latest ClassLink Academy initiatives as we reveal what’s in store for the not-so-distant future.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
In the final part of our Planning for Sustainability series, we look at how districts that used ClassLink avoided the struggle of learning from home and how these stories can help all districts as we move forward in an education system that is rapidly ramping up digital learning.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
With the FBI warning that schools at all levels are facing an increased risk of ransomware attacks, MFA is a tool you can use now to protect your schools (and your data). Tenant admins can quickly enable MFA in your ClassLink platform as part of your cybersecurity efforts.
ClassLink Academy, ClassLink’s on-demand training platform, has a lot to offer in 2022! In response to feedback from our customers (maybe even you), we upped the magic in ClassLink Academy through Product Anthologies and Gamification Competitions — keep reading to learn more!
In part three of our Planning for Sustainability series, we look at how monitoring general digital access trends (daily ClassLink logins) and establishing processes can help you establish and maintain device access (even when funding declines).
This month in our LinkedUp Podcast highlight, we're covering Episode 63: Implicit Biases and Their Ramifications. In this episode, Dr. Alan Phan (Founding Head of School, Royal Embassy Academy) shares what exactly implicit biases are, how we can recognize them and what we can do to combat them in our daily lives and work.
In part two of our Planning for Sustainability series, we look at how monitoring general digital access trends (daily ClassLink logins) and establishing processes can help you establish and maintain device access (even when funding declines).
We’re trying something new at LinkedUp! Each month we’re highlighting a recent podcast on the ClassLink blog because the information and ideas discussed are just so powerful and useful to educators they deserve a second look. This month we picked K12 Cybersecurity: Protecting Our Schools (Episode 59).
The years 2020–2023 are proving to be unprecedented in the world of educational technology. Some say that the amount of available federal funding will be the most we will ever have in educational technology! With that amount of funding, many school districts can build up their technology fleet and infrastructure systems of support.
Do you want to analyze and increase app usage across your entire organization? A great place to start is providing your instructional support staff (technology coaches, math coaches, and other staff supporting teachers and students) with the ability to see your ClassLink Analytics data.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
I know many of you are looking for ways to automate identity management so you can save time and—most importantly—ensure everyone has access to what they need when they need it. With that in mind, I want to share a conversion I had with Vestavia Hills City Schools CTO Keith Price and System Specialist Brendan Lovelady about how ClassLink has greatly improved identity management in the district.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
Cybersecurity concerns are on the rise in schools across the country. To help all ClassLink schools keep their data safe, we will roll out a software update in early 2022 that requires all tenant admins to enable multi-factor authentication on all tenant admin user accounts.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
As you launch into a new school year we’ve pulled together some of our most popular resources to prepare you for the busy days ahead. Don’t worry, we've also included our regular installment of a useful resource for the month and helpful tech tips. Find it all below.
Welcome to Student Outcomes: Connect the Dots With Usage Data. This is the final post in a three-part series designed to support education leaders in making informed decisions about digital resources. The series focuses on using data to ensure equitable digital learning access and using research to increase the instructional impact of digital resources.
Welcome to Student Outcomes: Connect the Dots With Usage Data. This post is the second in a three-part series designed to support education leaders in making informed decisions about digital resources. The series focuses on using data to ensure equitable digital learning access and research to increase the instructional impact of digital resources.
Welcome to Student Outcomes: Connect the Dots With Usage Data. This post is the first in a three-part series designed to support education leaders in making better decisions about digital resources. The series will focus on using data to ensure equitable digital learning access and using research to increase the instructional impact of digital resources.
Having done rostering for one of the largest districts in the country, I am very familiar with the struggles around the need to give access to a particular platform to teachers and staff who are not scheduled with students. I am talking about district resource teachers, reading, math, and science coaches, special ed teachers, aides, media specialists, administrators, and the like.
As you prepare for a new school year, we think it's helpful for you to know that ClassLink rosters Google Classroom no matter which level of Google Workspace for Education your district uses. Since 2017, school districts have trusted ClassLink to streamline and automate rostering for all four Google Workspace for Education offerings.
ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless. That approach is consistent with an educator’s mindset. As they learn, grow, and try new things, there is always an opportunity for new technologies to come into play.
Whether you call it learning loss, unfinished learning, or learning gaps, schools are sorting out ways to bring students up to speed after a long stretch of remote learning. In this post, we share what educators and education leaders are doing during the regular school year and summer school to help students catch up on missed learning opportunities.
In all the excitement of stimulus funds coming down to the local level and the requirements of addressing lost learning time, many new ideas are being floated on how to help students once full-time in-person instruction begins again. An idea being discussed by districts across the country is the idea of extended learning time.
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Each year Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and other mental health organizations across the country organize events, webinars, and more to improve access to mental health resources and support.
Everyone committed to the education industry wants the same thing—success for schools. But that success requires that systems work together, exchange information, and are easy to access. ClassLink’s approach to vendor partnerships creates an environment where plug-and-play and interchanging apps aren’t just possible—they’re seamless.
In the age of digital learning (both in and out of the classroom), educators, students, and staff need the technologies they use to work together so learning can stay on track. That’s precisely why ClassLink’s Partner Program exists—and why we’ve taken a transparent and inclusive approach to work with EdTech vendors.
April is National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to honoring and encouraging our communities’ volunteers. April became National Volunteer Month as part of President George W. Bush’s Points of Light Campaign in 1991. It is the perfect time to recognize the impact that volunteer service can have on local and national challenges, building stronger communities, and transforming the world!
Last year we shared data highlighting the remote learning experiences of ClassLink schools in the spring of 2020. The data painted a picture of schools making quick transitions to remote learning with relatively stable use compared to pre-pandemic numbers. With the fall semester complete, we revisited ClassLink Analytics data to see how student engagement with digital resources had evolved.
When I talk with teachers, I like to share tips and tricks for using ClassLink to save them time and make their day a little easier. Here I’m going to share those nuggets with you. Number one is my favorite for staying organized. Teachers tell me that number two is a gamechanger for saving time during busy school days, and number four is just plain fun.
Many classroom best practices can still work in remote and hybrid settings—with a little technology tweaking. Here I’ll show you how to translate six research-proven classroom best practices into remote and hybrid learning settings.
In an era of remote learning, school leaders need access to analytics that paint a clear picture of student engagement with digital learning resources. Without that data, it’s difficult to know whether students are engaged and learning or struggling and in need of support.
In March 2020, when schools shut down during the pandemic, students’ experiences with remote learning varied, and some media portrayals labeled it a failure. In this blog series, we will share real school experiences, along with guidance for how you can apply their success to make remote learning more effective.
A decade ago, the Kansas Online Learning Program emerged in the ether above the wheat fields in central Kansas. Our mission was to provide rural students with the same learning opportunities as their peers living in more affluent zip codes. In its ten year existence, the program more than quadrupled in size and resulted in heartwarming success stories.
Demands on school internet bandwidth change when schools switch to remote learning models. Schools often calibrate their bandwidth for large download speeds to satisfy in-school usage. However, when students and teachers are remote, the upload speed may matter more.
For decades, Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) have helped transform colleges and universities from exclusively face-to-face learning environments to blended and online learning experiences. A similar transformation is occurring in K12,especially as they adopt various LMS’s during COVID-19 related school closures.
The proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” has more relevance in 2020 than ever before. The 2020 village, in all its modern splendor, is raising children in a connected and digital world that requires more than food, clothing, and shelter. It requires a new and necessary utility—access to the Internet.
ClassLink, in partnership with CoSN and SETDA, recently released version two of the back to school plan rubric. Evaluation is one of the core elements included in the tool. In this post, we dive deeper into the factors districts should weigh when monitoring and evaluating the success of their plans for the upcoming school year.
As you stare down a complicated new school year ready to roll out your updated learning continuity plans, it’s important to remember your work is far from over. Your learning continuity plan needs to be iterative to be effective. As you learn from your success, mistakes, and, most importantly, the feedback of families, teachers, and students, your plan should evolve and change.
Like a well-rehearsed fire drill, everyone needs to know what to do when the remote learning alarm sounds. For the switch to work, you need a clear process where everyone knows which steps to take and when to take them.
At ClassLink, we developed a rubric for back to school planning, in partnership with CoSN and SETDA. Assessment and data are one of the core elements included in the tool. In this post, we dive deeper into the factors districts should weigh when planning to collect and use data during the upcoming school year.
Families are frontline workers when it comes to learning at home. They need your support, clear communication, and understanding if they are going to find ways to make learning from home happen within their household.
At ClassLink, we developed a rubric for back to school planning, in partnership with CoSN and SETDA. Instructional Delivery Methods is one of the core elements included in the tool. In this post, we dive deeper into the factors districts should weigh when planning for instructional delivery scenarios during the upcoming school year.
As you look toward an uncertain new school year, one thing is clear; it’s critical to equip students and teachers with the skills, knowledge, and processes they need to succeed with online learning. Without this step, all your other plans fall flat.
At ClassLink, we developed a rubric for back to school planning, in partnership with CoSN and SETDA. Attendance is one of the core elements included in the tool. In this post, we dive deeper into the factors districts should consider when crafting attendance policies and procedures for the upcoming school year.
With digital learning and productivity tools at the heart of many learning continuity plans, districts are faced with keeping a colossal amount of student and staff data secure – both inside and outside of school walls. If that data is compromised or exploited, there could be serious impacts on student and staff privacy and safety.
While each school year brings with it a set of plans and goals, this upcoming year will require intense preparation. The present situation demands new paradigms for instruction and school operations. At ClassLink, we developed a rubric for back to school planning, in partnership with CoSN and SETDA. It includes core elements to consider as you plan for students to return to school for the 2020-21 school year.
The technology districts need to support learning continuity goes well beyond devices, content, and internet access. Anytime, anywhere learning requires a solid foundation of technology infrastructure that supports learning both directly and indirectly.
Planning for learning continuity requires a shift in how we think about funding. As a district-wide issue, there must be a district-wide commitment to establish learning continuity – especially when it comes to funding those efforts.
Whether you call it the digital divide, the homework gap, or something else, we’ve never been able to provide all students in our education system with equitable access to online educational materials and opportunities. As a result, our most vulnerable students get left behind and suffer the most in educational losses. Sadly, the problem is exacerbated by the current health crisis.
Usually May brings with it exciting times for schools. In some areas of the country, it means end-of-year celebrations, graduations, proms, and a beginning to the summer season. In other parts, preparations for all these things would be starting. Unfortunately, these are not typical times. Now May brings an early end to the school year for many and a muddling through the final leg of remote learning for others.
Whether it’s a pandemic, a fire, inclement weather, or some other unforeseen circumstance, learning must continue. As district leaders, it’s our responsibility to set up our students, and teachers, for success. Our experiences – and countless conversations – have shown us that the following nine pillars are the core considerations for a learning continuity plan that is effective, inclusive, and enduring.
Moving your entire district to remote and online learning at a moment’s notice is no easy feat. At ClassLink, we want to support you through this transition. In this post, you’ll find an easy-to-follow guide outlining critical steps you should take to prepare your teachers, staff, and students for using ClassLink to learn at home.
Your school district is using ClassLink to help make the transition to remote learning as smooth as possible for you and your child. With ClassLink LaunchPad, your child uses just one username and password to access all their digital resources.
Is your district struggling to plan digital learning days in case of school closures? In this blog post, former Mountain Brook Schools (AL) CTO, Donna Williamson, shares best practices for deploying Digital Learning Days from scratch.
As we aim to empower students and teachers with instant access to their digital learning resources and productivity tools, we are given the incredible opportunity to work with passionate partners to help us support you in raising student achievement and progress.
Rural school districts have always faced certain challenges from long student and/or teacher commutes to school and extracurricular activities to a lack of diversity in courses (particularly AP, foreign language and non-core classes). Leaping into the digital waters presents both opportunities (distance learning, for example) and challenges.
SmartTrack can reduce that loss by 75%, helping schools save thousands of dollars each year by transforming the way assets are tracked and inventory is managed. This is the most affordable, easy to use and customizable inventory solution on the market, and thanks to a partnership with ClassLink, it’s more accessible than ever before.
Web Accessibility is part of the spectrum of delivering equal educational opportunities to all students. With more and more of our communication and school work being accessed online, the issue of website accessibility has come to the forefront of the accessibility discussion.
As we aim to empower students and teachers with instant access to their digital learning resources and productivity tools, we are given the incredible opportunity to work with passionate partners to help us support you in raising student achievement and progress.
As we aim to empower students and teachers with instant access to their digital learning resources and productivity tools, we are given the incredible opportunity to work with passionate partners to help us support you in raising student achievement and progress. We are keen to introduce you to our wonderful partners through our regular Partner Spotlight series.
In the School District of Pickens County, our goal is to be “Digital on Day One” so our students and teachers have access on the very first day of school to the devices and content they need. We have been working toward this goal for five years now and have made some key decisions around software, professional development, and network infrastructure to help us reach this goal.
In 2013, under the direction of a new Superintendent, Mr. Tom Wilson, Anderson School District Five had one middle school take a giant leap to provide a Chromebook for each student to use in the classroom for “e-Instruction.” Teachers and students were responsible and eager to “shake up” and “challenge up” to indeed change traditional instruction, so in October 2013, the District supported students to take home the devices.
Sometimes education CIOs have to prioritize very technical problems that non-technical peers might think are a lesser priority, principally because they are not well understood. But when a teacher can’t access her accounts, or a student isn’t finding his work inside a learning application, those problems become all too real, and the priority becomes very clear.
During the past year, I have interacted with many school districts, as well as held numerous meetings with publishers and technology leadership groups such as Microsoft, SEDTA, COSN, IMS Global, EdFi, and ISTE. I must say that I am encouraged by the direction the industry seems to be headed.
ClassLink is committed to providing secure access, privacy, and interoperability in our products while empowering customers, educators, and families to achieve an enhanced level of engagement in their students’ education. With a shared mission to leverage data to create better outcomes for students, save time for teachers, and increase efficiencies for schools, several organizations have come together to create Project Unicorn, an uncommon alliance dedicated to furthering interoperability within the K-12 education space.
In 1988, a friend and mentor, Dr. William Bozeman, Professor Emeritus from the University of Central Florida penned an article for THE Journal that concluded two things that are still valid 30 years later: implementation processes must be taken more seriously by administrators than in the past. Resources without appropriate faculty development will be of little value.
