K12 Tech Talk
A K12TechPro Podcast. This podcast is about trending K12 technology topics and issues. Josh, Chris, and Mark have real conversations, real arguments, and real banter on IT issues and trends in K12 Schools. Current and Past Sponsors: Absolute, HPE Aruba Networking, Blocksi, ClassLink, CTL, Eaton, Extreme Networks, Fortinet, Howard Technology Solutions, iDoc, Infoblox, INVZBL, Jupiter Education, K12TechPro, Luma Technologies, Managed Methods, MidwestTechTalk, NTP, Papercut, Provision Data Solutions, Pondurance, PowerGistics, Prey, Rise Vision, Ruckus/Commscope, SaferWatch, Scale Computing, SHI, StatusGator, SomethingCool.com, Tripp Lite, Verkada, VIZOR
Episodes
In this week's episode, Chris and Mark delve into a recent massive data breach that has had significant repercussions for hundreds of thousands of educators in Pennsylvania. They explore the startling details of the breach, discussing its implications and the timeline of the response.
The episode features an interview with Terry Loftus, the CIO of San Diego County and chair of the MS-ISAC Executive Committee. Loftus provides insigh...
In this episode of the K12 Tech Talk podcast, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark delve into the recent challenges facing K-12 technology in light of new tariffs and significant budget cuts. They discuss the potential impact of these economic and political changes on school services, with a specific focus on the technology and cybersecurity landscapes.
A key highlight of this episode is an in-depth analysis of the MS-ISAC funding cuts anno...
Join Chris and Mark as they hit the highlights of the recently concluded MidwestTechTalk Security Symposium. The conference tackled crucial topics surrounding incident response planning and cybersecurity preparedness in K-12 schools.
Then, the show wraps up with insights from an informative interview with SaferWatch.
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Email us at k12techtalk@gmail...
Tune in to hear insights on how some states are ramping up cell phone bans in schools and the implications this has for students and staff alike, including the extension to smartwatches, beepers, and pagers!
The guys also delve into a pivotal Supreme Court case regarding the E-rate program, unpacking the ramifications of the recent ruling that classifies E-rate as federal dollars. Consider how this may influence the next critical c...
In this week's episode of the K12 Tech Talk podcast, the team dives into some pressing issues. We start with a discussion on how tariffs might affect project pricing for the coming year, exploring potential impacts on schools' budgets and strategies they might employ to mitigate these effects.
The conversation then shifts to Google's new Chrome security feature powered by AI. We debate the implications of this feature in terms of p...
Join us in episode 201, as we dive into the intricate world of cybersecurity breach coaches. We start with a deep analysis of the latest cybersecurity reports from Clever and CoSN, highlighting critical vulnerabilities and the evolving landscape of K12 cybersecurity challenges.
In an exclusive interview, journalist Mark Keierleber from The 74 explores the clandestine operations of "breach coaches"—the hired guns who control the nar...
The 200th episode of the K12 Tech Talk podcast was packed with special guests, laughs, and big announcements. Musician Colt Ball kicked things off with a live performance, and David Wren from NTP discussed K12TechPro's cybersecurity deals for schools. Tom Ryan shared insights on AI, while Chris Illingworth from Fortinet talked about...
We did this episode for about 45 minutes and realized we didn't hit record. It happens. This is a redo. It's a disaster. Really. Next week is a SPECIAL episode as we hit 200. Get ready for that. We promise next week will be better. In the meanwhile, we discuss:
Who pays for Chromebook repairs?
What will chip tariffs do to 25-26 purchases?
Cybersquaters! Origin stories!
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In this lively episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, a significant portion of the discussion focuses on recent updates regarding the PowerSchool data breach. The hosts shed light on the critical changes necessary for enhancing cybersecurity in school districts, including expanding MFA, moving away from outdated FTP to modern solutions, and embracing a culture of data reduction. They stress the importance of improving school distric...
In this episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, the team dives into the recent PowerSchool breach. Mark, who was recently featured on Canadian national news (Eh!), shares updates and insights into the breach's technical aspects, along with a breakdown on an article he published on K12TechPro.
The discussion also highlights the roles and responsibilities of K12 tech leaders in managing data breaches and emphasizes the importance of tr...
In this episode, we explore humorous/serious use of AI joke writing (PowerSchool jokes), we have a discussion on cell phone bans being implemented across various school districts this new year, touching on one policy that involves fines.
The main focus, however, is a captivating story where a teacher was terminated for allegedly sharing her password, leading to students tampering with electronic records and facing charges. We tackl...
This special episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast dissects the recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, a major provider of Student Information Systems (SIS) in the United States. Hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss the details of the breach that saw PowerSchool send notifications to its customers about the possibility of sensitive data exposure.
We discuss the details of the breach that have been released by PowerSchoo...
On this episode of the K12 Tech Talk podcast, we talk about AI misuse in schools, we recap 2024's hot topics, and we spend time discussing our predictions for 2025. Oh, and we talk about Chimp Crazy and Mark's recent interactions with Tonia Haddix on TikTok. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - We're ready for break!
https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/guidance-mobile-communications-best-practices.pdf
This week we take a listener email and dive into managing district assets and how to wrangle the budget. Should schools supply headphones to all students? Should the tech dept have a headphones budget? Should parents pay for broken headphones? Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss the tech dept's responsibility with headphones (and other consumables) at length. The guys also talk about software purchases. Should we have a candy man mentali...
Join Josh, Chris, and Mark for a lively discussion on the future of ChromeOS and Android in the K-12 landscape. We kick things off with Josh's latest tech frustrations (proxy problems, anyone?) before diving into some recent headlines, including a fascinating AI case in Massachusetts and a timely warning from the FBI about SMS messaging.
But the main event? We tackle the swirling rumors surrounding ChromeOS and Android! Will Google...
In this episode Chris does a deep dive on the new Google Workspace license structure. Mark has an extended News section with stories about an IXL lawsuit, Goolge's anti-trust fallout, Docusign impersonation attacks, and more.
-Linda McMahon's background as Trump's pick for education secretary
-Significant surge in DocuSign impersonation attacks: hackers mimicking government
Chris, Josh, and Mark discuss an update on the cybersecurity pilot, an FCC court case, and the future of E-Rate. Most of the episode is an interview with Tony Sager. Tony is a Senior VP & Chief Evangelist for the Center for Internet Security (CIS).
FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Receives $3.7B in Funding Requests
Supreme Court Weighs High-Stakes Fraud Issue for E-Rate Program
What a Trump win means for the Universal Service Fund
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Chris and Mark are traveling this week and try to record an episode next to a rowdy party of librarians at Vita-Learn's Vermont Fest. We give a brief intro and then flashback to episode 132 where we cover the CIS Controls, a set of cyber security frameworks to help districts evaluate and improve their cyber security.
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Extreme - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fort...
Chris, Josh, and Mark get political - they discuss their thoughts on the impact of this year's election on the K12 technology landscape (E-Rate, cybersecurity, DoE, and AI). They also discuss new AI guidance, spooky edtech apps, Halloween costumes, and the latest in k12 tech news.
Education Department releases highly anticipated AI toolkit for schools
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Extreme - Email dmayer@extremenet...
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