The CoSN Podcast

In this webinar, we share real K–12 success stories that demonstrate  purposeful and balanced EdTech use . Hear from district leaders and educators who have implemented tools and strategies that boosted student outcomes, supported teacher workload, and created healthier digital learning environments. You’ll Learn How districts apply CoSN’s screen-time and digital-wellbeing recommendations Examples...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping what accessibility can look like in K–12 schools. In this episode, we explore how generative AI is expanding opportunities for students with disabilities while also introducing new risks around bias, privacy, and equitable access. Drawing on insights from the 2024 Blaschke Report and district examples from across the country, the conversation focuses on...

Discover scalable cybersecurity solutions tailored for school districts of any size in our engaging panel discussion. The session kicks off with a 15-minute introduction to simple, impactful strategies that can immediately enhance your district’s security posture. Following the presentation, our panel of experts will delve into these solutions, offering insights on how they can be effectively impl...

How do you empower and equip your educators with AI literacy, especially when they have various levels of knowledge, experience, and attitude? Join our session to explore a research-based approach for designing professional learning that supports the growth of all of your adult learners. We’ll examine the stages of adoption from awareness and interest, evaluation and trial, to adoption and advocac...

Protecting student data privacy is a complex undertaking, but you don't have to go it alone. Learn actionable insights you can use in your own privacy work, all in 30 minutes or less. This is a webinar on the building a technology privacy vetting program as part of the CoSN Privacy Awareness efforts and Trust Learning Environment. Moderator: Linnette Attai Project Director for CoSN’s Student D...

This episode of the CoSN Podcast is sponsored by Infosys. Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in K–12 education—it is already transforming classrooms, district operations, and leadership decision-making. In this episode of the CoSN Podcast , host Stephen Gilfus , a technology and education industry leader and industry advisor in IT, cybersecurity, AI, and education, leads a timel...

Privacy leadership is no longer a “nice-to-have” in K–12 education—it’s an essential foundation for protecting student data, building trust, and ensuring districtwide compliance. In this episode, we break down insights from CoSN’s recent webinar,  Privacy Practices in Action: Getting Started with Privacy Leadership , where district leaders shared how they launched and strengthened their privacy pr...

Protecting student data privacy is a complex undertaking, but you don't have to go it alone. Learn actionable insights you can use in your own privacy work, all in 30 minutes or less. In this webinar, you'll hear from education technology leaders about how they built privacy leadership in their districts.  Moderator: Linnette Attai Project Director for CoSN’s Student Data Privacy Initiativ...

This podcast reviews a recent CoSN webinar,  “We Survived a Cyber Incident: From Readiness to Recovery,”  and explores how one school district successfully contained and recovered from a live cyberattack. Episode Summary In January 2024, an Arizona district faced a real cyber incident when a compromised service account allowed a threat actor into the network. Thanks to a strong Cyber Incident Resp...

This story has a happy ending. In January 2024, the “not if but when” happened to us. We’d been cyber-attacked, and the bad guys were in the house. Presenters: Luke Allpress, CETL, MEd Director of Innovative Solutions Agua Fria Union High School District Avondale, AZ Brandon Gabel Director of Information Technology Agua Fria Union High School District Avondale, AZ It started off with a fairly norm...

In this “From the Vault” episode, we revisit CoSN’s August 2024 webinar,  “Trailblazing into 2025: Initiatives that Under-resourced, Suburban & Large Urban Districts Are Implementing Now.”  We take a fresh look at the innovative strategies district leaders shared—from VR explorations and virtualized engineering labs to new professional learning structures, AI readiness, UDL integration, and pa...

In this episode, we unpack insights from CoSN’s recent webinar, AI, Automation, and the Future of K–12 Networks.  The discussion explores how artificial intelligence and automation are transforming district operations—from network security and data management to staffing, readiness, and responsible adoption. You’ll hear how district leaders and technology experts are using AI to strengthen cyberse...

In this episode, we unpack CoSN’s  CIRCUITS — Critical Infrastructure and Resilient Clouds for Unified Innovation and Technology in Schools — Committee's resource,  Building Your Learning Continuity Plan or Business Continuity Plan. The discussion explores how districts can create resilience frameworks that keep learning and essential operations running—even when systems go down. You’ll hear h...

As K–12 school districts grow increasingly dependent on always-on, secure, and high-performing networks, IT leaders face mounting challenges in managing complexity, ensuring security, and supporting digital learning at scale. With a surge in connected devices, cloud-based applications, and IoT infrastructure, the traditional approach to network operations is being tested. To better understand how...

In this episode , we break down CoSN’s webinar,  Navigating Updates on COPPA and Beyond: What K–12 Technology Leaders Need to Know . The discussion unpacks how the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) latest changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) affect districts, vendors, and the broader edtech ecosystem. You’ll hear how these updates reshape definitions of personal informati...

In this episode, we take a practical deep dive into the  Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Practices Self-Evaluation —the first big step districts can take on the journey to earning the CoSN TLE Seal. You’ll learn how the Self-Evaluation helps schools measure their privacy practices across five key areas: Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development, and Classroom. More important...

The FTC recently finalized its changes to the COPPA, and while they didn’t move forward with a number of proposed updates specific to education, there are still requirements for ed tech companies that you should know about. Join data privacy consultant Linnette Attai, director of CoSN’s Student Data Privacy and Trusted Learning initiatives and policy expert Reg Leichty, founder of Foresight Law +...

In this episode, we kick off a two-part series on student data privacy with a deep dive into the  CoSN Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal . The TLE Seal is more than just a badge—it’s a commitment that a school system is protecting student data across five critical practice areas:  Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development, and Classroom . You will learn: Why the Seal matt...

Join us on a journey to understand the pivotal role this dynamic duo plays in fostering a culture of innovation, empowering educators and IT professionals through skill development, and preparing students for a future that seamlessly blends curriculum and technology. Key Take Aways: Enhanced Collaboration Strategies: Learn effective methods for fostering seamless collaboration between curriculum a...

In this episode, we explore highlights from CoSN’s recent webinar,  Remember the Human: Deploying AI in Your District. Four education leaders: Mike Lawrence (ABC Unified), Jerry Almendarez (Santa Ana Unified/Creative Futures), Christopher Hoang (LACOE), and Chad Laines (ABC Unified), share how they’re implementing AI in real K–12 contexts. From district-wide pilots to county-level training, each s...

Generative AI. Digital equity. Staffing shortages. These aren’t abstract trends; they’re the real forces shaping schools in 2025. In this episode,  Driving K–12 Innovation 2025: Ethics, Workforce, and What’s Next: Insights from a CoSN Webinar , we break down  CoSN’s 2025 findings  and what they mean for educators today. Based on the  Driving K–12 Innovation 2025 Summit  webinar, this conversation...

As districts across the globe grapple with the tectonic shifts caused by generative AI, there is a tendency to rush to the tool as an answer to nearly all challenges of content creation, evaluation and synthesis. This approach, while exciting, diminishes the human intelligence that is essential to effective, ethical and equitable deployment of this technology. This session provides guidance for a...

Cellphones are everywhere in schools — in backpacks, pockets, and sometimes under desks. But should they be banned, restricted, or embraced as learning tools? In this episode, inspired by CoSN’s   To Ban or Not to Ban? Tackling Cellphones in Classrooms   webinar, Common Sense Media’s Merve Lapus reframes the debate. We explore why banning phones alone doesn’t teach digital discipline, how schools...

During this session , we will highlight the implementation journey of our Generative AI Pilot Program, which aims to teach high school students how to use Generative AI safely and ethically within an academic setting. This session will cover the development of teachers’ expertise in Generative AI, creation of AI policy, our decision-making process for selecting an AI platform, and the strategic st...

In this episode of the CoSN Podcast, we recap highlights from CoSN’s webinar   Safeguarding Student Privacy: Ethical Use of AI in K–12 Education . Why student privacy is about trust, not just compliance. How districts are building strong data governance frameworks. Key federal privacy laws—FERPA, COPPA, and PPRA—and why they’re struggling to keep pace with technology. What to ask edtech vendors be...