Tech companies by the dozens wanted a chance to prove their software was what schools needed. Best of all, they often added, it wouldn't take a dime from district budgets: Schools could use their new federal money.
They did, and at a tremendous scale.
Analysis of public records found many of the largest school systems spent tens of millions of dollars in pandemic money on software and services from tech companies, including licenses for apps, games and tutoring websites.
Schools, however, have little or no evidence the programs helped students. Some of the new software was rarely used.
The full scope of spending is unknown because the aid came with few reporting requirements. Congress gave schools a record $190 billion but didn't require them to publicly report individual purchases.
The AP asked the nation's 30 largest school districts for contracts funded by federal pandemic aid. About half provided records illuminating an array of software and technology, collectively called "edtech." Others didn't respond or demanded fees for producing the records totaling thousands of dollars.
Clark County schools in the Las Vegas area, for one, signed contracts worth at least $70 million over two years with 12 education technology consultants and companies. They include Achieve3000 (for a suite of learning apps), Age of Learning (for math and reading acceleration), Paper (for virtual tutoring) and Renaissance Learning (for learning apps Freckle and MyON).
The pandemic sparked a boom for tech companies as schools went online. Revenue skyrocketed and investors poured billions into startups.
Esta historia es de la edición October 13, 2023 de AppleMagazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 13, 2023 de AppleMagazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
AUSTRALIA PROPOSES LEGAL MINIMUM AGE FOR CHILDREN ACCESSING SOCIAL MEDIA
The Australian government this week promised to legislate this year to enforce a minimum age for children to access social media, but it has yet to announce how ages will be verified.
SWEDEN JOINS COUNTRIES SEEKING TO END SCREEN TIME FOR CHILDREN UNDER 2
Sweden says children under the age of 2 should not be exposed to any digital screens.
TELEGRAM CEO DEFENDS HIMSELF AGAINST FRENCH CHARGES IN FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov promised to step up efforts to fight criminality on the messaging app, his first public comments since French authorities handed him preliminary charges for allegedly allowing the platform’s use for criminal activity.
GOOGLE AND APPLE LOSE THEIR COURT FIGHTS AGAINST THE EU AND OWE BILLIONS IN FINES AND TAXES
Google lost its last bid to overturn a European Union antitrust penalty, after the bloc's top court ruled against it Tuesday in a case that came with a whopping fine and helped jumpstart an era of intensifying scrutiny for Big Tech companies.
EU'S TOP COURT DISMISSES APPLE'S FINAL APPEAL AGAINST ORDER TO PAY IRELAND 13B EUROS IN BACK TAXES
Apple this week lost its last bid to avoid paying 13 billion euros ($14.34 billion) in back taxes to Ireland, in a finale to a dispute with the European Union that centered on sweetheart deals that Dublin was offering to attract multinational businesses with minimal taxes across the 27-nation bloc. The final decision by the EU's top court was quickly hailed as a landmark victory over corporate greed.
US POSTAL SERVICE SQUEEZE ON SHIPPING CONSOLIDATORS COULD RAISE CONSUMER COSTS
The U.S. Postal Service said this week that it is ending discounts that shipping consolidators such as UPS and DHL use to get packages to the nation's doorsteps, in a move meant to help the Postal Service slow losses but that could see the higher costs passed on to consumers.
BATTERY-POWERED DEVICES ARE OVERHEATING MORE OFTEN ON PLANES AND RAISING ALARM
Devices powered by lithium-ion batteries are overheating more often during airline flights and passengers often put them in checked bags that go into the cargo hold, where a fire might not be detected as quickly.
GEORGIA SCHOOL SHOOTING HIGHLIGHTS FEARS ABOUT CLASSROOM CELLPHONE BANS
Huddling for safety in classrooms as gunfire rang out, students at Apalachee High School texted or called their parents to let them know what was happening and send what they thought could be their final messages. One student texted her mother to say she loved her, adding, “I’m sorry I’m not the best daughter.”
TEXAS PARENTS GAIN NEW TOOLS TO CONTROL THEIR TEEN'S SOCIAL MEDIA USE
Parents of Texas children under 18 can now monitor and restrict their child's activity on digital platforms including Facebook and Instagram - but only if they know their child uses the service.
APPLE EMBRACES THE AI CRAZE WITH ITS NEWLY UNLEASHED IPHONE 16 LINEUP
Apple on Monday charged into the artificial intelligence craze with a new iPhone lineup that marks the company’s latest attempt to latch onto a technology trend and transform it into a cultural phenomenon.
