Entrepreneurs and Leaders
PRnewswire | August 01, 2023
The Epilepsy Foundation today announced a five-year collaboration with Vector Solutions, the leading provider of training and software solutions for K-12 and higher education institutions, to offer the Epilepsy Foundation's Seizure Recognition & First Aid Certification training in the Vector Safety and Compliance Course Library. This agreement will provide an easy and convenient way for educators and school personnel, who are already contracted with Vector, to take the seizure first aid training to better serve their students.
There are 470,000 children living with epilepsy in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the opportunity for academic success is increased when students with chronic health conditions have a safe and supportive learning environment.
"Our collaboration with Vector will give school personnel — who are required by state laws to take seizure first aid training — a place to do so easily and effectively through a familiar learning portal," said Brandy Fureman, Ph.D., chief outcomes officer, Epilepsy Foundation. "In addition, it will expand access to our seizure first aid training to school systems around the country using Vector's platform. Our end goal is to have a seizure safe nation where everyone who has a seizure feels safe, no matter where they are. This partnership is a stepstone toward that goal."
In 2018, Kentucky led the charge to pass the nation's first-ever law requiring school personnel to complete seizure recognition and first aid training. Since then, the Epilepsy Foundation, family advocates and partner organizations have been working to pass similar Seizure Safe Schools legislation nationwide. The model Seizure Safe Schools legislation has five components, one of which requires all school personnel, including school nurses and teachers, to complete training so that they can recognize and respond appropriately and efficiently to students experiencing seizures. To date, almost half of the states have passed some form of Seizure Safe Schools legislation.
For years, the Epilepsy Foundation has partnered with the CDC to build nationwide programs to ensure school personnel, first responders, seniors, caregivers, and the public are better trained to recognize seizures and administer first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation's seizure first aid trainings provide information to increase knowledge, skills, and confidence in recognizing seizures and safely administering seizure first aid.
"We are excited to collaborate with the Epilepsy Foundation to deliver its trainings through our online learning management system," said, Rob Buelow, General Manager of Education at Vector Solutions. "The safety and well-being of students is paramount and educators must be properly equipped to address the unique needs of all students. Through this partnership, K-12 and higher education staff across the nation will be empowered to serve their students and ensure their health and safety."
About the Epilepsy Foundation
With a network of partners throughout the United States, the Epilepsy Foundation is leading the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The Foundation connects people to treatment, support, and resources; leads advocacy efforts; funds innovative research and the training of specialists; and educates the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources in homes across the country, and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services and research for new therapies. The trainings will be available in the Vector platform later this summer and school administrators who have a current subscription will receive notification when the trainings are live.
About Epilepsy
According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.
About Vector Solutions for K-12 Education
Vector Solutions for K-12 Education is a leading provider of training, software and professional development solutions committed to creating safer, smarter and better school environments. Trusted by more than 5,000 K-12 districts in the United States, Vector's award-winning suite of products save administrators time, improve compliance, and streamline administrative processes. Vector trainings on imperative topics like safety and compliance; inclusive instruction; mental health and well-being; diversity, equity and inclusion; and cybersecurity enable students and teachers alike to make schools safer, more inclusive, and more effective places to work and learn.
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Talent Development
Businesswire | July 17, 2023
PowerSchool , the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America, today announced the release of My PowerSchool, a cohesive user experience that consolidates all relevant information and applications into a single, streamlined platform. My PowerSchool simplifies how families interact with their children’s school and how school technology leaders manage their PowerSchool solutions by providing a central point of access based on if the user is an educator, student, or family member. My PowerSchool Family, the first release of the My PowerSchool experiences, will be available in the fall, allowing families and educators to share one source of information, including grades, attendance, assignments, calendar, completed and in-progress forms, behavior, and fees, in a seamless experience.
"My PowerSchool marks a significant milestone in empowering the education community," said Marcy Daniel, Chief Product Officer, PowerSchool. "This new release will provide an upgraded experience to families using the current family portal in PowerSchool SIS and showcases our commitment to providing user-centric solutions that streamline processes, enhance communication, and foster collaboration among families, staff, and administrators."
My PowerSchool Family will provide users with multiple benefits including: • An enhanced family experience: Families will now have a comprehensive view of their child's educational journey, eliminating the need to switch between different systems. From assignments and grades to attendance and fee payments, all information will be consolidated into a single, intuitive interface. My PowerSchool is designed to help foster increased family engagement and accountability, and support student success through collaborative efforts between families and teachers. • Streamlined administrative account management: Administrators will save valuable time by eliminating the hassle of managing multiple accounts for separate systems. System administrators will have a unified user management system, reducing the complexity of managing individual users and providing staff with a modern authentication system. • Empowering students: My PowerSchool puts students at the center of their educational journey. By logging in with a single account, students gain easy access to all relevant school information. They can stay organized, prioritize tasks, and plan their studies effectively. With visibility into assignments, grades, test dates, and project deadlines, students can take charge of their learning, supported by engaged families and teachers. Additional My PowerSchool experiences, including the educator and administrator experiences, will be available in the coming months.
About PowerSchool
PowerSchool is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 50 million students globally and more than 15,000 customers, including over 90 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in over 90 countries.
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Corporate Learning Systems
PRnewswire | August 14, 2023
ClassLink, the leading provider of identity and access management products for education, proudly announced today it is participating in the White House's Secure by Design cybersecurity pledge.ClassLink was among the first cohort of leading edtech organizations invited to make the pledge, which encourages solution providers to prioritize cybersecurity in their products and practices to reduce the cybersecurity burden facing K-12 schools.
Developed by the White House, the Department of Education, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Secure by Design pledge is the latest step in federal efforts to support K-12 schools in improving cybersecurity.
"Keeping our students and our schools safe from cyberattacks comes down to equipping schools with three things – knowledge, resources, and people. This week, the White House worked to do just that - mobilizing funding, cybersecurity fact guides tailored for schools, and cybersecurity teams to visit schools and help them fight ransomware. We appreciate the innovative and meaningful private sector commitments in this ransomware fight, as we work together to keep kids cyber-safe online and in schools." - Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor, Cyber and Emerging Technologies
ClassLink CEO, Berj Akian, will make the pledge at the White House convening, 'Back to School Safely: Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools', hosted by First Lady Jill Biden on August 8, 2023.
By signing the pledge, ClassLink commits to actively supporting schools in improving cybersecurity by offering secure-by-design and secure-by-default products to ensure data protection.
"Let's face it: in today's digital age, our students and their teachers will increasingly use technology in the classroom. Schools have access to more devices and connectivity than ever before, and this technology in education has incredible potential to help students better connect with their learning and achieve, and teachers better engage with their students.
But to make the most of these benefits, we must effectively manage the risks. Just as we expect everyone in a school system to plan and prepare for physical risks, we must now also ensure everyone helps plan and prepare for digital risks in our schools and classrooms. The Department of Education has listened to the field about the importance of K-12 cybersecurity, and today we are coming together to recognize this and indicate our next steps." - Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education
ClassLink already meets many commitments outlined in the pledge's core principles, including providing security audit logs at no extra charge and embracing transparency through open engagement with customers about identified cybersecurity risks, threats, and vulnerabilities. In addition, ClassLink offers multiple MFA options that help secure student, staff, and administrator accounts at no extra cost.
"At ClassLink, privacy and security are at the core of everything we do. Today, we reaffirm our dedication to supporting schools in their journey to a safe and thriving digital learning environment. We are honored to stand alongside the Department of Education and CISA in making the Secure by Design pledge." - Berj Akian, CEO, ClassLink
ClassLink continues to invest heavily in privacy and security initiatives. This includes signing and abiding by the Student Privacy Pledge and successfully completing third-party audits like SOC Type II, CSA STAR, and ISO 27001. ClassLink is a member of the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) and complies with many data sovereignty, protection, and privacy guidelines, including FERPA and COPPA.
About ClassLink
ClassLink is a global education provider of identity and analytics products that create more time for learning and help schools better understand digital engagement. As leading advocates for open data standards, we offer instant access to apps and files with single sign-on, streamline class rostering, automate account provisioning, and provide actionable analytics. ClassLink empowers 20 million students and staff in over 2,600 school systems.
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