Ed Tech's Role in Crisis: Preparing for the Storm

It’s been a tumultuous two years for school districts and their families. Over 1 billion students worldwide were affected by school closures, according to the World Economic Forum. K-12 schools and board meetings have been at the forefront of debates and policy discussions fueled by concerns around vaccines and mask mandates, critical race theory, sex education, and health and safety. 

The expectation that technology needs will be flawlessly fulfilled has buzzed in the background of these fierce conversations among district leaders. IT leaders across the nation have been asked to develop and execute plans for a seamless virtual environment, often with a limited budget and an incredibly fast turnaround time.

As COVID-19 school closures became the norm in March of 2020, districts with digital strategies already in place had an undeniable upper hand. Whether they used the G Suite, Microsoft Teams, Blackboard, or another online education platform, districts with a functional system were able to focus on teaching and learning – while other districts were left scrambling to train teachers on how to set up and manage a Zoom call.     

As we slowly transition out of the virtual school era, integrating education technology in the classroom is no longer a “nice-to-have” commodity – it’s a requirement for a functional district. Parents expect accessibility — for instruction, meetings, and even for basic questions. Even the operational business functions of many districts have prioritized digital accessibility. 

COVID-19 taught us that we must expect the unexpected in our schools. Mandates, norms, and mindsets have all changed dramatically since 2020, and school leaders now have an idea about the education technology solutions they might need when future crises arise. 

Will your existing education technology help your district in the future? Are you prepared for another school closure? A different crisis? How can you be training your district’s staff now so they’ll be fluent in the necessary technology when the time comes? 

Tools like Let’s Talk – the only customer experience and intelligence platform purpose-built for education – can help you streamline inbound communications through a unified inbox and reveal the trends in your district in real time, guiding you toward proactive decisions that prevent problems. 

IT leaders nationwide are asking “What challenges can be anticipated in the future, and what training are people going to need to overcome them?” Setting up education technology tools today ensures that your district will be prepared for crises of tomorrow. 

Looking for an all-in-one tool that can automate and simplify communications, use real-time data to proactively make better decisions and build community trust and support? Get a free demo of K12 Insight’s Let’s Talk today.