K-12 Archives - WPTF-AM

Schools use AI to monitor kids, hoping to prevent violence. Our investigation found security risks

Schools are turning to AI-powered surveillance technology to monitor students on school-issued devices like laptops and tablets. The goal is to keep children safe, especially amid a mental health crisis and the threat of school shootings. Machine-learning algorithms flag suspected problems like bullying, self-harm or suicide and then alert school officials. But these tools raise serious questions about privacy and security. When The Seattle Times and The Associated Press partnered to investigate school surveillance, reporters inadvertently received access to almost 3,500 unredacted student documents through a records request. The documents were stored without a password or firewall, and anyone with the link could read them.… Continue Reading

Most US kids aren’t gaining fast enough in reading and math. These schools are different

COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — The average American student remains half a grade level behind pre-pandemic levels of achievement in both reading and math. That’s according to the Education Recovery Scorecard, an analysis of state and national test scores by researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth. The scorecard gives the most comprehensive picture of how American students are performing after the pandemic. It’s based on tests taken by students in Spring 2024. By then, the worst of the pandemic was long past, but schools were dealing still with a mental health crisis and high rates of absenteeism. In reading, especially, students are even further behind than they were in 2022, the analysis shows.… Continue Reading

North Carolina offers schools $1 million to help take students on field trips

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — There’s a new $1 million pilot project to help North Carolina public schools get financial reimbursements for taking students on field trips to places like state museums, aquariums and historic sites. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and his administration’s natural and cultural resources secretary on Wednesday unveiled the new “Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund.” K-12 schools can seek reimbursements for the cost of students visiting dozens of state-managed attractions for things like entry fees, transportation or meals. Schools with high percentages of students from low-income families will receive priority. And there will be a set-aside for western schools affected by Hurricane Helene.… Continue Reading