Washington, DC (August 28, 2015) – To help K-12 district leaders strengthen their skills and make the most of their roles this school year, here are CoSN’s (the Consortium for School Networking’s) top 10 resources heading into the fall:  

1)  Student Privacy Leadership and Commitment

As part of its continued student privacy leadership, CoSN joined the Data Quality Campaign to develop the student data principles. The 10 foundational principles, which are supported by 40 major national education organizations, help guide and protect student data use. Learn more

CoSN has also begun working with 28 U.S. school systems and AASA – The School Superintendents Association – ASBO International (the Association of School Business Officials International), and ASCD (the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) on building the Trusted Learning Environment Seal. The seal will signify that a school system has broadly and deeply implemented aspirational, yet achievable practices to ensure student data privacy. Learn more  

2)  NMC Horizon Report > 2015 K-12 Edition

Developed in partnership with the New Media Consortium (NMC), the NMC Horizon Report > 2015 K-12 Edition provides the education community with a snapshot of the six key trends, six significant challenges, and six important developments in education technology over the next one to five years. Learn more

3)  SEND (Smart Education Networks By Design) Initiative

As districts begin to transform digitally, many must rethink their network architecture to maintain affordable Internet access. A new infographic from CoSN’s SEND (Smart Education Networks by Design) Initiative shows why. Learn more

4)  Annual IT Leadership Survey

Discover the latest trends, challenges and priorities for school system technology leaders with CoSN’s 3^rd Annual K-12 IT Leadership Survey. New to the survey, the 2015 edition also reveals IT leaders’ concerns over assessment readiness, funding and the privacy and security of student data. CoSN’s 4^th annual K-12 IT Leadership Survey is underway. The results will be revealed next spring. Learn more

5)  Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL)™ Program

Introduced three years ago, CoSN’s CETL™ program continues to grow in recognition and impact among school technology leaders. To date, CETL™ designation has been rewarded to 185 CTOs across 26 states. The certification displays a school technology leader’s expert knowledge and skills to realize 21st century learning environments. Learn more  

6)  Leadership for Mobile Learning Initiative

The Leadership for Mobile Learning initiative has a new “A Recipe for Success” video guide and “What is Digital Transformation” graphic with best practices for education leaders to make the digital leap. Learn more

7)  Online Professional Development Courses

School leaders can develop professionally online through CoSN’s new courses for current and aspiring K-12 school district leaders. The courses span topics from building ed tech skills to project management. Learn more

8)  The Empowered Superintendent Initiative

Superintendents play a critical role in advancing technology initiatives. Developed through the insight and perspective of superintendents nationwide, The Empowered Superintendent initiative gives superintendents the guidance they need to effectively lead digital change. Learn more

9)  Policy Advocacy Network

From privacy laws to Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization, stay up to date and take action on the latest legislative activity through CoSN’s Advocacy Network. Learn more

10)  Events

CoSN has announced its 2015-2016 monthly webinar series. The monthly series will connect education technology experts worldwide for an engaging conversation on today’s challenges and opportunities. See the lineup here!

And Mark Your Calendars: CoSN’s 2016 Annual Conference is returning to Washington, DC, from April 4 to April 7. Learn more

Learn about CoSN’s other year-round events to connect leaders and build their expertise at: cosn.org/events.  

Explore all of the back to school resources here.

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About CoSN

CoSN is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. The mission of CoSN is to empower educational leaders to leverage technology to realize engaging learning environments. Visit cosn.org or call 866-267-08747 to find out more about CoSN’s focus areas, annual conference and events, advocacy and policy, membership, and the CETL certification exam.

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