The digital divide presented problems for an Illinois district during the coronavirus pandemic, with students without access to internet at a disadvantage during this period of remote instruction. The district used federal stimulus funds to install a private LTE network that provides internet service for about 500 students and families at home.

Michigan State is using virtual reality to foster deeper understanding and underscore the effects of unconscious bias and racism via simulations. Wearing a VR headset, students are immersed in situations informed by real-world experiences, helping them build awareness and gain new insight.

Some US students in immigrant communities are logging into their remote courses from outside the US. Educators in New York, New Jersey, Florida and California report the practice has become increasingly common, with one New Jersey district reporting that records show their students were participating in virtual learning from 24 countries.

Two US lawmakers have asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to issue "immediate guidance" allowing school districts to use coronavirus relief funds to defend against ransomware, phishing and other cybersecurity risks. Reps. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said it can be reasonably interpreted that these expenditures would be allowed, but written guidance from the Education Department would help.

Social worker Cathy McNair led an effort to ensure that students at her Cincinnati school all had access to free lunch, regardless of income, and it's an experiment being seen across the US. Advocates say such programs eliminate the stigma of free or reduced-price lunch, but others say a targeted poverty-reduction program would be more effective.

The first day of the annual Pwn2Own 2021 saw platforms such as Microsoft Exchange, Teams, Windows 10 and Safari compromised, with teams racking up points and prize money for successful efforts. Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative says this year's competition was one of the largest ever, spreading across multiple locations and hosting 23 entries aiming to hack 10 products.

Almost 46% of public schools in the US were open to in-person instruction five days a week in February, yet only 34% of students were participating in full-time, in-person learning, according to data released today by President Joe Biden's administration. The data shows that more older students are learning online, and more students in the South and Midwest are learning in person.

With COVID-19 vaccinations ramping up across the US, an increasing number of colleges and universities are looking toward opening up their campuses in the coming months. Among them is the University of Wisconsin, whose president recently directed chancellors to ensure students are able to attend at least 75 percent of courses in-person or in a hybrid format by the Fall 2021 semester.

Schools can safely welcome students back to in-person instruction, US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said during a visit to Philadelphia Tuesday as part of the administration's Help is Here tour. During his visit, he spoke with district staff, a teacher and parent at a local elementary school.

Dire warnings about dramatic levels of teacher turnover during the coronavirus pandemic so far have been unfounded, data shows. Yet, Dan Goldhaber, a leading researcher on teacher-quality issues at the University of Washington, says that could change as the economy improves.