Tag Archives: Higher Education

Top 7 State and Local Contract Vehicles to Support Your SLG Fiscal Year Requirements

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As the end of the fiscal year approaches, State and Local Governments (SLG) and education institutions are ramping up purchasing to ensure every allocated budget dollar is spent and their organization is prepared for further IT advancements in the coming year. Leveraging the right contract vehicles can streamline procurement processes, ensuring timely and efficient acquisition of necessary technologies and services. These contracts can also provide technology vendors and resellers unique opportunities to expand their Public Sector businesses.  

Below, we explore the top contract vehicles that SLGs and education institutions are using as they close out their fiscal year with their preferred reseller partner this month.  

1. NASPO ValuePoint  

NASPO ValuePoint is the cooperative purchasing arm of the National Association for State Procurement Officials, designed to provide access to the best possible IT solutions. It is considered to be the nation’s most significant public contracting cooperative. The contract offers a wide variety of cloud solutions, including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).  

Carahsoft’s Contract: NASPO ValuePoint contract #AR2472 includes thousands of technology vendors.  

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, municipalities and public education entities (K-12 and higher education).  

2. GSA Cooperative Purchasing Program  

The General Services Administration (GSA) Cooperative Purchasing Program  grants SLGs access to Federal GSA Schedule contracts for IT solutions and professional services. The GSA Cooperative Purchasing Program provides a streamlined procurement process for SLGs to purchase IT solutions, often with pre-negotiated and cost-effective pricing structures.  

Carahsoft’s Contract: GSA Schedule #47QSWA18D008F, aggregates solutions from many technology vendors.  

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments.  

3. Texas Department of Information Resources (TX DIR)  

The Texas Department of Information Resources (TX DIR) has established a Cooperative Contracts Purchasing Program which offers a wide range of product offerings, services and technology solutions to Public Sector customers in Texas and nationwide. The DIR contracts streamline the procurement process by handling all of the preliminary work upfront, making it easier for eligible entities to acquire a wide range of hardware, software, cloud solutions and professional IT services. Public organizations outside of Texas are also eligible to purchase through DIR contracts.  

Carahsoft Contract: Carahsoft holds eight TX DIR contracts, offering a wide variety of products and services from hundreds of technology vendors.  

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, public education and other public entities nationwide.  

Top 7 SLG Contracts Blog, embedded image, 2026

4. California Software Licensing Program (CA SLP)  

The California Software Licensing Program (CA SLP), established in 1994 and administered by the Department of General Services’ (DGS) Procurement Division provides SLGs within the state of California with access to discounted software licensing agreements. This vendor held contract expedites and simplifies the procurement process while supporting State Government modernization goals with a host of technology solutions.  

Carahsoft Contract: Carahsoft acts as a reseller on 19 CA SLP contracts, offering solutions ranging from data management to cybersecurity and more.  

Who Can Use It: State and Local Government agencies in California.  

5. E&I Cooperative Services  

E&I Cooperative Services is the largest and most experienced member-owned, non-profit purchasing cooperative focused on education. E&I provides education institutions with access to IT products and services, including learning management systems, classroom technologies and administrative software tailored to their unique needs.  

Carahsoft Contract: E&I Cooperative Services contract #EI00063-2021MA provides E&I members with cloud and managed service solutions and related IT products and services.  

Who Can Use It: E&I members and educational institutions, including K-12 schools, teaching hospitals, colleges, universities and some municipalities. 

6. OMNIA Partners Public Sector  

OMNIA Partners is one of the largest Public Sector cooperative purchasing organizations, providing comprehensive access to a wide variety of technology contracts across hardware, software and cloud solutions. The cooperative purchasing program is focused on efficiency, compliance and value, aiming to further streamline the procurement process for the Public Sector entities that leverage this contract.  

Carahsoft Contract: Carahsoft’s contracts with OMNIA Partners, #R240303 and #23-6692-01, provide SLGs and education institutions with access to technology from over 2000 vendors.  

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, public education institutions and nonprofits that are approved OMNIA partners.  

7. CoreTrust  

CoreTrust is a cooperative purchasing organization working together with public procurement leaders to create high quality, cooperative contracts that optimize cost savings, drive compliance and efficiency, providing effective outcomes to public sector agencies. CoreTrust cooperative contracts also actively support local labor markets, ensuring a holistic approach to sustainable growth and impact. 

By leveraging the CoreTrust suite of cooperative contracts, organizations gain access to contracts and discounts from leading suppliers of products and services across a wide variety of industries and benefit from a streamlined procurement process. 

Carahsoft Contract: CoreTrust 24COR-018GR offers members access to IT hardware, software, cloud solutions, compatible IT ancillary products, servers and professional IT services. 

Who Can Use It: State and Local Governments, K-12 and higher education, Tribal Governments in all 50 States/Commonwealths, D.C. and Puerto Rico 

Through leveraging these contract vehicles, SLGs and education institutions can easily find and purchase technologies that map to their modernization efforts while ensuring compliance and maximizing investments through their preferred resellers. As the fiscal year draws to a close, these contracts serve as a vital resource for timely and cost-effective procurement, driving end-of-year business to new heights and propelling Public Sector advancements.  

For more information on Carahsoft’s offerings under each of these contract vehicles, please reach out to contracts@carahsoft.com.  

Modernizing Higher Ed IT: Equinix for Research Universities

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Leading research universities constantly push the boundaries of human knowledge. Your faculty and students rely on advanced technologies to make breakthrough discoveries, analyze massive datasets and collaborate with experts around the globe. But as these academic ambitions grow, the physical technology supporting them often struggles to keep up.

Legacy on-campus data centers often lack the capacity to handle the intense power and connectivity demands of modern computing. This infrastructure gap creates a severe bottleneck, slowing down critical research and complicating the pursuit of Federal funding.

Carahsoft and Equinix have partnered to help universities overcome these hurdles. By shifting from aging campus facilities to a colocation data center full of modern digital infrastructure, you can accelerate discovery, streamline hybrid cloud strategies and enhance your competitive edge for Federal grants.

Here is how you can design the digital foundation your university needs to thrive.

Powering the Next Generation of AI and HPC

The most complex research projects, particularly those involving artificial intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC), require unprecedented processing power. Legacy campus data centers were not built to support the dense, power-hungry servers necessary for these workloads. As a result, many universities face significant power and cooling limitations for modern GPU-based computing.

AI-ready data centers are built to handle these precise demands. Instead of sinking millions into renovating aging campus facilities, universities can leverage colocation services that provide the specialized cooling and energy density required to run high-performance supercomputers and deep learning models efficiently.

By offloading the physical infrastructure burden, your IT team can stop worrying about power outages or cooling failures and start focusing on what truly matters: empowering researchers to process massive datasets and reach conclusions faster.

Securing Grants with Strict Compliance

Federal grants are the lifeblood of university research programs and data sovereignty and privacy regulations increasingly shape how and where educational institutions can process AI data.

For IT and security leaders (CISOs), navigating frameworks like CMMC, FISMA High, HECVAT or HIPAA is a top priority.

Academic research often involves working with sensitive or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Storing this data in vulnerable environments puts your institution at risk.

Utilizing colocation facilities can simplify the path to compliance by offering private, direct connectivity that bypasses the public internet. This ensures that sensitive research data remains protected both in transit and at rest. When your university can confidently demonstrate robust security controls and data sovereignty to Federal agencies, you gain a significant advantage in grant competitiveness.

Seamless Collaboration and Hybrid Cloud

Academic research is rarely an isolated effort. True innovation happens when universities collaborate with national labs, Federal agencies, private industry and peer institutions worldwide. This requires secure, high-speed data sharing across vast geographic distances.

Interconnected infrastructure offered by colocation providers allow universities to create secure physical and virtual links into a global ecosystem of research partners. This provides you with the ability to quickly transfer massive datasets to collaborating institutions without the frustrating latency or security risks associated with standard internet connections.

Many IT leaders are adopting hybrid cloud strategies to gain more efficient, cost-effective access to computing resources. To make that strategy work, it is essential to choose a colocation provider with a strong ecosystem that aligns with your specific requirements. That includes the right mix of cloud providers, networks, neoclouds and research partners to support your workloads, performance goals and growth plans. A well-connected provider does more than house infrastructure; it gives you the flexibility, reach and partner access needed to build a hybrid cloud environment that is resilient, scalable and fit for purpose.

Securing Your Digital Future with Equinix

The demands on university data centers will only increase as AI adoption grows and Federal grant requirements become more stringent. A strong digital foundation built on high-performance data centers like Equinix helps universities scale AI infrastructure globally with greater speed and efficiency. This enables institutions to run high-performance computing workloads, securely share sensitive data and connect more easily with the global research community.

Through software-defined, secure interconnection with Equinix Fabric, universities can connect directly to leading cloud and SaaS providers, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce and Workday. This gives research teams fast, reliable access to critical digital resources while reducing complexity and improving control. It also allows institutions to scale workloads to the public cloud during periods of peak demand and scale back when needed to improve performance and manage costs.

Optimize your Cloud Access Strategy

A strategic Carahsoft technology partner, Equinix is is committed to helping universities design future-ready IT infrastructure. Whether your top priority is optimizing your cloud access strategy, supporting your AI infrastructure goals or securing data for your next major research grant, Equinix provides the tools you need to succeed.

If you are exploring ways to modernize your digital infrastructure or want to learn how your peers are navigating these exact challenges, Carahsoft and Equinix are here to help. Reach out to the digital infrastructure specialists at Carahsoft to schedule a brief discussion or an executive briefing to dive deeper into your university’s specific goals.

Let us help you accelerate discovery and power the next generation of academic innovation.

Come meet Equinix at EDUCAUSE 2026 at Booth #210!

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Equinix, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Better Together: How Nutanix and Omnissa Are Transforming End-User Computing in the Public Sector

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Budget cuts and the pressure to do more with less has pushed IT leaders in State, Local and Education (SLED) organizations to consolidate tools and resources to increase operational efficiency. Simultaneously, the dynamic of workflows are changing; modern-day students and Government workers need secure access to resources from anywhere, at any time.

Integrated solutions are helping SLED organizations eliminate the unnecessary complexity and costs associated with maintaining separate solutions for storage, compute and networking components. The recent partnership between Nutanix and Omnissa offers SLED organizations a platform for managing End-User Computing (EUC) across agencies, states, cities and school districts.

Vendor Choice and Pricing Flexibility

Faced with higher costs and more restrictions, many SLED organizations are seeking alternatives solutions that can provide similar functionality without the associated vendor lock-in risks. The Nutanix-Omnissa platform offers multiple licensing options, including per-user models that offer greater flexibility than traditional bundled approaches. Organizations can choose the licensing model that best fits their usage patterns and budget constraints.

The solution also works with a wide range of server vendors including Dell, HPE, Lenovo, Cisco and more, allowing organizations to leverage existing hardware investments or choose vendors based on their specific procurement requirements. This enables different agencies within the same Government entity to standardize on the same technology stack, eliminating disparate systems.

Hybrid Cloud Security, Compliance and Resilience

SLED organizations must be able to provide remote access to sensitive data while simultaneously meeting strict compliance mandates. The Nutanix-Omnissa Horizon platform supports certified Government cloud environments, including FedRAMP, GovRAMP and GovCloud, ensuring consistent enforcement of security policies across on-premises and hybrid deployments. Department of Defense (DoD) certifications validate the platform for regulated workloads, while unified access gateway appliances deliver secure, compliant remote access.

To strengthen resilience, Nutanix provides automated disaster recovery and replication across sites and clouds, maintaining workload availability even during outages. Agencies can extend their EUC environments across AWS, Azure and soon Google Cloud, balancing scalability with compliance while preserving consistent management and licensing. When paired with Omnissa Horizon Cloud-Pod technology, the platform can provide a true multi-cloud solution including on-premises hybridity.

How Nutanix and Omnissa Are Transforming EUC, blog, embedded image, 2025

Simplified Infrastructure Management

Outmoded infrastructure management often requires specialized expertise across hypervisors, storage, networking components and management tools, creating operational overhead and increasing the risk of configuration errors or security gaps. The Nutanix-Omnissa Horizon integration streamline operations through Prism Central, a unified management interface for multi-cluster and hybrid environments.

The platform includes built-in capabilities for replication, disaster recovery and automated maintenance that traditionally required separate tools and specialized expertise. Lifecycle management capabilities automatically update firmware, software and system components with zero downtime, allowing organizations to perform maintenance during business hours and reduce human error during update processes.

Technical Differentiators and Release Roadmap

Beyond EUC management, the Nutanix-Omnissa Horizon solution introduces technical advantages like Clone Prep technology that enables extremely fast, reboot-free provisioning, delivering near instant clone performance. Nutanix’s metadata-based cloning and data locality ensure low-latency performance for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) workloads, while built-in deduplication and erasure coding optimize storage efficiency. Additional features further strengthen the platform’s ability to meet complex SLED requirements, including:

  • Nutanix Files – scalable file services that can be used for user profiles and Omnissa App Volumes
  • Nutanix Flow – microsegmentation and network security
  • Nutanix Data Lens – ransomware protection and data insights

The partnership is rolling out in phases to ensure stability and customer success. Limited Availability (LA) is currently offered, supporting Windows 10 and 11 automated pools, graphics processing unit (GPU) support and Unified Access Gateway (UAG) appliances. General Availability (GA) is expected between December and March, adding capabilities such as:

  • Automated remote desktop service (RDS) farms
  • Windows Server operating system (OS) support
  • Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode
  • Workspace ONE Access on-premises integration

Proven Partnership with Enhanced Capabilities

Thousands of organizations already run Omnissa Horizon on Nutanix infrastructure using vSphere, demonstrating the maturity and proven nature of the underlying technology platform. The addition of AHV hypervisor support represents an evolution of an existing partnership rather than an experimental new venture, validated real-world organizations that participated in the beta program.

The partnership brings together the complete technology stack and expertise from both organizations. Omnissa brings over 15 years of Horizon and Workspace expertise, while Nutanix contributes hyperconverged infrastructure capabilities. Together, they deliver mature, field-tested solutions that reduce operational complexity, consolidate infrastructure and enable future growth with confidence.

To learn more about how this partnership can transform your organization’s EUC strategy, watch the complete webinar, “Unlock the Future of EUC for Public Sector: Horizon 8 on Nutanix.”

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Nutanix and Omnissa, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Ghost Students, Real Damage: How Colleges Can Fight Back Against Financial Aid Fraud

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Higher education is facing a quiet but costly crisis: the rise of the ghost student.

“Ghost students” are not just overwhelmed freshmen who give up on attending classes. They refer to fraudulent enrollments that exploit financial aid. These individuals use fake or stolen identities to exploit the college admissions and funding process. Although they appear on class rosters, they never actually attend any classes, ultimately vanishing with thousands of dollars in public aid. This leaves a trail of deception and exposes the institution to financial loss, academic disruption and significant risk.

According to ABC News,

  • In California in 2024, community colleges reported 1.2 million fraudulent Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications, resulting in 223,000 confirmed fake enrollments, and at least $11.1 million in aid lost that could not be recovered.
  • Across the country, scams are evolving: AI-driven chatbots are now enrolling in online courses, submitting assignments and collecting Federal aid checks before disappearing.

This isn’t an isolated glitch. It’s a systemic problem that’s already impacted colleges across the country. A recent Fortune investigation revealed the extent of the issue, particularly within State-funded and community colleges. 

Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening—and how schools can take action.

What Ghost Students Are Really Costing Colleges

Draining Financial Aid Funds

Ghost students are exploiting the very programs designed to make education more accessible. By submitting fake applications and filing for FAFSA, they’re securing grants and loans that should go to real students.

  • Millions of taxpayer dollars are being misappropriated.

  • Real students face delays or reductions in funding.

  • Colleges could be subject to additional Federal review related to institutional oversight.

Blocking Real Students from Classes

When ghost students enroll in courses, they take up space in classes with limited capacity.  Real students are waitlisted or forced to delay required coursework causing. 

  • Retention and graduation timelines to be negatively affected.

  • Institutions appear to have higher demand than they do, skewing planning and resourcing.

Creating Chaos for Faculty

Faculty are on the front lines but often lack the tools to act.  Professors see names on rosters that never attend class or engage online.  They waste time managing attendance and grading systems for non-existent students.  In some systems, participation verification ties directly to financial aid distribution, making instructors unwilling fraud gatekeepers.

Undermining Academic Integrity

Some ghost students now use AI tools to simulate engagement, submitting auto-generated assignments or quizzes just enough to avoid detection.  This adds new complexity to academic fraud detection systems.  It creates a misleading sense of engagement and learning outcomes.  It diminishes the credibility of online and hybrid learning models.

Eroding Institutional Trust

When ghost student scams become public, institutions face:

  • Loss of public trust from taxpayers and lawmakers.

  • Stricter audits and compliance measures from Federal and State agencies.

  • Damage to brand reputation, especially for open-access colleges already facing enrollment challenges.

Best Practices to Combat Ghost Student Fraud

The good news? Colleges and universities can take clear, effective steps to combat ghost student fraud—without disrupting the experience of legitimate applicants and learners.

1. Strengthen Identity Verification at Enrollment

  • Require secure identity checks—such as photo ID uploads, Government document validation or third-party identity verification services.

  • Consider real-time methods (e.g., liveness checks or short video interviews) for applicants flagged as high-risk.

  • Cross-reference application data with trusted third-party sources (address, SSN, IP) to verify legitimacy.

2. Monitor for Behavioral and Digital Red Flags

  • Track enrollment behaviors across systems—such as IP location, email reuse or batch submissions.

  • Use device fingerprinting and geolocation to detect patterns consistent with coordinated fraud.

  • Flag applications originating from anonymized networks (e.g., VPNs, Tor) or unusual time patterns.

3. Audit Student Engagement After Enrollment

  • Regularly review course engagement data: login frequency, assignment submissions and participation metrics.

  • Identify students who never log in, submit the same content as others, or only “check in” once to trigger aid distribution.

  • Coordinate across departments to investigate anomalies in LMS usage and academic records.

4. Empower Faculty and Staff with Reporting Tools

  • Provide professors with simple tools to flag suspicious student behavior or attendance issues.

  • Create workflows to escalate these reports to IT, compliance or enrollment services.

  • Incorporate faculty feedback into larger fraud detection strategies and data models.

5. Automate Risk-Based Escalation

  • Apply more scrutiny to applications that show unusual patterns, while keeping onboarding smooth for verified students.

  • Avoid unnecessary friction by using layered security that adapts to the level of risk.

  • Balance access and security, especially critical for open-access institutions serving vulnerable populations.

A Trusted Partner in the Fight Against Ghost Students

Addressing the issue of ghost students requires more than just technological solutions. It necessitates effective coordination among admissions, IT, financial aid and academic departments, along with the right combination of data, policies and personnel.

At HUMAN Security, we have assisted organizations across various industries in defending against sophisticated fraud campaigns, including fake account creation, credential abuse and automated bot attacks. Our team possesses extensive expertise in fraud detection, protecting student identity and behavioral intelligence, and we are prepared to assist higher education institutions in tackling these challenges as well.

We’re not here to sell a one-size-fits-all product—we’re here to have a conversation.

If you’re a university administrator, faculty member or IT leader concerned about ghost students, HUMAN can provide a free consultation to discuss:

  • Best practices for protecting your institution

  • Tailored risk assessment strategies

  • How to align fraud defenses with student equity and access

Let’s work together to protect financial aid, support faculty and create a safer learning environment for real students.

Ready to talk? Contact HUMAN to start a conversation about how your institution can detect and prevent ghost student fraud before it costs your school and your students.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including HUMAN Security we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Program Executive for Education Solutions: The Top 10 Education Events in 2025

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Education technology expands and transforms every year. With new and evolving solutions, students, faculty and administration can cultivate diverse learning experiences, make strides in cyber and physical security for their school systems and explore new opportunities with tools like AI. Carahsoft Technology Corp., The Trusted Education IT Solutions Provider®, features a robust EdTech portfolio for K-12 and Higher Education solutions to help our customers bridge the digital divide and meet the demands of modern education. Check out the top education events to attend this year and join us in discovering EdTech’s latest innovations. 

NAEP EPIC 

May 4-7 | New Orleans, LA | In-Person Event 

The National Association of Educational Procurement EPIC event sets the stage for visionaries, educators, Government experts and thought leaders to discover new ways for innovation and education procurement to converge. This year, the event formerly known as the “Annual Meeting” is getting a brand new name: Educational Procurement Innovation Conference or “EPIC.”  

At this K-12 focused event, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to inspirational keynotes, participate in interactive workshops, network with peers, explore cutting-edge technologies and join in on thought-provoking discussions. 

Here are the potential focus tracks you can expect this year (subject to change): 

  • Contracting and Risk Management 
  • Supplier Relationship Management 
  • Team Development and Structure 
  • Emerging Trends and Technologies 
  • Spend Management and Category Optimization 

Carahsoft has supported the NAEP national and regional shows for the past three years, continuing to invest in the brand as we expand our footprint in the education space. At this year’s event, we will be featured as an Exhibitor Sponsor. Join us at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans and stay tuned for more on our involvement in this event!  

Educause Cybersecurity and Privacy Professionals Conference 

May 19-21 | Baltimore, MD | In-Person Event 

Student safety and security are consistently at the forefront of educators’ minds and discovering innovative and modern ways to ensure those basic requirements are met is imperative. With tailored focus on higher education, this premier Educause forum connects attendees with information security and privacy professionals to do just that. Network and discuss the latest cybersecurity trends and current events with peers and solution providers to make a meaningful impact on your community as well as the entire education sector. 

Program tracks to look out for:  

  • Privacy  
  • Risk, Compliance and Policy  
  • Awareness and Education  
  • Technologies and Operations  
  • Leadership and Professional Development  

Carahsoft is committed to bringing you the latest tech and most powerful cybersecurity tools within the education space today. We hope you will join us at Educause CPPC for three full days of learning, networking and preparing for the future of higher education. Carahsoft will be sponsoring at this year’s event, so stay connected with us to learn more about the partners our partners who will be co-sponsoring with us. Also, join us at our reception during the event (more to come)! 

Internet2 Community Exchange 

April 28-May 1 | Anaheim, CA | In-Person Event 

Learn, explore and connect at the 2025 Internet2 Community Exchange—an event where the industry and education sector connect to share knowledge on the leading challenges and solutions driving higher education today. Together, the global Research and Education (R&E) community and Internet2 empower teams, building meaningful collaborations and relationships within education to elevate the success of students, faculty and administrators everywhere. When attending Community Exchange, guests will be helping transform higher education through peer learning, sharing experiences and discussing topics like policy, current trends and best practices. 

The focus of program tracks this year will be: 

  • Leveraging Advanced Networking  
  • Cloud Services and Solutions 
  • Security Concerns, Collaborations and Solutions 
  • Challenges and Opportunities with Emerging Technologies  

Carahsoft is a proud sponsor of this year’s Internet2 Community Exchange. As a sponsor, we are dedicated to collaborating with attendees, vendor partners and event officials to contribute our expertise to the global discussion surrounding today’s EdTech. Stay tuned to learn more about the silver package co-sponsoring partners we will be featuring along with us! 

Carahsoft’s EdTech Talks Summit 

October 1-3 | Virtual 

The 5th annual EdTech Talks Summit is Carahsoft’s premier event for K-12 and higher education professionals of all grade levels to hear from the industry’s leading EdTech vendors. Over the span of multiple days, attendees will join classroom panels, keynote assemblies and “Before the Bell” breakout sessions with interactive, audience participation in Q&As. During this event, we explore the most pressing topics within the education community such as AI, cybersecurity, data and student mental health.  

Take a look at last year’s various hard-hitting programs to get a sense of what to expect from EdTech Talks 2025: 

  • Security in Education Today: Protecting Privacy, Providing Safety, Promoting Innovation 
  • Enhance Network Security Posture with Nutanix through the E-Rate Program 
  • Professional Development and Workforce Readiness for a Lifetime of Learning 
  • Preparing the Workforce for Challenges in IoT Security 
  • Funding Digital and Physical Security 
  • How AI and Observability Solve Key IT Challenges in K-12 Education 
  • The Intersections of AI and Cybersecurity 

Looking to learn more about EdTech Talks? View our content hub to explore everything you need to know about last year’s event and how Carahsoft can support your education missions. Our team is currently gearing up to share the details with you soon, so stay tuned for more information about our great 2025 event! 

ISTELive25 

June 29-July 2 | San Antonio, TX | Hybrid Event 

Carahsoft Top Education Events Blog Embedded Image 2025

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems in education and inspire innovation. ISTELive is one of the most comprehensive EdTech events, where education leaders, teachers, coaches, librarians, media specialists and more can convene on the latest trends and transformations within the K-12 space. Dive into solutions that will bring positive change to the EdTech world and return to your school empowered with knowledge to meet the needs of your students and staff. 

Carahsoft is excited to be returning to ISTELive with a large booth space to help you learn everything you need to know about us and our partner’s EdTech solutions. Be sure to visit us at booth #855 to chat with a specialist about how we can support your education ecosystem.  

NJSBA Annual Workshop 

October 20-23 | Atlantic City, NJ | In-Person 

Co-sponsored by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators and the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, the New Jersey School Boards Association plans to welcome over 6,000 school leaders from across the Garden State to the year’s most important training event. NJSBA’s Annual Workshop will feature tailored K-12 education insights, strategies and collaborative opportunities to transform and evolve their communities. Engage in professional development, illuminate dialogue, encourage interactive sessions and discover new products and solutions to share with your peers. Join Carahsoft at this great event as we celebrate public education! 

Stay tuned for event announcements and additional information on our participation in this event. We look forward to joining you at this year’s event! Curious about what else to expect? Check out highlights from NJSBA’s 2024 Workshop. Additionally, learn more about our long-standing contract with NJSBA, supporting to advance public education and promote the achievement of all students through effective governance. 

Educause Annual Conference 

October 27-30 | Nashville, TN | Hybrid Event 

Higher education technology transforms year over year. At the Educause Annual Conference, education professionals and technology providers come together to embrace this change, strive for improvement and make it a reality. Bring your ideas to share with your peers surrounding today’s toughest education challenges and brainstorm ways to solve them! Here, attendees can grow meaningful connections with industry collaborators and community members. Garner experience and knowledge within EdTech trends, innovations and tools within an array of education topics.  

Past program tracks and what you can expect at this year’s event include: 

  • Future of Work 
  • Student Experience 
  • Education Leadership 
  • Teaching and Learning 
  • Innovation and Emerging Tech 
  • Cybersecurity, Privacy and Risk Management 
  • Enterprise, Strategy, Data, Infrastructure and Support 

Carahsoft looks forward to returning to the Educause Annual Conference at booth #1050 to connect you with our partners’ cutting-edge EdTech solutions and discuss how we can help you shape the future of education for your school. We will be collaborating with Joe Toste to create podcast episodes for his show, “TechTables,”centered around the event. We will also be hosting a co-sponsored coffee corner and do not forget to join us for our happy hour event!  

CSBA AEC 

December 4-6 | Sacramento, CA | In-Person Event 

The Annual Education Conference is the California School Board Association’s premier continuing education program for K-12 that you will not want to miss! Renew your sense of purpose and commitment as an educator, teacher, board member, superintendent or support professional as you engage with peers to dive into critical conversations, compelling sessions and prime EdTech tools and solutions. This unique event offers guests the opportunity to network with leaders who can offer guidance on local-level issues, discussing how trends are impacting individual schools and communities to improve student learning and achievement. 

Past program tracks include: 

  • Access for All 
  • Digital Transformation in Education 
  • Fiscal Strategies and Accountability 
  • Student and Community Engagement 
  • Strategies and Practices of Governance 
  • Mental Health, Wellness and Student Safety 

Carahsoft is excited to be attending CSBA’s premier event this year. While we are still confirming our presence, learn more about our partnership and contracts with CSBA and how we support the Golden State’s public schools. 

Internet2 Technology Exchange 

December 8-12 | Denver, CO | In-Person Event 

Interested in speaking with technical visionaries? Excited to learn from global technology leaders? Looking for new EdTech tools backed by the education community? I2 TechEx is the event to attend for all these opportunities and more! Meet chief technologists, scientists, engineers, architects, operators and students for community-centric debates, discussions and critical dialogue surrounding topics such as generative AI, cybersecurity posture, Zero Trust, cloud solutions, policy updates, automation and more.  

Carahsoft and our reseller partners work with Internet2 to support their member community through the NET+ program, which provides a portfolio of reliable cloud and trust solutions to help higher education and research institutions solve shared technology challenges. We are still determining the specifics of our participation but are excited to confirm that Carahsoft will be present at this year’s conference! Keep an eye out for updates on how to connect with us during this premier event. 

Previous Event Highlights

CoSN’s Annual Conference 

Each year, CoSN’s Annual Conference aims to lead in education innovation, advancing the knowledge and skills of K-12 school leaders. Diving into topics like cybersecurity, student data privacy and the implementation of generative AI in schools. Attendees will gain a variety of perspectives from EdTech experts and deepen their understanding of these critical issues while exploring new strategies for addressing them. This year’s theme, Human Leadership in a World of AI, analyzed the many roles and responsibilities of IT teams within the K-12 space, foster community around the complex tool and examine best practices surrounding AI within schools.  

For the last several years, Carahsoft has been a proud sponsor of CoSN and holds an annual membership to ensure we are staying up to date on the best this event has to offer. We returned this year at booth #5, so I hoped you stopped by! Stay connected with Carahsoft as we prepare for next year’s event. 

Throughout the change and growth within the education sector this year, Carahsoft and our vendor partners are here to help institutions, organizations and Government agencies navigate it all. Join us at one of these great events to learn, experience and embrace the best the industry has to offer for the future of education technology. 

To learn more or get involved in any of the above events please contact us at EDUmarketing@carahsoft.com. For more information on Carahsoft and our industry-leading education technology partners’ events, visit our Education solutions portfolio and Education Events page. 

A Day in the Life of a Higher Education Administrator: Keeping Sanity with Atlassian’s Solutions

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“The early bird catches the worm,” they say. In higher education administration, the early bird catches a hundred emails, two urgent meeting requests, and a desperate plea from a professor who needs a last-minute resource for their lecture. Welcome to my world.

It’s 7:00 AM, and I’m already two cups of coffee deep, facing the never-ending tasks that define higher education administration. On the docket today: oversee the rollout of a new enrollment policy, respond to at least a dozen student inquiries, coordinate with the campus facilities team about the HVAC issue in the science building, and somehow find time to prepare for the budget review meeting scheduled for 4:00 PM. Oh, and there’s the ongoing university-wide initiative on enhancing digital literacy. Just another ordinary day in the life of higher ed.

But here’s the question: How can we manage all of this without burning out? The real challenge is keeping the daily operational chaos under control while staying focused on the bigger goal: providing an exceptional experience for students, faculty, and staff. That’s where solutions designed for higher education administration make all the difference.

Taming Task Overload with Structured Workflows

One of the most common pain points I face is the sheer volume of tasks, projects, and requests flying my way. From managing campus events to responding to student service requests, the workload can feel unmanageable without a structured system. The solution is simple: centralizing task management and creating transparent workflows that make it easier to stay on top of every project.

Atlassian Higher Education Admin Day in the Life Blog Clipboard Image 2024

Today, I’ve set up a project for the new enrollment policy. Tasks are assigned to various departments: administration, student affairs, and IT. In the comments section of one task, I see a suggestion from a department head about potential concerns from faculty members. I quickly tag the dean of the faculty and leave a note: “Let’s discuss this in the 10:00 AM meeting.” With Atlassian’s Jira, I can coordinate with everyone efficiently, ensuring that all communications and updates are within the platform. This level of transparency helps everyone stay informed, preventing issues from falling through the cracks.

Jira’s project management features allow me to manage complex workflows, track dependencies, and ensure that everything is aligned across departments. It’s more than just task management –  -it’s a vital tool for higher ed, enabling real-time coordination of the intricate web of administrative tasks.

Managing the Flood of Campus IT Requests

In higher education, the volume of IT requests from students, faculty, and staff can be overwhelming. From system access issues to facility-related technical problems, the demand for quick and efficient IT support is ever-growing. Without a centralized system, it becomes challenging to ensure that all these requests are tracked, prioritized, and resolved in a timely manner.

Next, I switch to Jira Service Management, where all incoming IT requests from students, faculty, and staff are tracked. In a higher education technology landscape where IT services are increasingly critical, having a centralized ITSM system like Jira Service Management allows for quick and efficient resolution of issues.

A ticket from Dr. Thompson, the chemistry professor, indicates that there’s an HVAC issue in the lab. I route this to the facilities management team and assign it a high-priority status. Another ticket involves a student unable to access the online learning platform. With Jira Service Management, I can immediately assign these issues to the appropriate team for resolution. The ability to monitor and track these requests in real-time ensures that nothing falls through the cracks.

Universities often face a never-ending flow of IT service requests, and having a robust system like Jira Service Management is essential for maintaining smooth operations. Whether it’s resolving campus-wide tech issues or individual faculty needs, this ITSM tool ensures everything is logged, tracked, and resolved efficiently.

Breaking Down Silos with Centralized Knowledge Management

In higher education, managing information across various departments can become disjointed, with each team relying on separate systems for storing and accessing important documents. This fragmentation leads to inefficiencies and confusion when it comes to collaboration and decision-making. The need for a unified platform that supports knowledge sharing and cross-departmental collaboration is critical.

Once I’ve handled the immediate fires, I move over to Confluence, Atlassian’s collaboration platform. Confluence acts as a digital encyclopedia, where we store all our policies, procedures, and administrative documents. For a higher education institution, having a unified platform for knowledge management is invaluable. Confluence supports collaboration across departments and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

Atlassian Higher Education Admin Day in the Life Blog Book Open Image 2024

Preparing for the afternoon budget meeting, I pull up last year’s budget reports stored in Confluence. I make some quick notes and tag the finance director for their input. Later, I access the page dedicated to our university’s digital literacy initiative, which is a critical part of our ongoing education technology strategy. Here, we have all the necessary documents, timelines, and feedback from faculty neatly organized. Everything I need for tomorrow’s meeting with the IT and academic leadership is at my fingertips.

Confluence enhances productivity by enabling cross-functional teams—be it administrative, academic, or IT—to collaborate seamlessly. For universities looking to scale their digital operations, knowledge management through Confluence is key.

Atlassian to the Rescue: Tackling Higher Ed Chaos One Tool at a Time

The tools I mentioned above—Jira, Jira Service Management, and Confluence—aren’t just general business solutions; I’ve found them to be perfectly suited to the unique challenges we face in higher education. Atlassian provides scalable solutions that adapt to the demands of universities like mine, from managing academic workflows to improving campus facilities management and streamlining student services.

In higher ed technology, the stakes are high, and trust me, the needs are more complex than people might think. Juggling enrollment management, improving IT support for both students and faculty, and coordinating large campus-wide initiatives can be overwhelming without the right tools. That’s why I rely on Atlassian’s suite to keep everything in check. It ensures that all tasks, communications, and resources stay aligned, no matter how chaotic things might seem. Having these tools on hand makes a world of difference in my day-to-day work, and I can confidently say my colleagues feel the same way. Whether it’s a quick request or a major project, we’ve got the systems in place to manage it all, and that gives me a sense of control over the chaos.

For example, learning management systems (LMS) are essential for modern universities. Integrating Atlassian tools with existing LMS platforms enhances the management of online courses, streamlines academic resource sharing, and simplifies the process of handling IT and administrative requests. By connecting Confluence to an LMS, universities can create an integrated environment where both faculty and students can easily access course materials, policies, and updates.

Making Student Services Run Smoothly

In a university setting, one of the most critical aspects of education management is making sure student services run like a well-oiled machine. Whether it’s managing enrollment, handling student requests, or keeping communication between departments smooth, I’ve seen firsthand how Atlassian’s tools transform the way we get things done. It’s no small task, but with these tools, it feels manageable.

Take enrollment management, for example. Every semester, I’m tasked with ensuring hundreds, sometimes thousands, of students are enrolled in the right courses, their records are updated, and they get the support they need. Without the right system in place, this process would drive me up the wall. But with Jira Service Management, handling all these requests becomes second nature. I can log tickets for every enrollment issue, manage course changes, and automatically keep students in the loop with notifications. The best part? I don’t have to waste time manually sending updates or getting lost in email threads. It’s a huge relief for me and my colleagues, as we can focus on helping students rather than getting buried in administrative tasks.

And it doesn’t stop at enrollment. Universities are complex beasts with countless services to manage. Atlassian tools help us streamline other key areas like financial aid management, counseling, and academic advising. I’ve used Confluence to build a shared knowledge base that anyone on the student services team can access. This way, students can find answers to their questions without having to wait on me or anyone else to reply to their emails. Instead of me spending hours fielding the same questions over and over again, students can jump into Confluence and find everything they need. Honestly, it’s a game-changer for everyone involved and makes me feel like I’m really helping students in a more efficient way.

Atlassian Higher Education Admin Day in the Life Blog Alarm Image 2024

Then there’s the challenge of managing campus events. I’ve been part of organizing major events like orientation week, and let me tell you, without the right tools, it’s an absolute nightmare. Coordinating across multiple teams—administration, student services, IT, facilities, and even security—can feel like herding cats. But with Jira’s project management capabilities, I’m able to keep track of every task, assign responsibilities, and set deadlines. When I know every department is clear on what they need to do, I can finally relax a little. From ensuring the auditorium is ready for the keynote speaker to making sure security is in place for the event, Jira keeps everything on track. Project management in higher education can be overwhelming, but with Jira, it’s like having a personal assistant who makes sure nothing gets missed.

At the end of the day, Atlassian’s suite of tools does more than just make my job easier. It makes our entire process more transparent. I love that I can track everything in real-time, and my colleagues can, too. It saves us all time, reduces stress, and keeps us focused on what really matters—helping students succeed. When student services are efficient and transparent, it makes life easier for everyone, from administrators to students. Instead of chasing down loose ends, I’m able to focus on supporting students and making their experience better.

How Atlassian is Shaking Things Up in Higher Ed’s Digital Transformation

As I’ve seen firsthand, higher education is fully diving into digital education technology, and tools like Jira and Confluence are helping institutions, including mine, keep up with the growing demand for online learning, cloud-based management, and remote collaboration. Project management in higher education is evolving quickly, and I can confidently say that Atlassian is right there in the driver’s seat, helping universities like ours navigate this transformation. It’s like having a GPS for campus-wide chaos!

With more universities, including mine, transitioning to cloud-based learning platforms and digital-first approaches, Atlassian tools have become essential for managing the shift. These tools have streamlined our administrative workflows, helped us manage complex projects across departments, and improved communication. Personally, I’ve found that by using Atlassian, I can focus on ensuring students succeed and that academic excellence stays on track. It’s made my job way easier (and a lot less stressful), and I know my colleagues feel the same way as we continue to adapt to this digital transformation.

Wrapping Up—But Never Really Done

By 5:00 PM, I’m ready to call it a day—or at least pretend I’m done. The new enrollment policy is on track, the IT issues are being resolved, and the budget meeting went smoothly thanks to Confluence. Tomorrow’s another day of managing the complex, fast-paced world of higher education, but with Atlassian’s suite of tools at my side, I know I can handle whatever comes my way.

For universities, the challenge of managing diverse departments, large student populations, and ever-growing administrative tasks is daunting. But with Atlassian’s technology solutions for higher education, managing this chaos becomes much more manageable, enabling administrators to focus on their real goal—delivering high-quality education.

Schedule a demonstration with one of our Atlassian experts today to learn more about Atlassian’s technology solutions for higher education.

The Top Upcoming Education IT Events on the Horizon

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From K-12 to Higher Education, our nation’s schools have great opportunities to leverage technology to improve the student, teacher and administrator experience. This year, innovative solutions built on AI, machine learning and the cloud are ready to improve learning inside the classroom and protect schools from external challenges, including potential cybersecurity threats.  

Indeed, there is so much happening in the world of EdTech it is very important to keep up with the latest advancements. That is why we are happy to present a list of the top education IT events you need to check out in 2024. These events cover the gamut of technology innovation in the education sector and feature industry-leading experts, peer-led learning sessions and information sharing and ideation. 

EDUCAUSE Annual Conference  

October 21-24, San Antonio, TX | November 13-14, Online 

The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference is where professionals and technology providers from all over the world convene to network and find solutions that will improve higher education. As always, this year’s conference promises to be the year’s largest gathering of education technology leaders. 

In 2023, Carahsoft had 25 partners demoing their solutions over the two exhibiting days at our booth. In 2024, we have obtained the largest pavilion space to display our leading higher education solutions. This year, we will be joined by Joe Toste and his TechTables podcast to discuss the hottest trends and setbacks customers are facing and how Carahsoft and our partners can help. 

NJSBA’s Workshop 2024 

October 21-24 | Atlantic City, NJ 

The New Jersey School Boards Association’s annual workshop brings together a senior-level audience of school leaders, education professionals and influencers for quality professional development, important legal, legislative, policy and funding updates and new products and services.  

Carahsoft Top Education Events Blog Embedded Image 2024

Carahsoft is a proud sponsor of this celebration of public education, but our work with NJSBA goes far beyond the workshop. The NJSBA has partnered with Carahsoft and our reseller ecosystem to help school districts and member charter schools throughout New Jersey better manage and reduce cybersecurity risk. The partnership provides access to a broad range of cybersecurity-related software, hardware, implementation services and training at discounted pricing. Solutions are also available to K-12 academic institutions and School Board Associations nationwide through the contract’s cooperative purchasing clauses. 

Carahsoft’s Fourth Annual EdTech Talk Series 

November 6-8 | Carahsoft Office, Reston VA – Virtual option via Zoom 

Carahsoft’s EdTech Talks summit is designed to educate academic IT decision makers and end users around the performance, security, cost-saving and modernization benefits of today’s leading EdTech solutions. We will host a three-day series featuring “Classroom Panels,” keynote “Assembly Sessions” and “Before the Bell” breakouts on topics ranging from school safety to student experience. We will also discuss ways to leverage AI and machine learning. Presentation recordings and slide decks from all three days will be available on-demand.  

Stay tuned for a detailed agenda for this year’s event, which will be posted soon. In the meantime, check out some of our sessions from the 2023 EdTech Talk Series.  

SC24 

November 17-22 | Atlanta, GA 

The annual Supercomputing 24 conference—SC24—draws more than 13,000 attendees from across the high-performance computing community. The conference features unique technical presentations, workshops, tutorials and “Birds of a Feather” sessions featuring open discussions about topics of interest to the HPC community. SC24 also features a large exhibit floor showcasing the latest innovations from the world’s leading manufacturers, research organizations and universities.  

Carahsoft is excited to host a pavilion at this year’s conference. We are even more excited to be hosting some of our top AI and EdTech vendors, who will showcase the innovative work they are doing to power academic research in 2024 and beyond. 

CITE Annual Conference 

November 19-21 | San Diego, CA 

Attendees of the California IT in Education Annual Conference include CTOs and directors of technology, network managers and engineers, database administrators, support and technicians. Teachers, administrators and district and county superintendents will also join their technology colleagues to share ideas and information and find out the latest tools to help improve teaching, learning and administration.  

Carahsoft will be a proud sponsor of the event and have a booth at this year’s conference. 

Internet2 Tech Exchange 

December 9-13 | Boston, MA 

Internet2 Tech Exchange brings together a community of technical visionaries—including chief technologists, scientists, engineers, architects, operators and students—to debate, discuss and converse. It is a great forum for global technology leaders to align and move forward together. Although not specifically education-focused, the event covers topics that are relevant to the EdTech sector, including networking, the cloud, cybersecurity and more.  

Carahsoft will be a proud sponsor of this year’s Tech Exchange. 


In additional to the above events, these are some of the other pivotal education events that took place in 2024, including:  

CoSN is the premier membership organization designed to meet the needs of K-12 education technology leaders. Representing over 13 million students in school districts/systems nationwide, CoSN continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education and provides opportunities for companies that support the K-12 EdTech community to participate as corporate members. Carahsoft holds an annual membership with CoSN and has been a proud sponsor for the last several years. Carahsoft plans to continue collaboration at CoSN March 31-April 2, 2025, in Seattle, WA. 

Internet2 Community Exchange convened the worldwide research and education community for in-depth strategic discussions on emerging developments in networking, cloud computing, information security and more. Carahsoft and our reseller partners work with Internet2 to support their member community through the NET+ program and Cloud Scorecard program, which provides a portfolio of reliable cloud and trust solutions to help higher education and research institutions solve shared technology challenges. Carahsoft will be back in Anaheim, CA for the Internet2 Community Exchange April 28-May 1, 2025. 

The National Association of Educational Procurement Annual Conference featured more than 600 procurement officials from universities, colleges and K-12 institutions. Carahsoft annually sponsors NAEP’s national EPIC conference, which showed great success with over 600 procurement officials from Universities, Colleges and K-12 institutions nationwide attending. Carahsoft has also supported the NAEP national and regional shows for the past three years, continuing to invest in the brand as we expand our footprint in the education space. Carahsoft will have presence at NAEP’s conference May 4-7, 2025, in New Orleans, LA. 

Carahsoft proudly sponsored The Merit Member Conference, which highlighted “bridging the gap”, addressing obvious (and not-so-obvious) pitfalls, opportunities to grow, and optimization of oft-neglected issues across three essential tracks—Network, Security and Community. Next year, Carahsoft will attend the conference May 13-14. 

EDUCAUSE Cybersecurity and Privacy Professionals Conference is the premier forum for connecting with higher education information security and privacy professionals. Carahsoft was a display table sponsor, joined by our partners onsite to display our solutions for higher education cybersecurity needs. This event gave participants a chance to network and discuss information security and privacy trends and current issues with peers and solution providers. Carahsoft plans to attend EDUCAUSE next year, May 19-21, in Baltimore, MD. 

The International Society for Technology in Education is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems and inspire innovation. ISTE’s worldwide network believes in the potential technology holds to transform teaching and learning. ISTELive is one of the world’s most comprehensive EdTech events, attended by a global contingent of education leaders, teachers, coaches, librarians, media specialists and more. Carahsoft was a proud sponsor of and exhibitor at this year’s conference, and plans to attend again June 29-July 2, 2025, in San Antonio, TX. 


Needless to say, it has been a big year for events—and an even bigger year for technology in education. From AI to the cloud, from cybersecurity to networking, there are more options than ever before for educational institutions interested in using technology to improve learning. We are excited to be a part of it, and we look forward to seeing you as we go out into the EdTech community this year. Join Carahsoft at these upcoming events and explore the role technology will play in education, this year and beyond. We look forward to seeing you! 

To learn more or get involved in any of the above events please contact us at EDUmarketing@carahsoft.com. For more information on Carahsoft and our industry leading Education technology partners’ events, visit our EdTech solutions portfolio. 

EdTech Talks: A Comprehensive Look at Security in Education for Safe Learning Environments

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Emerging technologies today are providing K-12 schools and higher education institutions with the capabilities to support seamless and secure campus efforts, which ensures protection of academic environments as well as students, faculty and staff. Remaining vigilant, versatile and adaptable in the current education landscape, especially when it comes to security and student safety, are the most important considerations for education leadership when deciding what new solutions and integrations to incorporate into their schools.

Carahsoft’s annual EdTech Talks Summit brought together industry and education thought leaders to explore three tactical learning tracks: safety for the learning environment, the impact of technology on student growth and development, and modernizing education with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. During the first day’s discussion, speakers provided insights into building safe learning settings with a comprehensive look at both cyber and physical security in education.

Analyzing Current Security Risks

Carahsoft EdTech Talks Summit Blog Series-Part 1 Security and Safety Blog Embedded Image 2024Education institutions face a myriad of cybersecurity challenges such as ransomware, third-party access to school systems, internal bad actors and stolen credentials. One of the most impactful vulnerabilities is a lack of awareness across school communities regarding security. For example, individuals who are unable to recognize a phishing text message that asks the receiver to click on an unsafe link because an account has been frozen may potentially put their own data and their school’s data at risk of exposure.

While cybersecurity is one of the most important aspects of cultivating a successful learning environment, it is just as important to consider physical security for a safe learning environment. Building and campus surveillance, visitor management monitoring, lock down and fire drills, active shooter and crisis management are among some of the ways schools provide personal security for students and staff. With so many aspects of security to manage, schools also must balance being open, inclusive and engaging with communities and culture to provide more expansive learning opportunities while simultaneously protecting against threats on limited budgets.

Protecting Against Cyber Threats in the Modern World

For improved security, educators and industry leaders must collaborate to take proactive measures to safeguard digital infrastructure, data and physical campuses. The best place to start is by ensuring the fundamental standards of cyber defense are in place, functioning properly and are continuously monitored and modernized. This includes solutions and processes such as:

  • Utilizing multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible
  • Email and phishing security to avoid ransomware
  • Maintaining a high standard of digital hygiene through services such as patching and vulnerability management
  • Creating robust and resilient backup strategies for all data at endpoints and in the cloud
  • Performing recovery testing to ensure backups and other operations are working accordingly
  • Providing resources and trainings to engage with school communities to raise awareness of ways students and teachers can defend themselves against physical and cybersecurity threats
  • Implementing a “see something, say something” mentality across school communities to ensure all potential risks are reported and mitigated
  • Hiring IT staff and educators who are passionate about the security and safety mission set forth by an institution and allow them to provide new ideas and innovation
  • Investing in quality cyber insurance to protect institutions against setback from a ransomware attack
  • Conducting frequent audits to ensure school’s systems are compliant with the latest policy requirements and standards in the case a claim must be made

Security Implementation for Institutions

Industry and education experts alike understand the importance of providing a safe space for all students, whether inside schools or online, and continuously aim to make sure their experience is as productive and valuable as possible. Particularly within higher education, many universities and colleges have individual point solutions that they have integrated into their systems to solve very specific problems, creating a disconnected mixture of security infrastructure. Security must be designed with students in mind and a way that provides optimal learning, collaboration and inclusion—technology can help achieve this imperative goal.

As Government and education sectors continue to move toward cloud environments, managing a multitude of products and solutions can become cumbersome and difficult to regulate security. To combat this, consolidation of products to create increased visibility, automation and agility are key for transforming a current infrastructure to be more successful and produce actionable insights.

Visit the EdTech Talks Conference Resource Center to view panel discussions and other innovative insights surrounding security, AI and student success from Carahsoft and our partners.

 

About Carahsoft in the Education Market  

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Education IT Solutions Provider™.  

Together with our technology manufacturers and reseller partners, we are committed to providing IT products, services and training to support Education organizations.  

Carahsoft is a leading IT distributor and top-performing E&I Cooperative Services, Golden State Technology Solutions, Internet2, NJSBA, OMNIA Partners and The Quilt contract holder, enhancing student learning and enabling faculty to meet the needs of Higher Education institutions.  

To Learn more about Carahsoft’s Education Solutions, please visit us at http://www.carahsoft.com/education

To learn more about Carahsoft’s Cybersecurity Solutions please, visit us at https://www.carahsoft.com/solve/cybersecurity

EdTech Talks: Modernizing Education with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

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Schools must embrace change alongside their growing generations to equip students for the future. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are two evolving, expansive technologies that are creating a monumental impact in the private and Public Sector, with education institutions being no exception. At Carahsoft’s annual EdTech Talks Summit, education leaders explored how AI and ML are changing the way teachers instruct, the way students learn and the way administrators approach technology in schools.

As a baseline, when considering AI for K-12 and higher education, administrators should follow several guiding principles for responsible and trustworthy use of AI.

  • Human-centricity: Promote human well-being, individuality and equity
  • Inclusivity: Ensure accessibility and diverse perspectives
  • Accountability: Proactively identify and mitigate adverse impacts
  • Transparency: Instruct students and teachers on proper usage, including potential risks and how decisions are made
  • Robustness: Operate reliably and safely while enabling mechanisms that assess and manage potential risks
  • Privacy and security: Respect the privacy of data subjects

Generative AI in Education

Carahsoft EdTech Talks Summit Blog Series-Part 3 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Blog Embedded Image 2024Generative AI is still fairly new to the education space and educators are on both sides of the spectrum of acceptance—some prefer to erase it from their schools while others are open to embracing the up-and-coming technology for use cases not only in the classroom, but also to prepare students for the future workforce.

For example, one of the first technologies educators may be inclined to use when adopting AI in the classroom is detection tools. Dr. Anand Rao, Professor of Communications Chair of the Department of Communications and Digital Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia recommends against this technology implementation because it could negatively affect vulnerable students. AI detection is not 100% correct in every instance. For some students, English may not be their first language and a detection tool could potentially identify their work as AI generated because it may be more formulaic. While detection tools can be utilized in a positive way to ensure honesty is upheld within students’ work, teachers and professors should use their discretion to determine the results of detection tools.

AI literacy is one of the most important principles for instructors to explore, deliberate and establish guidelines for. Since generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT and other tools like detection programs are still modernizing, students and faculty should go through a test period to learn how they work and understand whether they are comfortable utilizing them. As a next step, IT teams must be prepared to begin implementation and consider cybersecurity in that process.

Analytics and Data in AI

Education data grows exponentially with each new school year; however, collecting, evaluating and taking action based on the insights of that data is a long yet vital process. Instructors and administrators must leverage platforms that can help automate and analyze new and archived data to make the most informed decisions for their schools using the AI analytics lifecycle. This includes managing data efficiently, interpreting observations made about data and finally, creating a plan to incorporate constructive action to address needs discovered via the data. Using this strategy, schools can be better prepared to tackle real world questions and scenarios and provide students and teachers with the tools and processes they need to be successful.

This year’s EdTech Talks Summit event aimed to educate academic IT decision makers and end users about the current challenges and solutions surrounding student growth and development, security, AI and ML and cost-saving, modernization benefits of today’s leading EdTech solutions. The Education sector faces new challenges every school year, and it is imperative now more than ever that the IT industry and Government work together to provide the most safe and successful learning environments for all students.

Visit the EdTech Talks Conference Resource Center to view panel discussions and other innovative insights surrounding security, AI and student success from Carahsoft and our partners.

 

About Carahsoft in the Education Market  

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Education IT Solutions Provider™.  

Together with our technology manufacturers and reseller partners, we are committed to providing IT products, services and training to support Education organizations.  

Carahsoft is a leading IT distributor and top-performing E&I Cooperative Services, Golden State Technology Solutions, Internet2, NJSBA, OMNIA Partners and The Quilt contract holder, enhancing student learning and enabling faculty to meet the needs of Higher Education institutions.  

To Learn more about Carahsoft’s Education Solutions, please visit us at http://www.carahsoft.com/education

To learn more about Carahsoft’s AI Solutions, please visit us at https://www.carahsoft.com/solve/ai-machine-learning

Applications of Technology in Higher Education at EDUCAUSE

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Technology advancement has resulted in many potential usages for university students and faculty, educational and research institutions and Government agencies. For agencies focused on higher education, taking advantage of new technology can help bolster security and ease student and faculty daily procedures. Industry and education experts joined together at the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference for an immersive experience that facilitated collaboration and discussion to promote the advancement of higher education by using information technology (IT).

Leveraging Security Technology Against Ransomware

With the increasing technology usage in everyday life, many higher education agencies are susceptible to cybersecurity threats like ransomware. The education sector is no exception, with attacks ranging from exploited vulnerabilities, to compromised credentials, malicious emails, phishing attempts, brute force attacks and malicious downloads. As ransomware comes with financial loss, it is important for higher education agencies to invest accordingly in cybersecurity. According to industry statistics, 70% of organizations have successfully recovered data using backup mechanisms. This data recovery is not only much simpler than paying the ransom, but it also removed the attack incentive since paying the ransom encourages bad actors to continue attacks. Higher education institutions own and maintain a significant amount of intellectual property as a source of data wealth and research. To protect this information and ensure the safety and financial success of educational institutions, higher education must focus on creating backups and position IT security staff as trusted advisors, fortify their cybersecurity infrastructure and foster a vigilant culture amongst students and faculty.

Digital Services in Education

Carahsoft EDUCAUSE Recap 2023 Blog Embedded Image 2024With a strong cybersecurity base, universities can reap the benefits of both external and internal digital services. External market data can be used to predict internal performance. Data can help define popular markets, from student demand for majors, future employment opportunities and university competitor information. Educational institutions can utilize technology to analyze data and make millions of calculations in a minimal amount of time. With these predictive analytics, education administrations can make informed decisions when forecasting program sizes, enrollment numbers, scholarships and revenue margins.

Universities can utilize digital applications to offer user-friendly functions to support faculty and students with daily tasks such as helping locate class schedules, campus maps, facility wait times, task notifications and other essential remedies for success. Digital applications with collaboration tools and platforms can connect peers and faculty members in a simple and pragmatic way, facilitating communication on projects and learning objectives. On the administrative side, digital services can reduce time spent by automating functions such as credit transfers and transcript evaluations. Institutions can also utilize digital applications to offer automated aid for student requested services, which reduces call center wait times, manual processing errors and delayed accommodations.

The Varied Applications of AI

In the educational space, AI has a multitude of use cases:

  • AI can detect cyber threats and vulnerabilities, thus protecting student, faculty and stakeholder sensitive information.
  • By facilitating the automation of routine security tasks, patches and system updates, AI can free up more time for cybersecurity professionals to focus on more complex initiatives, thus creating a more robust security infrastructure.
  • Schools can utilize AI’s advanced authentication mechanism to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and provide seamless account access for students, faculty and staff.
  • Institutions are currently using AI to understand the best methods for student retention, a common concern in higher education. Methods such as text-based chat apps are designed to send encouraging messages, tutoring or counseling to students who have been identified as needing additional resources. Text applications can also be used to connect students to enrollment services, tutoring or counseling.
  • AI’s use of data analytics can facilitate customized learning experiences based on each student’s strengths, weaknesses and learning pace. This includes tailored content, question and answer chatbots and virtual assistants.
  • Adaptive learning platforms powered by AI can assess individual student performance and deliver tailored content, allowing students to grasp complex concepts at their own pace. This personalized approach enhances student engagement and motivation, ultimately leading to improved academic outcomes.

Since AI will always contain human bias, it is important to apply AI as an additional tool, and not a standalone operation. In maintaining the priority for equality and privacy in the educational sphere, each individual institution must find where AI best fits into their respective organization.

Technology can be utilized to enhance cybersecurity infrastructure, detect compromised systems, analyze data to improve common educational institution functions and improve student performance and morale. By partnering with the IT industry, higher education institutions can posture students and faculty to lead the way to success for the next generation of learners.

To learn more about utilizing IT for education initiatives, view Carahsoft’s Education Technology Solutions Resources.

 

About Carahsoft in the Education Market 

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Education IT Solutions Provider™. 

Together with our technology manufacturers and reseller partners, we are committed to providing IT products, services and training to support Education organizations. 

Carahsoft is a leading IT distributor and top-performing E&I Cooperative Services, Golden State Technology Solutions, Internet2, NJSBA, OMNIA Partners and The Quilt contract holder, enhancing student learning and enabling faculty to meet the needs of Higher Education institutions. 

Learn more at http://www.carahsoft.com/education