Look for any podcast host, guest or anyone
Showing episodes and shows of

K12techtalk

Shows

K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 257 - Infinite Campus CEO talks Salesforce BreachOn this episode of the K12 Tech Talk podcast, Josh, Chris, and Mark interview Charlie Kratsch, CEO of Infinite Campus, about a confirmed cyber incident involving the company’s Salesforce instance. Charlie explains how attackers used a fast, professional vishing campaign and an imposter login domain to harvest credentials and bypass MFA, and then ran targeted reports through Salesforce. The data accessed was limited to support and customer‑directory information from the ticketing system, not the Infinite Campus student databases. Infinite Campus shut down access, audited the exports, engaged outside forensics and the FBI, and refused to engage with rans...
2026-03-2752 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 256 - AI in the Classroom and the Federal Bills Shaping Student SafetyOn this episode, the guys discuss how students are using AI and how districts are responding with pilots, policy lessons, and content controls. They share real pilot data showing most AI chats were educational, while a smaller portion involved attempts at academic dishonesty or flagged content. The conversation also explores the controversial use of AI chatbots for mental‑health support. Josh, Chris, and Mark share personal experiences and the challenges of balancing safety and usefulness. The main segment summarizes four major federal proposals affecting student safety and tech: Sammy’s Law (third‑party child safety monito...
2026-03-2049 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 255 - Interview with R.T. Collins, CEO of Incident IQOn Episode 255, Chris, Josh, and Mark return from the MidwestTechTalk Security Symposium to discuss several hot topics. They cover New Hampshire's recently revised data privacy law and the temporary fallout for school livestreams and events, plus a Chicago district using license plate data for residency enforcement. The guys recap the MidwestTechTalk Security Symposium, including their hands on impressions of Apple's new MacBook Neo.  Chris then interviews R.T. Collins, CEO of Incident IQ, about how service desk and asset management systems relate to incident response, data governance, and the responsible use of AI in K12 o...
2026-03-191h 04K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 254 - Did Apple Just Release the Chromebook Killer?On Episode 254 of K12 Tech Talk, Josh, Chris, and Mark break down Apple’s big announcement: the Mac Neo, a $499 laptop that many call a potential Chromebook killer. They compare specs, durability, repairability, management with Apple School Manager, resale value, and the extra operational costs and security considerations (EDR, content filtering, app installs) for school districts. The hosts debate whether the Neo could replace student Chromebooks or target staff and teacher devices first. The episode also covers recent education tech news: a $1.1M California fine against PlayOn for deceptive data‑sharing practices, College Board’s ban on smart...
2026-03-0645 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 252 - Tennessee Banning Classroom Technology?Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss Tennessee proposals that would severely restrict or ban classroom devices and online assessments for younger grades, and debate whether this is an overreaction or a needed reset on screen time. They discuss a widespread, sophisticated phishing campaign that hit many Midwest school districts, including guidance on immediate steps to secure compromised accounts for Google and Microsoft. Google: https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/support/troubleshooting/identify-and-secure-compromised-accounts Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-office-365/responding-to-a-compromised-email-account K12 SIX: https://k12six.org/compromise ———— Sponsored by: ...
2026-02-2748 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 251 - Inside the Flock Controversy with Mark Keierleber and Michael KleinChris, Josh, and Mark interview Mark Mark Keierleber from The 74 about his investigation into Flock license-plate cameras and how those camera networks are being queried by federal and out-of-state law enforcement. They then bring in cybersecurity expert Michael Klein to explain the impacts on schools, covering mass surveillance risks, audit logs, data-sharing practices, and the ways camera access can be shared beyond a district’s control. ———— Sponsored by: Meter - meter.com/k12techtalk Visit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!   VIZOR   Extreme Networks Lightspeed Systems ClassLink Fortinet NTP ————
2026-02-2049 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 250 - Camera Controversy & Student Data Privacy!Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss the 74 reporting that federal immigration agents have been tapping Flock license plate cameras, which leads to broader conversation about school and neighborhood cameras (Ring/Nest/home systems) balancing safety and privacy. The guys unpack a listener email about how K12 techs should approach student data privacy. Finally, there is an interview with Rise Vision, discussing digital signage, templates, deployment, emergency alerts, and screen sharing. Articles discussed: Khan Academy & Gemini Schools Racing to Meet Web Accessibility Deadline ICE Taps into School Flock Cameras   ———— Spo...
2026-02-1352 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 248 - Snow Day Anthems & Denver's ChatGPT ShutdownEpisode 248 has a listener poll of viral snow-day announcement songs from districts around the country. Check out the videos below and tell us your favorite by emailing us at info@k12techtalkpodcast.com: Option 1: Benson Boone - Ozarks Schools (MO) Option 2: Extraordinary - Novi Community School District (MI) Option 3: Code Red - Montgomery County Public Schools (MD) The second half of this episode is an interview with Dr. Richard Charles, CIO for the Denver Public Schools. Dr. Charles discusses Denver’s decision to block ChatGPT for students and staff over privacy, sa...
2026-01-3046 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 247 - Senate Hearing on Screen TimeOn this episode we talk about free certifications, Google Gemini updates, and updates to Microsoft’s Copilot Teach and Study & Learn Agents. We discuss SSL certificate lifetime changes and ACME automation. Finally, we unpack and react to last week’s Senate hearing on screen time led by Senator Ted Cruz - including perspectives from Dr. Jean Twenge and Senator Markey. Senate Hearing on Screen Time: https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/lawmakers-hold-hearing-on-the-impact-of-screen-time-on-kids/671683 ———— Sponsored by: Rise Vision Interactive Digital Signage Templates + Touchscreen Displays Screen Sharing Emergency Alerts  Lightspeed Systems   Meter - meter.com/k12techtal...
2026-01-2357 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 246 - Monkeys in St. Louis & Frustrations in DenverHosts Josh, Chris, and Mark unpack a week of wild headlines and K12 tech policy: viral AI images that complicated a search for wild vervet monkeys in St. Louis, Denver Public Schools’ decision to block ChatGPT for students, and a preview of a Senate hearing on kids and screen time. They discuss a Texas district fighting state regulators over bell‑to‑bell phone bans, cybersecurity warnings about teen recruitment by criminal hacking groups, and district‑level debates over academic integrity, AI pilots (including Gemini), and practical controls schools need before adopting consumer‑grade LLMs. ———— Sponsored by:
2026-01-1643 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 245 - New Year, New Cyber AttacksAnd we're back! We discuss the New Year spike in cyber attacks on schools over the holiday break and practical strategies for vacation periods - automated alerting, third‑party monitoring, suspending or shutting down non‑critical services. Other topics include what to look for when hiring technician, the rise of remote psycho-educational testing, early findings from the E‑Rate cybersecurity pilot, vendor liability caps in data privacy agreements, and a listener email about student account compromises from downloaded apps and VPNs. ———— Sponsored by: Meter - meter.com/k12techtalk Visit meter.com/k12techtalk to...
2026-01-0955 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 244 - 2025 Recap and 2026 Predictions!Josh, Chris, and Mark close out the year on Episode 244 with a fast-paced, candid recap: reviewing last year’s predictions, unpacking the biggest 2025 themes, and making bold calls for 2026. Chris shares a story about Missouri-flavored smoked ribs and a district core switch outage. Key topics include the mainstreaming of AI in K12, vendor security scrutiny (PowerSchool and Infinite Campus MFA), continued funding uncertainty, device cost, student data privacy, and looming screentime debates. The hosts share practical takeaways and predictions for 2026! AI, screentime, vendor accountability, tighter budgeting, and more!!! ———— Sponsored by: Meter - me...
2025-12-1934 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 243 - Screens & Smart GlassesJosh, Chris, and Mark discuss students and screen time - including Australia’s ban on social media accounts for under 16, a NTIA listening session on excessive screen time in schools, and proposed Missouri legislation limiting K‑5 screen use and tech‑required homework. They dig into enforcement and equity concerns, district reporting and instructional use of devices, and the tension between digital literacy and reduced screen exposure. The main topic is on the rising issue of wearable smart glasses (Meta/Ray Ban) on campus - privacy, covert recording risks, policy implications, and how districts might respond. ———— Sponsored...
2025-12-1242 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 242 - ChatGPT Stumbles into K-12 ClassroomsEpisode 242 digs into the messy rollout of ChatGPT for Teachers and what it means for districts. We discuss the first‑in admin problem, educator verification (pay‑stub/DNS issues), SSO/SAML concerns, the 18‑month trial/pricing uncertainty, and whether OpenAI rushed the launch to capture market share. We also cover recent news: the FTC’s action against Illuminate over a 2021 data breach and the Department of Education’s tentative agreements to shift programs to other federal agencies. Plus Jeff from VIZOR joins to explain asset and device management features, repair workflows, and budgeting/ROI. ———— Sponsored by:
2025-12-051h 06K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 200 - Special Guests, Musical Acts, and Celebrity Drop-Ins...The 200th episode of the K12 Tech Talk podcast was packed with special guests, laughs, and big announcements. Musician Colt Ball kicked things off with a live performance, and David Wren from NTP discussed K12TechPro's cybersecurity deals for schools. Tom Ryan shared insights on AI, while Chris Illingworth from Fortinet talked about security solutions. The K12 Tech Talk and K12TechPro team celebrated milestones, including 1,000 K12TechPro members across 50 states and nine countries. The guys did dad jokes with Josh’s son, Jackson, and an exciting giveaway from ChromebookParts—200 free toolkits and $1,000 in repairs! (Email k12techtalk@gmail.com...
2025-02-071h 12K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 182 - SIS Conversion Debrief and Listener RebuttalsIn this episode, we talk about emails we received from listeners as rebuttals to topics from last week (Ring cameras and bugs in Chromebooks). Mark hosts a SIS Conversion Debrief and asks Chris and Josh 5 soul searching questions about their SIS Conversion experiences. The Cybersecurity Pilot opens next week and we talk about it in the news. OH, AND BIG NEWS!!! We now have a phone number you can call and leave us voicemails! Do it! 314-329-0363 -------------------- NTP dwren@ntp-inc.com VIZOR vizor.cloud/k12techtalk Listeners get special...
2024-09-131h 05K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 173 - LAUSD's AI Issues and Chris Loves DronesIn the latest episode of K12 Tech Talk, Josh, Chris, and Mark dive into the latest news in the education technology world. They discuss Instructure's annual "EdTech Top 40" report, LAUSD's "Ed" initiative making headlines, and the US Department of Education releasing guidance for AI developers in education. They also address listener emails regarding FOIA requests for staff email addresses. The main topic focuses on summer account maintenance and how schools are handling staff accounts during this time.   News Stories: 1. Instructure EdTech Top 40 report 2. LAUSD's "Ed" initiative 3. LAUSD's AI meltdown and ways to avoid mistakes 4. US Dept of Ed...
2024-07-1245 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 172 - Why I'm Leaving the Job I LoveJosh, Chris, and Mark discuss a variety of topics including cell phone bans and prepping for the FCC pilot. They also address listener feedback on the garage door conversation from a few weeks back. The main topic of the episode focuses on why one of the hosts is leaving their district - but you're going to have to listen to the episode to find out who's leaving and why!    VIZOR -  Do a demo and get a pod shirt/hoodie along with it. Oh, and VIZOR will be at MidwestTechTalk next month.   ManagedMethods - Check out managedmethods.com   Extreme - Emai...
2024-06-2847 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 171 - Hot Weather, Parent Communication, Some Spicy JokesWARNING - This episode does have some "spicy" humor and language. Be aware if listening around children and/or small animals. Chris is gone, so Mark and Josh do their best to hold down the fort. They take a listener email from James about prepping for extreme heat and keeping datacenters cool. Mark and Josh play a version of Family Feud about the top uses for communication apps. They also talk about a trending LinkedIn post about how K12 IT is viewed by Private Industry IT.  They also talk about Clever's newly released Cyber Blueprint. F...
2024-06-2143 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 170 - Under Construction Part 2 (New Logo/New Music)The studio is still under construction, but we do have a new logo and music! The news room will return soon (and Mark too). And we're still making adjustments. Josh and Chris discuss Android versus Apple, third party patching options, garage doors and sprinkler systems on the school's wifi, and the FCC's cybersecurity pilot announcement (that the podcast and K12TechPro were cited in!). -------------------- NTP is helping K12TechPro with the Meetups.  Join us Virtually on August 7th and In-Person at Richmond, VA on September 20th. Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.c...
2024-06-1430 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 168 - Are Districts Ready for Enterprise AI Models?In the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, hosts Josh and Mark discuss the recent Klein ISD DDOS attack that disrupted STARR testing, leading to an 18-year-old student facing felony charges. They also delve into a Google Blog post about phishing tests and the adoption of a “fire drill” approach. The main topic of the episode focuses on Google, ChatGPT, and Microsoft Copilot at the enterprise level, exploring the details of each plan and considering their use for school districts. NTP - dwren@ntp-inc.com K12TechPro - Join the Community! iDoc...
2024-05-3133 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 167 - Manifesting Your Dream Summer BreakIn the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss the new CISA reporting requirements, the details of the E-Rate cybersecurity pilot, and the rumored PowerSchool buyout by Bain Capital. They also address listener questions about Manifest V3 and summer school preparation. CISA reporting requirements (CIRCIA) Consortium for School Networking PowerSchool buyout by Bain Capital Manifest V3 information NTP - dwren@ntp-inc.com K12TechPro - Join the Community! iDoc - Email dave@idocrepair.com for a quote VIZOR ClassLink Extreme Networks - dmayer@extremenetworks...
2024-05-2454 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkFlashback to Episode 97: Scott Elder (Re-release)This is a re-release episode! We sit down with Scott Elder, the Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools. We talk about the ransomware attack they experienced in January 2021.  This discussion is from the perspective of the Superintendent during the attack.  Scott is wildly candid and honest about the experience. iDoc ManagedMethods Extreme Networks Fortinet Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us err X us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE
2024-05-1756 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 166 - Reflections on a Year with AIIn the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, hosts Josh and Mark delve into the latest tech news, including the malicious hacker behind the Kaseya ransomware attack being jailed and the introduction of the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act and the Eyes on the Board Act. They also address listener emails about the proper disposal of old computer hard drives and the use of Google Takeout. The main topic explores the use (or misuse) of AI over the last year of school, discussing both positive changes as well as negative. Malicious hacker behind Kaseya ransomware...
2024-05-1052 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 165 - Data Privacy & Interoperability at the PESC-A4L SummitChris and Mark attend the PESC-A4L Summit. They learn about A4L's mission to support lifelong learning through interoperability, privacy, and security across PK20W+ - breaking down the silos and ensuring the data seamlessly follows the learners from PK though K12 into Post-secondary, into the workforce, and into retirement. Interviews: Steve Smith, Executive Director of A4L... The Godfather Steve Setzer, Loop Data Wes Sims, Snap Mobile Connie Coy, MOREnet Ramah Hawley, A4L Co-Chair, The Education Cooperative Josh Olstad, Oyster River School...
2024-05-031h 02K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 164 - Tutor.com Receives Some Criticism, Turnitin Releases Data on AI Usage, and Chris Has a Rant.In the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, Chris and Mark discuss a variety of news stories, including the COPS SVPP grant focusing on security measures in schools such as notification systems and security cameras. They also address concerns around Primavera's investment in Tutor.com and the rise of AI-generated plagiarism in student papers. Listener emails reveal discussions on firewall ratings and more. - - - - - https://www.youtube.com/@k12techtalk Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! * NTP * Howard ...
2024-04-2653 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 163 - Cyber Attack Liability, Proxies, and Managed MethodsIn this insightful episode of K12 Tech Talk, Josh and Mark delve into recent events and hot topics within the sphere of school technology. Triggered by a recent cyber-attack on the Clark County, the hosts debate whether schools should be held accountable for such breaches and discuss the potential nation-wide implications of legal cases in this regard. The guys discuss the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in school environments. They discuss how end-of-year school activities impact tech management. They talk about students using proxy sites to bypass filters. - - - - - ...
2024-04-1941 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 162.5 - Insights from the CoSN 2024 Conference - Part 2This is Part 2 of K12 Tech Talk's engaging journey through the trending topics from CoSN in Miami! Highlights are discussions about AI readiness and CoSN's AI maturity matrix, Secure by Design, enhancing data security in schools, and the dynamic evolution of technology within educational institutions. Interviews include: Josh Olstad - Technology Director, SAU #5, New Hampshire Shahryar Khazei - retired CIO of Los Angeles Unified Jim and Melissa - Future of Privacy Forum Tom Ryan - the man, the myth, the legend... Co-Founder at K-12 Strategic Technology Advisory Group, former CIO of...
2024-04-1748 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 162 - Insights from the CoSN 2024 Conference - Part 1Part 1 of 2 In this exciting episode of K12 Tech Talk, Chris, Josh, and Mark deliver a front-row experience of the CoSN Conference in Miami. Interviews include: Susan Enfield - CoSN Keynote Richard Culatta - CEO ISTE/ASCD Don Ringelestein - CoSN Board, DEI subcommittee Megan Gretzinger - Friend of K12TechPro and K12 Tech Talk Will Brackett - "After Action Reports" session - - - - - https://www.youtube.com/@k12techtalk Join the K12TechPro.com Community. ...
2024-04-1241 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 161 - Elevator Repairs, Dead Rodents, and an Interview with VIZORJosh, Chris, and Mark discuss several listener emails and K12TechPro posts. They talk about POTS lines with elevators, fire alarms, and fax machines. They talk about password managers. They talk about how to obtain technical knowledge and skills when you have a position that isn't necessarily specializing in a certain area. They talk about LMS options and the tech dept's support role. And then there's some sideways talk about elevator inspections and dead rodents. Oh, and an interview with VIZOR customer Chris. ----more---- https://www.youtube.com/@k12techtalk Join the K12...
2024-04-051h 01K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 160 - Mohit Gupta, Director of Product @ CleverThis is a special episode. Josh and Chris interview Mohit Gupta, Director of Product at Clever. We discuss student MFA, the teacher Clever Library, student data privacy, the history of Clever, and more. ----more---- https://www.youtube.com/@k12techtalk Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! * NTP * Howard * Email Seth Shockley - sshockley@howard.com * Extreme - email dmayer@extremenetworks.com * VIZOR - Would you like a free K12 Tech Hoodie and reduce your workload? Then check out...
2024-03-2847 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 159 - Josh Rants, VR in the Classroom, and an Interview with AbsoluteJosh, Chris, and Mark discuss the recent cyberattack where hackers compromised two critical systems of CISA using vulnerabilities in Ivanti products. Josh derails the conversation after receiving some "hate" mail recently, though. They also touch on the future of VR in education, reflecting on past experiences with Google Expeditions and the shift towards AI in K12. The episode features an interview with Absolute. Reddit article about future of VR in education ----more---- https://www.youtube.com/@k12techtalk Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! ...
2024-03-2256 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 158 - Gyms are for PE, not the SAT.In this episode, the guys discuss a security bulletin from Papercut, the launch of the digital SAT, and the release of an artificial intelligence framework for district leaders by ILO Group. They also address listener emails, including a question about parental access to web filters. The main topic focuses on tips for preparing for online testing season and large-scale assessments, prompted by a listener's story about a failed testing attempt in a cafeteria. News Stories: 1. Papercut Security Bulletin March 2024 2. Digital SAT Launches 3. ILO Group Releases AI Framework for District Leaders 4. COSN & CGCS AI Re...
2024-03-1551 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 157 - Vendor Turnover, E-Rate Advice, and ColonoscopiesJosh and Mark discuss the decline in edtech investments after the pandemic and the impact it may have on the industry. They also touch on the renewal costs for VMware customers and the opportunity it presents for competitor Nutanix. The episode explores the importance of team growth in a school district, highlighting the benefits of knowledge sharing, proactive vs. reactive work, and shared responsibilities. Additionally, listeners inquire about erate efforts in smaller districts and the strategy of swapping out vendors regularly. Articles discussed on this episode: Ed tech investments slow after sizable pandemic bump Nutanix CEO...
2024-03-0846 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 156 - Tabletop Exercise with LeadershipHosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss a range of tech news stories, including articles on AT&T cell phone service outages, teachers avoiding AI tools, and the use of panic buttons for school safety. They also address a listener email about handling personal documents in district collaboration tools. The main topic focuses on holding a tabletop cybersecurity exercise with district leadership, with Chris sharing his experience leading a drill. Important lessons highlighted include making the exercise relevant, avoiding scare tactics, and emphasizing collaboration. AT&T cell phone service outage Top 13 reasons teachers avoid AI tools Does your district...
2024-03-0157 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 155 - Outside Looking InJosh takes a few minutes to remind everyone to patch your systems, firewalls, servers, Veeam, VPNs, etc. He also talks about the importance of looking at your logs, especially those public facing devices. Finally, he brags that he submitted four 471s to E-Rate and all four of them went to "Wave Ready" status in less than six hours after upload. The majority of this episode is spent talking with Eric the Intern from K12TechPro. He left the K12 world recently and went to private industry. A few weeks ago, he wrote an article for K12TechPro...
2024-02-2351 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 154 - Virtual Snow Days, SIS Woes, and Bathroom BreaksIn this episode, the guys discuss various news stories including a CISA alert about a former employee account compromise and Greenwich CT's request for $600k to fix poor cell service at a high school. They also address listener emails regarding their dislike of Teams and feedback on the Principal's Episode. The main topic of the episode centers around preparing for a virtual snow day, prompted by the recent blizzard in New York City that resulted in login issues for remote students.  Josh also brags about some killer Tweets he made recently while Chris vents about his SIS i...
2024-02-1650 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 153 - Clever MFA, Rise Vision, and Conspiracy TheoriesIn this episode, we dive into the latest news in the K-12 technology world. We discuss who hacked into Fulton County, Georgia schools' computer systems, we touch on the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program, and we trade thoughts on a Maine school that will begin biometric scanning for student attendance. We debrief the Clever MFA roadmap and how a student-friendly MFA could work. The main topic of the episode is an interview with the CEO of Rise Vision, Brian Loosbrock, where we discuss their digital displays and how they are revolutionizing the education industry. News stories mentioned in...
2024-02-091h 17K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 152 - The Principal EpisodeThis is a special episode where we talk to principals and share our advice, or the advice we received from the K12 tech community, for how principals can better understand and work with their IT staff. Our tips and tricks were compiled based on feedback from /r/K12sysadmin and K12TechPro along with a few emails from listeners. We all recognize the importance of our school principals and we hope this episode will help improve the lives of both techs and principals by sharing four important ways that we can collaborate.   https://www.youtube.c...
2024-02-011h 01K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 151 - National Education Tech PlanIn this episode, Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss the recent discovery of the largest data breach in history, with 26 billion records compromised. They also review Clever's newly released cyber security report, which includes information on student multi-factor authentication. They address listener emails regarding IT documentation software. The main topic of the episode is the National Education Tech Plan, which focuses on the digital access divide, digital design divide, and digital use divide within schools. Key takeaways include the importance of universal design for learning, the distinction between active and passive technology use among students, and the report's role as...
2024-01-2653 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 150 - Data Breach Blame Game?In this episode, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss recent exploited vulnerabilities with Citrix, Google Chrome, and Sonicwall. They also delve into a proposed bill in the Federal government that could fund AI education in K-12 districts. They discuss a Reddit post about the dangers of shadow IT. The main topic of conversation revolves around the recent Raptor Technologies data breach and the role of school districts in reducing the risk of data breaches. News Links: CISA Pushes Federal Agencies to Patch Citrix RCE Within a Week First New Google Hack Attack Warning for 2024: Update Chrome...
2024-01-1942 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 149 - New Tab, No CapIn the this episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss a range of news stories related to technology in education. They delve into the efforts made by Meta (Facebook) to make it harder for teens to access harmful content and the FTC's proposed strengthening of children's privacy rules. The hosts also address a staff member falling victim to a smishing attack. In the main topic of the episode, they explore a Reddit thread on budgeting for expensive but infrequent projects in schools. https://www.youtube.com/@k12techtalk Join...
2024-01-1254 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 148 - This Isn’t DatelineIn this episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, co-hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss their return to school after the holiday break and share updates on their winter vacation projects. Mark presents a news story about a Minot woman charged with poisoning her boyfriend and they also discuss the "State of Ransomware" report from Emsisoft. They address listener emails, focusing on teachers who are tired of multifactor authentication (MFA) and offer strategies for dealing with complaints. The main topic of discussion revolves around district communications, including the management of the district website and branding guide. News...
2024-01-051h 02K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 147 - Top Stories of 2023?In the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, co-hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark dive into various topics. They start with a listener email about a teacher using nickel-based paint to block cell and WiFi signals in their classroom (as posted on the K12TechPro Community). They also discuss a Reddit thread about allowing a Nintendo Switch on the school network. They highlight the top stories of 2023, including artificial intelligence usage and readiness, cybersecurity concerns and the shift to data exfiltration in ransomware attacks, and the burnout experienced by tech directors and CIOs in a post-pandemic world. The...
2023-12-151h 12K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 146 - This Episode is CensoredIn the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, host Josh is joined by Mark and guest host Eric (AKA Eric the Intern). We discuss a cyberattack on a school district in Butte and the recent Google outages. We then discuss a question regarding FERPA and the inclusion of student names in emails. The main topic of discussion is censorship, with the hosts sharing their practices and considerations when deciding to remove or censor content. Chris wasn't able to join because this episode was too spicy, but Eric the Intern joins to share his wisdom and discuss life...
2023-12-0846 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 145 - Notes to Younger SelfIn this episode, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss various topics in the tech world. They start off by sharing news about a former K12 tech being charged with a cyberattack on the high school he worked for. They also talk about the tech they are thankful for. In the listener emails segment, they address a Reddit thread on subscription services and discuss managing the transition to annual subscription-based pricing. They also mention a new cybersecurity focus coming from K12TechPro. The main topic revolves around giving advice to their younger selves when they first started in IT. 
2023-12-0155 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 144 - Working with a PurposeIn this episode, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark dissect the latest in educational tech, covering the CRDC's revealing report on student tech access and the FCC's $200M cybersecurity pilot for K-12 schools. Listener emails bring forward challenges from the K12sysadmin subreddit, exploring the purpose in K-12 tech work. The main topic dives into managing student accounts, discussing GAM tools, password policies, and the delicate timing of suspending vs. deleting accounts post-graduation. CRCD Report on student access to technology FCC releases pilot cyber security pilot Working without a purpose Reddit thread
2023-11-171h 07K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 143 - Tickle Mark’s Fancy...We had a really nice agenda worked up for this episode, but right before we hit record, Mark dropped a bomb... Eventually, we got to the following agenda... In the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss various news stories including an update on the recent data breaches in Jefferson County, CO and Clark County. They also mention the Okta breach caused by an employee signing into a personal account on a business device. The hosts address an AI executive order and the appointment of Steve Smith as the...
2023-11-1046 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 142 - The Halloween EpisodeIn the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, co-hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss their Halloween plans in the intro segment. In the news segment, they highlight two major data breaches, including hackers stealing student data from Clark County and directly emailing parents, as well as a data breach in Philadelphia that went unnoticed for five months. They also address a listener's question about how to handle student teachers and their access. The main topic of the episode is cell phone policies and the use of Yondr. Hyperlinked news stories: - Hackers steal student...
2023-11-0341 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 141 - Hey GoogleSorry for the delay. We had major audio/video issues with our recording platform. Also, due to that issue, only audio again this week. In the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, hosts Josh, Chris, and Mark discuss several news stories related to technology in schools. They start by covering the ban on facial recognition technology in NYC schools, as well as the concerns raised by the ACLU about surveillance technology in K-12 classrooms. The hosts also address a listener email regarding a student SIM card hijacking a teacher's phone. The main topic of discussion...
2023-10-2740 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 140 - Ransomware Story with Eric @ OKC Public SchoolsEric recounts the story of how his district was hit with ransomware in 2019 but narrowly escaped a major cyber attack. He describes the early days of the attack, including the response from his team and district, and then recounts how they recovered with only a very small grazing from the attack. His story is filled with lessons learned from the incident, including things they should have done before the attack as well as how his district handled the incident as a community. Chris was not able to make this week’s episode so we’re also considering Eric...
2023-10-2045 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 139 - Sometimes Chris Makes MistakesIn the latest episode of the K12 Tech Talk Podcast, co-host Chris shares an update on his SIS implementation struggles, highlighting some mistakes along the way. In the news segment, they discuss a recent ransomware attack on 14 Pinal County school districts and the shift towards data exfiltration in cyber threats. The main topic revolves around the MORENET conference, where AI was a major focus. They delve into COSN and the Council of Great City Schools' readiness checklist on Generative AI, exploring how districts can translate it into actionable plans. The episode wraps up with an intriguing question about personal...
2023-10-1345 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 138 - The Godfather and JupiterIn this episode, Mark and Josh sit down with the Godfather of Student Data Privacy, Steve Smith. Steve tells us how student data privacy became "a thing" for his district 15 years ago due to questions from parents, and it morphed into a national organization. He offers tips and pointers on how to get started if your district has not jumped into the seemingly wild waters of SDPA's. Then, Chris and Josh have a discussion with Stuart from Jupiter about what they can do for you if you are looking to migrate your SIS. Listen Here or on...
2023-10-0651 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 137 - Chris Has a Very Bad DayChris starts the episode with a story about his bad day, talks for 10 minutes, then Mark realizes he didn't press the record button. For the remainder of the episode, Chris is mad at Mark and upset with the day he's had. He does attempt to tell the story again. The guys discuss 3 listener emails and the following: Google fixes fifth actively exploited Chrome zero-day of 2023 Cisco patches zero-day vulnerability under attack | TechTarget Google Podcasts to shut down in 2024 with listeners migrated to YouTube Music | TechCrunch Google is shutting down...
2023-09-2944 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 136 - Contracts, Terms and Agreements, Oh My!Mark, Josh, and Chris discuss two listener emails, Google's third party apps, Google's 10 year announcement on Chromebooks, and they talk at length about contracts, terms of service, and how to handle agreements. Listen Here or on all major pod platforms Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! SomethingCool.com Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com VIZOR - 20% off Jupiter - Email Stuart at stuart.miles@jupitered.com Looking for a new SIS? H...
2023-09-2250 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 134 - Dealing With a SIS OutageEvery week we say this, but here we go again... It's been a rough few days for Mark and Josh. Mark started school this week and is tired and worn. From power outages to heatwaves, Mark experienced it during his first day of school. Josh had 3 days in a row with major SIS outages ranging from a half day to 20 minutes. This caused him to edit his incident response plan and work through plans for attendance and food service. We also tease an upcoming interview with Alaina Clark, Assistant Director for Stakeholder Engagement...
2023-09-0838 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 133 - How Do You Handle Your 1:1 Deployment?This is a wild one. We start out recapping our first two weeks of school, but quickly realize Josh is doing all the talking.  We talk about a few news stories of cyber incidents at school districts in Connecticut and Maryland. While talking about these incidents, Mark takes offense that Josh and Chris thought Maryland was considered a New England state. The majority of this episode is spent on a topic we found on a Facebook group called "The Principals Desk." There was a post in that group recently talking about different ways to rollout a 1:1 deployment a...
2023-09-0148 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 132 - Beginner’s Guide to Implementing CIS ControlsIt was past Josh's bed time when this episode was recorded, so he let's Mark do all the talking. Mark shows off his Google Sheet skills by walking us through the CIS controls, specifically IG1. IG1 was mentioned at the White House Convening on K12 Cybersecurity a few weeks ago and we thought it was a good idea to delve into what that means and how to get started with implementation. Mark also talks about the CIS Workbook to help you rate your current security posted against CIS Controls. After completing the Workbook, you are presented with a report...
2023-08-2559 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 131 - The Room Where It HappensIn this episode, we are happy to have a special guest with us, Josh from New Hampshire AKA "The Other Josh." He was one of approximately 15 K12 CIO's invited to last week's White House Convening. Josh gives us a bit of a behind the scenes look at everything from the e-vite to the event itself. We also have more "hot takes" on what we want to see from Google and other big players in the K12 product/service space. Side Note - This episode had some recording/editing issues. We're sorry. We're trying new podcast recording software and it...
2023-08-1953 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 131 - The Room Where It HappensIn this episode we are happy to have a special guest with us, Josh from New Hampshire.  He was one of approximately 15 K12 CIO's invited to last weeks Whitehouse Convening.......in "The Room Where It Happens".  Josh gives us a bit of a behind the scenes look at everything from the e-vite to the event itself.  We also have more "hot takes" on what we want to see from Google and other big players in the k12 Product space.   Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy ou...
2023-08-1853 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 130 - Hot Takes on the White House ConveningIn this episode, Chris recaps his trip to the Annual ISAC Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah last week. We talk about a new Papercut Vulnerability, a study that shows 47% of schools paid ransom groups, and Zoom's abrupt change to their TOS and Privacy Policy to include AI training. However, the majority of this episode is about the White House convening that took place this week. They brought in big players in "Big IT" along with representatives from K12 school districts around the country to announce new initiatives to protect schools. One of those items is a...
2023-08-1149 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 129 - Supply Chain WoesIn this episode, Chris leads us off with sad stories about storms, power outages, dead UPSs, and dead servers. Mark leads us in a discussion about a new report from CISA titled "2022 Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities." It is an interesting report on the top leveraged vulnerabilities for 2022 and methods to mitigate. Josh doesn't have any stories, but he talks A LOT. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! KCAV Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com Extreme Networks...
2023-08-041h 01K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 128 - Summer Account Woes The guys discuss the woes of new employees, employees changing positions, and employees leaving. They do a couple listener emails and discuss K12TechPro. Oh, and they try out a LIVE STREAM of the podcast via K12TechPro (more of that coming down the road probably!). Finally, Chris gives a bit more clarity on the vetting roadmap of K12TechPro and the k12sysadmin subreddit. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! RTI Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
2023-07-2847 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 127 - Josh Gets a BobbleheadWe are tired and worn out! Mark and Chris spent the early part of the week at MidwestTechTalk and they are worn out. Josh is tired from working a full week after being gone for 2 weeks to ALASKA. Mark and Chris recap the MidwestTechTalk conference and Mark shares his observations about Missouri. We talk about the recent Class Action Lawsuit filed against Securly alleging that they sold student data to a 3rd party. We dream and brainstorm about what IoT devices we could see in classrooms over the next 5-10 years. Finally, Chris gives a bit more clarity on...
2023-07-2250 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 126 - Josh Goes to AlaskaIn this episode, Josh talks about Alaska. The guys talk about other things too, but mostly Josh talks about Alaska. Chris was probably supposed to post some additional links in the description, but he doesn't remember them... he only remembers Josh talking about Alaska. FCC Announcement about Cyber Security Funding AI generated images for every state (article referenced during the episode) Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! HPE/Aruba - Email jeff.cobb@hpe.com
2023-07-1438 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 125 - Interview with Christy Wyatt, Absolute CEOThis is a special episode. We interview Christy Wyatt, the CEO of Absolute. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. K12 Tech Talk Absolute Resource Links Absolute Research Reports Absolute for Education/K12 Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE  
2023-06-3029 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 124 - A Fish Too Far?Chris, Josh, and Mark discuss the recent news that Fairfax County Public Schools sent teachers an appreciation email that ended up being a phishing test (Washington Post article), and they debate on if it was right or wrong to do. Too far maybe? Chris talks about setting up restricted Google access as well as doing the "under 18 third party apps" Google stuff, and the articles about both on K12TechPro, and Josh talks about some phrase he found on the internet that is thought provoking about cybersecurity supposedly. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
2023-06-2335 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 123 - Are Passkeys Necessary?In this episode, we talk about the MoveIT vulnerability and the recent Fortinet SSL VPN vulnerability. The majority of the episode is spent covering the various versions of MFA, including a deep dive into what Passkeys are. If you are a Google Workspace school district, you should take note and enable the option for Passkey MFA. We talk about disabling IMAP for Gmail as a step to enhance email security.  Josh talks about his fiber project that is now underway. BleepingComputer article about Fortinet SSLVPN issue CISA press release about MoveIT Listen here (a...
2023-06-1641 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 122 - Can You Pass a Cybersecurity Assessment?Josh is on vacation, so it's the Chris and Mark Show! We discuss Microsoft OneDrive being down, the upcoming MidwestTechTalk conference, and most of the episode is spent taking the K12 Six cybersecurity self-assessment. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! Managed Methods - free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security audit Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com NTP SomethingCool.com Oh, and...
2023-06-0940 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 121 - Student MFA?!?!In this episode, we talk about the possibility of requiring Student MFA (thanks to a k12sysadmin post). We also talk about Chris prepping for his network admin to retire and the "brain dump" process they are undertaking. Finally, we talk about the recently announced change to "3rd Party Apps" authentication with Google SSO. This change takes effect on October 23rd, 2023 and will cause issues. The time to act is now... DON'T WAIT! An article we wrote on K12TechPro with 3rd Party Apps instructions is here. Google article is here... https://support.google.com...
2023-06-0249 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 120 - Chris Sleeps This One OutChis is off napping somewhere so it is the Mark and Josh show. They recap the recently released "CoSN 2023 State of EdTech Leadership Survey" that was released this week.  They go over 11 key findings and trends that came out of the study.  Some might surprised you. Mark talks about figured out how to block international logins to Google Workspace accounts. Hint - he made a full writeup on the K12 Tech Pro Community The guys also talk about the newly refreshed #StopRansomware Report from CISA/FBI. Finally there is a quick in...
2023-05-261h 06K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 119 - An Interview with Lucas from PIRGWe quickly talk about the SchoolDude breach and Keepass's newly announced CVE. The majority of the episode is an interview with Lucas from PIRG. Lucas is the author of the study we referenced a few weeks ago in the episode "Chromebooks are Evil?." The study looks at "Chromebook Churn" and e-waste created by device usage. After that episode a few weeks ago, Lucas reached out to us to clarify a few points of the study.  So, we invited him on to make those clarifications to our listeners. We had an interesting discussion with Lucas, and came away agreeing on m...
2023-05-1950 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 118 - The Gang Finally Meets🎶Together and it feels so good...🎵 We are all together for the first time at the New Hampshire CTO Clinic! First and foremost, we thank Barbara and the committee for inviting us and making the trip possible - We had a blast! We got to hang out with the fine folks of the "Live Free or Die" State and talk all things K12 technology. The key topics were cybersecurity and data privacy. We had a chance to interview Pam and Josh, two of the driving forces behind New Hampshire's outstanding Student Data Privacy standards. We also i...
2023-05-1235 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 117 - Lakota Schools Cyber AcademyThis is a bit of a special episode. We are in New Hampshire for the NHCTO Clinic, so we prerecorded a few interviews. The first interview you will hear is with Andrew and George from Lakota Local School District. George is a student in high school and is completing their Cyber Academy program and gaining Industry Recognized Certificates (Including Security+ and CEH pro). This has opened doors for George and he is currently working as a cybersecurity professional for a company in his area while going to school. It's a really cool program and has given us a few...
2023-05-0431 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 116 - Chromebooks Are Evil?Mark is worked up this week, but first... Chris asks us how to keep printers from getting to bad websites, we talk about the big PaperCut vulnerability announced last week, we compare Chris' personality and mannerisms to Ted Lasso, we talk about the new pending Federal Legislation to enhance K12 Cyber Security, and Mark talks about Domain Doppelgänger from KnowBe4. The majority of this episode is spent talking about a "study" that was published last week about how Chromebooks are evil. The study talks about how schools have spent money buying millions of Chromebooks but those C...
2023-04-2847 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 115 - Tabletop Exercises with SZA?In this episode, Josh is really confused about the artist known as SZA and CISA, Mark reads a listener email, Chris talks about the tabletop exercise he did with his district administration team, and the guys banter about Missouri's proposed Senate Bill 4 that could affect website access. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! Absolute - Email oschmidt@absolute.com Strengthening Security and Compliance Posture through Cyber Resilience in Education Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
2023-04-2147 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 114 - D&D: School EditionWe have a number of listener emails that we address tonight. One is about shutting down SIS during off hours in an effort to protect it from attacks, one is about the Chrome net-export exploit, and the final one is about our retrospective on the COVID Years. We talk about CISA's new tabletop exercise template and how it would be fun to treat like it D&D: School Edition. We also talk about Black Hills Information Security's "Backdoors & Breaches" card game. We also talk about how "testing season" has changed over the last 5-7 years; from when devices were...
2023-04-1442 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 113 - How to Tackle Student Data Privacy AgreementsIn this episode, the guys talk about key things to keep in mind when working with vendors to get Student Data Privacy Agreements signed. They also talk about the Clever outage on 4/6/2023. Josh also talks Chris into changing a Google Admin WiFi setting while riding in the car. Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Join the K12TechPro.com Community. Buy our merch!!! Absolute - Email oschmidt@absolute.com Absolute Audit Support Video Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com SomethingCool.com - X360...
2023-04-0748 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 112 - Chris is Finally Back!Chris is back after a suspension and traveling to the CoSN conference. He recaps some of the discussion and overall trending topics from the CoSN conference. He also discusses the fact that he did not appreciate Eric the Intern's love for walking everywhere in Austin (and other Eric antics). Josh talks about the 3CX phone system vulnerability that was published 3/29/2023 by CrowdStrike and Red Canary. Hint - If you have a 3CX phone system, you will want to look this issue up and mitigate it right away. Of course, ChatGPT makes it's way into conversation...
2023-03-3149 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 110 - 3 Years LaterIn tonight's episode Josh, Mark, and Eric the Intern chat about CISA's new K12 Cyber Report and their 3 fundamental items that all districts should be tackling... *hint, hint* one is MFA. Josh talks about his 3 internet outages that took place in the last 10 days and how that is causing him to look at backup WAN connections. The guys also spend time talking about the 3 year anniversary of when schools first shut down for COVID. It's hard to believe that was 3 years ago this week! Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms). Hang out with...
2023-03-1751 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 109 - K12 SIX Conference Recap and Doug Levin InterviewChris is on leave again this week, so Mark and Josh do their best to proceed without him.   Mark recaps the K12 SIX Conference that was held in Austin, Texas. Josh talks about trying to change a SSID over to WPA3 and it did not go well. They also talk about a new method students are using to attempt to crack WPA2 passphrases on Chromebooks using the chrome://net-export page. The majority of this episode is an interview that Chris and Mark conducted with Mr. Doug Levin, founder of K12 SIX. Doug sat down with th...
2023-03-1056 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 108 Part Deux - Part 2 of the Interview with Soheil Katal, LAUSD CIOThis is the second part of the interview with Soheil Katal, the CIO for LAUSD. In Episode 108 Interview Part One, we set the stage and talk through the first few days of the cyber incident that took place in September 2022. Go back and listen to Part One if you have not already. In this episode Soheil talks about bringing in the FBI and how their goal was not necessarily the same goal that Soheil and his team had. We also crack a few jokes about the news stories that said LAUSD "picked up the phone and called...
2023-03-0347 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 108 - Soheil Katal (LA USD, CIO) Interview Part OneIn part one of our exclusive 2-part interview on K12 Tech Talk, we sat down with Soheil Katal, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Los Angeles School District, to discuss the recent ransomware attack that rocked the district's systems and caused disruption for students and staff alike. Katal shared his firsthand account of the impact of the attack and the challenges of trying to restore the district's systems and data. But that's not all. Katal is a seasoned technology leader, and he shared his invaluable perspective on the broader issue of cybersecurity and how organizations can better...
2023-02-2232 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 107.5 - The SetupBIG NEWS! In this episode, we set up Episode 108, an interview with Soheil Katal, the CIO of Los Angeles Unified School District. We are pretty certain this is the first one on one interview he has given, and we got it! As you can tell, we're excited. But first, in this episode, we mention a cheating scandal at a High School in Florida that involves... you guessed it... everyone's favorite AI bot, ChatGPT. We have a listener email about the blurred lines between door access control systems and security camera systems, and when is it an IT...
2023-02-1719 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 107 - Esports, MFA Settings, & Listener EmailsOur influx of listener emails continues, and we field a question about esports, one about recovering from COVID challenges, and we say G'day to a listener from Australia. We also spend a good amount of time talking about rolling out MFA requirements and a few settings in Google Admin Console that might make that rollout easier. We also talk about some upcoming conferences that "we" will be attending including but not limited to K12Six, CoSN, and NHCTO. Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!! Vizor - 20% Off
2023-02-1049 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 106 - We got an email from Sh1mmerWe had so many listener emails that we can't get to them all this week. We will save a few for next week, but keep 'em coming! A few weeks ago, we talked about Sh1mmer, the new shim package that was released that allowed individuals to remove Chromebooks from Google Admin Console, etc. We received an email from the group who developed Sh1mmer and they wanted to clarify some items that we got wrong. In this episode, Chris tells the story of the email exchange with two people from the group, including us asking Jack...
2023-02-0355 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 105 - Listener Emails and EricMark is absent (AKA suspended for his actions last week), so Eric fills in for him. We have two listener emails; one about Chromebook rotation and one about interactive boards/panels. We talk about ChatGPT's Terms of Service requirement of 18 years old for use. We talk about Google Meet and Zoom supporting each other's clients and interoperability. We also go down another "rabbit hole" about taking time to block VPNs and content filter avoidance websites.  Mark should be off suspension and return next week. Google Meet and Zoom article we talk about Visit o...
2023-01-271h 05K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 104 - Forti-what?The guys are off the rails tonight. They have a listener email that asks some tough questions, they talk about the sh1mmer vulnerability affecting Chromebooks, and they talk about going down rabbit holes and spending time to address issues. Chris and Josh talk about an Extreme Networks boot camp they went to, and then the guys wrap it up with Fortinet's Security Segment Question of the Week... and that's when the wheels fall off. We aren't sure how the Fortinet marketing folks will respond to our great ideas for product names! Visit our sponsors: ...
2023-01-2050 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 103 - Don’t Read a Book, Chris In this episode, Chris, Josh, and Mark talk details on their upcoming session at the SecurED Schools conference, they unpack two listener emails, give the latest on ChatGPT in their schools, and Mark shares an article about students viewing pornography at school and the tech dept's responsibility. The Fortinet Security Segment Question of the Week is related to MFA/2FA. Visit our sponsors: ClassLink Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com SomethingCool.com - Cybersecurity Solutions Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com Provision Data Solutions ...
2023-01-1346 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 102 - Happy New Year, ChatGPTThe guys are back from the holiday break and they are ready to go!  ChatGPT is in the news and the guys talk through their stances on whether to block or allow, and valid uses for ChatGPT. In fact, during the episode, Mark used ChatGPT to write a policy about the use of personal devices at work... and it's amazing. GPTrue or False (extension we discuss) Article Chris mentions about ChatGPT They have an email from listener Pate about allowing students to change profile pics, names, and gender in Google. Josh m...
2023-01-0653 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 101 - 2022 Year End ReviewLast week the guys asked all the guests to look back at 2022, and give a forecast for 2023. In this episode, it's the guys' turn. They each take an assessment of 2022, and look forward to see what 2023 might hold. Also, Chris rants about being required to fill out the NCSR. Visit our sponsors: ClassLink Fortinet SomethingCool.com - Cybersecurity Solutions Extreme Networks - dmayer@extremenetworks.com Provision Data Solutions Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
2022-12-1629 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 100 - You Won’t Believe This One...Tonight we celebrate Episode 100 with a retrospective of sorts with visits from former guests, loyal listeners, former hosts (Cory), a sponsor, and one you won't believe. Somehow Chris convinced Jack Rhysider from Darknet Diaries to come on and help us celebrate episode 100. All of our guests (including Jack) talk about their plans for 2023 and top priorities.   The lineup is as follows: Jeremy from SomethingCool.com, Listener Pate, Listener/Fill-in Host Eric, Jack Rhysider, Listener Dan, Listener Joe, and Former Co-host Cory. We really appreciate everyone joining and spending time with us this evening. Without our li...
2022-12-091h 13K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 99 - Cyber Planning with Don Wolf and Idrissa DavisWe took the week off for Thanksgiving to rest and relax, but we are back and hitting it hard! We as in Josh and Mark; Chris is in a Christmas parade at the time of this recording lolol. If you have not listened to Episodes 97 and 98, STOP NOW and go listen to those episodes first. 99 is the third episode in this series. In 97, we talk with a superintendent about a cyber attack on his school. In 98, we talk about fostering a cyber security culture in schools. We promise they are worth the listen. In this...
2022-12-0257 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 99 - What is a Cyber Plan w/ Don Wolf and Idrissa DavisWe took the week off for Thanksgiving to rest and relax, but we are back and hitting it hard!  If you have not listened to Episode 97 and 98, STOP NOW and go listen to those episodes first.  99 is the third episode in this series.  In 97 we talk with a superintendent about a cyber-attack on his school.  In 98 we talk about fostering a cyber culture in schools.  We promise they are worth the listen. In this episode, we talk with Don Wolf from Portland Public Schools and Idrissa Davis from St Paul Public Schools to find out just...
2022-12-0223 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 98 - Interview with Tom Ryan and Lenny SchadTELL ME I HAVE AN UGLY BABY!!! This is the second episode in our three part series about enhancing school district cybersecurity posture. Last week we spoke with Scott Elder, the Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools about their ransomware attack. This week we speak with Tom Ryan and Lenny Schad. Tom is the former CIO of Albuquerque Public Schools, current CoSN board member, and member of the Council of Great City Schools. Lenny is the former CIO of Katy (TX) ISD, the former CIO of Houston (TX) ISD, and a former CoSN board member. They both help...
2022-11-1858 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 97 - Ransomware Interview with Scott ElderTonight we sit down with Scott Elder, the Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools. We talk about the ransomware attack they experienced in January 2021.  This discussion is from the perspective of the Superintendent during the attack.  Scott is wildly candid and honest about the experience.   This is the first episode in our three part series. The second episode will be about Organizational Change related to Cyber with Tom Ryan (Board Chair of CoSN) and Lenny Schad (Former Houston ISD CIO). The third episode will be about building your own Cyber Plan with Don Wolf (Portland CIO) and Idris Davi...
2022-11-111h 00K12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 96 - NCSR, E-Rate, CoSN and More!In this episode the guys cover the E-Rate admin window, filling out the 2022 NCSR, and getting verified Twitter accounts for schools. Also, Josh talks about getting rid of an obsolete records system still running on Windows XP. Mark teases our upcoming 3 episode series with MEGA-sized district leaders examining ransomware events and the need for Incident Response Plans. Finally, Josh talks about the steps he took to keep one student from emailing other students. Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!! Visit our sponsors: Managed Methods - kfritchen@m...
2022-11-0446 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 95 - SCARY STORIES Part DeuxIn this episode the guys tell their own Scary IT Stories that they have experienced.  Josh and Chris recap the MOREnet conference and also talk about their struggles with e911. Mark talks about getting DKIM and DMARC set up on his email. Josh quickly talks about the FortiGate vulnerability that was announced a few weeks ago. And Chris works through some childhood scars related to little league baseball. Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!! Visit our sponsors: Managed Methods (Webinar coming up 11/3/22 https://hubs.ly/Q01n...
2022-10-2849 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 94 - On the Road at the MOREnet Conference (SCARY STORIES)This week Chris and Josh hit the road! They are in Osage Beach, Missouri at the MOREnet Conference. They interview random K12 techs from across the state and ask them to tell their scary IT stories. Oh, and there might be a former K12 Tech Talk host that comes out of retirement and joins us for a few minutes. We talk to Eric, Pate, Eric, Ryan, Cory, and Brett. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision EMAIL Shea Darlison, shea.darlison@risevision.com !!! SomethingCool.com PDS Extreme Networks
2022-10-2146 minK12 Tech Talk
K12 Tech TalkEpisode 93 - Josh Really Loves Crab RangoonsIn this episode Chris talks about his new documentation project. Josh talks about his rough week with a fiber cut, a fender bender, and an intercom going belly up. Chris updates us on his e911 project and his frustrations with telco carriers. And there is also entirely too much discussion of crab rangoon. We are K12 Tech Talk, and so are you. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision EMAIL Shea Darlison, shea.darlison@risevision.com !!! SomethingCool.com HPE/Aruba PDS Oh, and... Email us...
2022-10-1442 min