K12 Tech Talk

Episode 256 - AI in the Classroom and the Federal Bills Shaping Student Safety

On 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 monitoring), COPPA updates raising the age protections and ad limits, the App Store Accountability Act (age verification and parental consent), and the broad but divisive Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act. 
Articles discussed this episode:Securey shows how students are using AI
Should teens be confiding in AI for mental health?
Clever’s 2026 Cyber Secure Report
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Sponsored by:
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Eaton -
Let’s face it; you’ve probably seen plenty of server rooms that keep you up at night. From messy, tangled cabling and untraceable connections to improperly installed equipment and poor ventilation, it can truly be the thing of nightmares. A site assessment conducted by a qualified Eaton expert allows education customers to help with your own server refresh to gain a comprehensive understanding of their operations and make informed decisions to optimize performance, increase reliability and enhance safety. See how Eaton can help make your server room more efficient with their server room refresh before and after and with insights provided by Eaton site assessments, schools can unlock their full potential and create life-long learners. Request a free site assessment here.
 
Incident IQ
Extreme Networks
Fortinet
Lightspeed Systems
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Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 255 - Interview with R.T. Collins, CEO of Incident IQ

On 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 operations. 
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Sponsored by:
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Eaton -
Eaton’s solutions fit in every corner of education. Discover tailored solutions for your K-12 library environment through their dedicated interactive environments. From pro A/V equipment and wallmounts to UPSs and charging carts, Eaton’s education solutions have you covered. Discover power protection and connectivity for K-12 libraries at K-12 library interactive.
 
Incident IQ
 
Chromebookparts.com (Ask for special K12TechPro pricing)
VIZOR
Fortinet
Classlink
NTP
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OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
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Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 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 glasses during exams, and Arkansas HB78 proposing a ban on passive screen time in Pre‑K and Kindergarten with mandatory teacher training.
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Sponsored by:
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Eaton -
SysAdmin. You live it. You know it. But how well do your colleagues actually understand what makes these teams tick? Eaton’s on the scene to clear up any misconceptions. They designed A User’s Guide to SysAdmins to help demystify SysAdmins and improve workplace interactions. This guide addresses everyday challenges and misconceptions that Sysadmins face and teaches your colleagues how to interact with you (their SysAdmin), what you wish they knew (but are too polite to say), and how to get their tech tickets to the top of the list. So go ahead: Print it. Forward it. Leave it in the break room with passive-aggressive annotations. Or read it aloud like dramatic slam poetry during the next all-hands. Read A User’s Guide to SysAdmins here.
 
Incident IQ
 
Lightspeed Systems
Fortinet
Managed Methods
————MidwestTechTalk Security Symposium/K12TechPro Meetup (Midwest) March 12th-13th, 2026
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
X @k12techtalkpod
Facebook
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Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 253 - Live from K12 SIX 2026

Live from the K12 SIX National Cybersecurity Leadership Conference in Albuquerque, Chris goes solo and interviews several attendees and leaders about practical K12 cybersecurity.
Guests include Cory Rankin, a K12SIX member, who talks about community and membership benefits, Dr. Tim Tillman on building governance and board-level engagement, Doug Levin on the importance of in-person trust and fundamentals, David Waugh of ManageMethods on cloud visibility and content filtering, and Oliver Page of CyberNut on K12-focused phishing and student training.
The conversation emphasizes actionable steps schools can take without big budgets: tighten authentication and account hygiene, audit cloud settings, work with vendors on security, engage school boards to establish policy, and provide realistic staff and student training.
K12 SIX: https://k12six.org/compromise
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Sponsored by:
Eaton - Indulge yourselves in this chocolate-inspired infographic from Eaton to discover “a flavor” of cloud-based battery backup for every location, including K-12 education, with their cloud-connected UPS line. Reliable power backup has never been so sweet – with 16 cloud-connected UPS models for various workloads and budgets, always free monitoring software for an unlimited number of devices, NFC tap-to-configure setup and controllable outlets (13 models) – now you can finally enjoy your Saturdays in peace without the looming fear of a 3 am wakeup call to reboot a UPS. Learn more about the cloud UPS in Eaton’s Uptime Sampler Box infographic.
 
Managed Methods
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
X @k12techtalkpod
Facebook
Visit our LinkedIn
Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 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:
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Eaton - Indulge yourselves in this chocolate-inspired infographic from Eaton to discover “a flavor” of cloud-based battery backup for every location, including K-12 education, with their cloud-connected UPS line. Reliable power backup has never been so sweet – with 16 cloud-connected UPS models for various workloads and budgets, always free monitoring software for an unlimited number of devices, NFC tap-to-configure setup and controllable outlets (13 models) – now you can finally enjoy your Saturdays in peace without the looming fear of a 3 am wakeup call to reboot a UPS. Learn more about the cloud UPS in Eaton’s Uptime Sampler Box infographic.
 
Incident IQ
 
ClassLink
Fortinet
Managed Methods
————MidwestTechTalk Security Symposium/K12TechPro Meetup (Midwest) March 12th-13th, 2026
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
X @k12techtalkpod
Facebook
Visit our LinkedIn
Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 251 - Inside the Flock Controversy with Mark Keierleber and Michael Klein

Chris, 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.
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Sponsored by:
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
VIZOR
 
Extreme Networks
Lightspeed Systems
ClassLink
Fortinet
NTP
————K12SIX Conference in Albuquerque, NM – K12 Tech Talk Podcast - February 24th-26thMidwestTechTalk Security Symposium/K12TechPro Meetup (Midwest) March 12th-13th, 2026
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
X @k12techtalkpod
Facebook
Visit our LinkedIn
Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 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
 
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Sponsored by:
Rise Vision
Interactive Digital Signage Templates + Touchscreen Displays
Screen Sharing
Emergency Alerts 
Incident IQ
 
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Managed Methods
Classlink
Fortinet
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CALET - Mark will be there! February 18th-20thK12TechPro NEXT in Cape Girardeau, MO February 20thK12SIX Conference in Albuquerque, NM – K12 Tech Talk Podcast - February 24th-26thMidwestTechTalk Security Symposium/K12TechPro Meetup (Midwest) March 12th-13th, 2026
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
X @k12techtalkpod
Facebook
Visit our LinkedIn
Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.

Episode 249 - Interview with Tyler Kingkade, NBC News

Episode 249 of K12 Tech Talk podcast has Josh, Chris, and Mark discussing their Olympic favorites, the latest news in K12, and the Snow Day Message winner:
Option 3: Code Red - Montgomery County Public Schools (MD)
The episode features an interview with Tyler Kingkade, national reporter at NBC News, about his recent reporting on internal Google documents revealed in litigation. Tyler explains how those slide decks describe K12 as a potential “pipeline” of future users and explores tensions around YouTube’s place in classrooms - useful educational content versus algorithmic rabbit holes. The conversation covers school responses like disabling YouTube for minors, embedding workarounds, and the practical tradeoffs districts face when choosing devices and platforms.
Beyond Google and YouTube, the guys discuss major sector developments: Congress’ decision to keep Department of Education funding roughly level at about $79 billion; PowerSchool’s EdTech Pulse report highlighting teacher workload, recruitment and retention challenges, student absenteeism, and the growing role of data and AI in district priorities; and a ransomware case out of Belgium in which attackers targeted parents directly to extract payments tied to stolen student data.
Articles Discussed:
Google's work in schools aims to create a 'pipeline of future users,' internal documents say (NBC News)
Congress Has Passed an Education Budget. See How Key Programs Are Affected (EdWeek)
2026 K-12 EdTech Pulse (PowerSchool & Project Tomorrow)
Hackers attempt to extort parents after school refuses to pay ransom fee
Connect with Tyler Kingkade:
https://www.nbcnews.com/author/tyler-kingkade-ncpn1116631Tyler.Kingkade@nbcuni.com
————
Sponsored by:
Rise Vision
Interactive Digital Signage Templates + Touchscreen Displays
Screen Sharing
Emergency Alerts 
VIZOR
 
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Lightspeed Systems
NTP
Fortinet
————
CALET - Mark will be there! February 18th-20thK12TechPro NEXT in Cape Girardeau, MO February 20thK12SIX Conference in Albuquerque, NM – K12 Tech Talk Podcast - February 24th-26thMidwestTechTalk Security Symposium/K12TechPro Meetup (Midwest) March 12th-13th, 2026
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
OR our "professional" email addy is info@k12techtalkpodcast.com
X @k12techtalkpod
Facebook
Visit our LinkedIn
Music by Colt Ball
Disclaimer: The views and work done by Josh, Chris, and Mark are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of sponsors or any respective employers or organizations associated with the guys. K12 Tech Talk itself does not endorse or validate the ideas, views, or statements expressed by Josh, Chris, and Mark's individual views and opinions are not representative of K12 Tech Talk. Furthermore, any references or mention of products, services, organizations, or individuals on K12 Tech Talk should not be considered as endorsements related to any employer or organization associated with the guys.