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
————
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 [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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.

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 [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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.

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.
————
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 [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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.

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
 
————
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
————
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 [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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 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/[email protected]
————
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 [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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 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 [email protected]:
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, safety, and compliance concerns, explains the district’s AI governance and procurement changes, and outlines criteria for safe vendor adoption (data privacy agreements, visibility and guardrails). He also shares alternatives being evaluated, plans for an AI whitelist, and district AI initiatives like knowledge management and partnerships.
https://openai.com/index/our-approach-to-age-prediction/
————
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!
 
Managed Methods
IncidentIQ
Fortinet - [email protected]
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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.

On 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/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
NTP - [email protected]
Extreme Networks - [email protected]
Fortinet - [email protected]
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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.

Hosts 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:
Rise Vision
Interactive Digital Signage Templates + Touchscreen Displays
Screen Sharing
Emergency Alerts 
VIZOR
 
Meter - meter.com/k12techtalkVisit meter.com/k12techtalk to book a demo!
 
Managed Methods
 
Incident IQ
 
Fortinet - [email protected]
————
Join the K12TechPro Community (exclusively for K12 Tech professionals)
Buy some swag (tech dept gift boxes, shirts, hoodies...)!!!
Email us at [email protected]
OR our "professional" email addy is [email protected]
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.