National and state school and library organizations are calling on Congress not to repeal a Federal rule that allows schools and libraries to use the government’s E-Rate program to buy discounted Wi-Fi hot spots and related mobile connectivity services for off-premises use. 

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision technologies is paying off with improvements to campus safety and operational efficiencies, AI experts told MeriTalk in a new webinar in which they advised organizations to consider a deliberate approach to implementation.

The University of South Florida (USF) is partnering with local community groups to launch a range of new initiatives aimed at arming K-12 students with artificial intelligence skills. 

At NASCIO’s 2025 Mid-Year Conference, the energy in Philadelphia was focused on the future but grounded in pragmatism. In the post-conference State Tech Vision roundtable hosted by MeriTalk, Amanda Crawford, executive director and state CIO of Texas; Heather Abbott, West Virginia’s CIO; and Tom Nieto, president and COO of PayIt, unpacked how states are translating NASCIO’s top priorities into citizen-centered outcomes.

The Missouri state Senate voted on May 13 to approve a bill that will require public school districts and charter schools in the state to adopt formal policies restricting K-12 student use of electronic personal communication devices during the school day.

As state and local governments ramp up digital payment options to better serve citizens, industry and government leaders explained during the PayIt Government Adoption webinar that government leaders should push forward with service offerings that both improve citizen services and boost efficiencies for government.

A bipartisan pair of senators have introduced legislation that would provide Federal funding to bolster community water systems against cyber threats and extend an existing program to boost resilience of water systems.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law on April 30 that will restrict access by public school K-12 students to smartphones and other electronic devices during school instructional hours.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) recently hosted Louisiana State University (LSU) and industry partners at CISA’s Control Environment Laboratory Resource (CELR) for a cybersecurity training exercise.

While the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Maps spotlight underserved areas across the nation as Congress continues to funnel billions into improving internet connectivity – millions of Americans still aren’t seeing benefits of that funding due in part to the need for better mapping data and greater coordination across Federal agencies.