What’s Next for the College Board? | Optimism on State Ed. Budgets | British Ed-Tech Firm Raises $44 Million, Eyes U.S.

A Newsletter for Education Business Leaders [ ] [Advertisement](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) [edBiz Update | The news roundup for education business leaders] Powered by [EDWEEK Market Brief](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) [EDWEEK MARKET BRIEF](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r)  | [EDUCATION WEEK](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r)  | [ADVERTISE](mailto:mbakley@educationweek.org?subject=Advertising%20Opportunities)  | [JOBS](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) [ ] [ ] [ ] Sean Cavanagh Managing Editor, EdWeek Market Brief Hello, edBiz Readers: Are state budgets turning a corner? Some governors, including California's Gavin Newsom, are betting on it. They're proposing [more funding for education](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) on the premise that revenues are recovering from the nadir of the Covid era, as Brian Bradley details in EdWeek Market Brief. Other news and observations on the market in this installment of edBiz Update: • Major changes are coming to college admissions exams, with the College Board announcing that it is killing the SAT subject tests and the SAT essay. That's led to speculation about [what's next for the College Board itself,](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) a topic Scott Jaschik delves into for Inside Higher Ed. • A British education startup, Multiverse, has [raised $44 million](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) in Series B funding with ambitions for expanding into the U.S. market, reports Lucinda Shen in Fortune. The company formerly known as White Hat was co-founded by Euan Blair, the son of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and it seeks to match workers with on-the-job training offered by companies. • Other noteworthy fundraising activity comes out of Africa, where Nigerian company ULesson, which sells digital curriculum through SD Cards, [has raised $7.5 million](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) in Series A funding. The SD cards offer a way to deliver tech-based lessons during COVID and beyond to students in areas without great internet bandwidth, notes Natasha Mascarenhas for Tech Crunch. Check back with us in the weeks ahead for more insights on where budgets for education may be headed, fundraising news, and more. [ ] Sean Cavanagh Managing Editor, EdWeek Market Brief Suggestions/Feedback: Contact Sean Cavanagh at scavanagh@epe.org. Sponsorship/Business Opportunities: Contact Maurice Bakley at mbakley@epe.org. [ ] [ ] [ ] ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Inside a Key K-12 Market: Texas In a new special report, EdWeek Market Brief offers readers a penetrating look at the key state market and the buying priorities of its school districts. The report draws from interviews with administrators across Texas, as well as surveys of K-12 officials. Our members can [read it here](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r). [ ] K12 [ ] [ ] [alt]   [How One Education Company Took Customers From Free to Paid Products (EdWeek Market Brief)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Newsela Chief Marketing Officer Adriel Sanchez breaks down how the company arranged free access to its products during COVID and why it saw professional development as so important. [alt]   [Changes in SAT Prompt Discussion of Future of the College Board (Inside Higher Ed)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Organization faces dangers in wake of eliminating the SAT Essay and Subject Tests. [alt]   [States' Education Budget Plans for Next Year Not as Bleak as Many Predicted (EdWeek Market Brief)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Federal stimulus funds are helping states fill the gaps in anticipated revenues as they craft their fiscal year 2020 budgets. [California's Role in Downsizing the SAT (Los Angeles Times)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) The College Board's scrapping of SAT subject tests and essays signals another blow to the standardized testing industry. [alt]   [Top Concerns During COVID? Digital Equity, Cybersecurity (Center for Digital Education)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) The COVID-19 pandemic and the push to virtual learning has highlighted existing inequities in access to technology and connectivity, as well as underlined cybersecurity gaps in education. [alt]   [5 Tips for an Effective Hybrid Instruction Experience (EdTech Magazine)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) To spark and maintain student engagement, educators must adapt their teaching style to thrive in the remote learning environment. [alt]   [African Ed-Tech Startup uLesson Lands a $7.5 Million Series A (TechCrunch)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) ULesson, an ed-tech startup based in Nigeria that sells digital curriculum to students through SD cards, has raised $7.5 million in Series A funding. [ ] ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) [ ] Higher Education [ ] [ ] [alt]   [Biden's Free College Plan Would Raise Enrollment at Public Colleges But Hurt Privates (Inside Higher Ed)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) President Biden's proposal to make public colleges free could mean more students may be able to go to college, but it could also mean the end for some private institutions. [alt]   [Colleges Head into Spring with Varying COVID Testing Methods (Higher Ed Dive)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Some schools are testing students frequently while others are using wastewater and contact tracing to target their resources. [Online Discussion Platform Adds Auto-Grading (Campus Technology)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Ed-tech company 42 Lines has introduced a new auto-grading feature for its Harmonize online discussion platform, geared toward making it easier to manage and assess online class discussions. [Second Statewide System to Terminate RFP Process Initially Awarded to Blackboard Learn (PhilOnEdTech)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Another RFP process terminated, this time in Tennessee. [alt]   [3 Tech Initiatives to Prioritize in the Virtual Classroom (EdTech Magazine)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has identified its top three tech enablers that educators should prioritize to overcoming remote learning obstacles. [Kansas Regents Make It Easier to Dismiss Tenured Professors (The Chronicle of Higher Education)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) The temporary policy permits public universities to suspend or terminate employees without declaring financial exigency. Et Alia [ ] [ ] [Why U.S. Ed Tech Should Consider Going Global (MarketScale - Opinion)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) This week, Michael Spencer joins Voices of eLearning to discuss how ed-tech companies go global and what challenges they face. [alt]   [The Ed-Tech Startups Setting Pace in India (BW Disrupt - India)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) There can be no argument that the demand for online test preparation solutions is high but the bigger question is how effective these test prep startups are in outcomes. [Linda Darling-Hammond and Ted Mitchell on Biden's Education Plans (EdSource)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Linda Darling-Hammond, who led President Biden's transition team on education, and Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, detail Biden's immediate and post-pandemic plans for schools and colleges. [alt]   [Top Ed-Tech Trends that Ruled 2020 (AiThority)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) The overall market for online education is now projected to reach $350 billion by 2025. These are the top trends that made it happened. [alt]   [An Ed-Tech Startup Founded by Tony Blair's Son Gets $44 Million (Fortune)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Multiverse has raised some $44 million in Series B funding. [Uncovering Legal Issues Involved in E-Learning Platforms (Lexology)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) The prolonged closures of educational institutions, schools, colleges and universities, have compelled institutions to equip themselves with some... [alt]   [From Beers to Careers: The New Value Proposition of Fraternity (Forbes)](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) New career readiness initiatives among national fraternities point toward a redefined value proposition for Greek life. Comings and Goings [ ] Digital Promise has named Jean-Claude Brizard as its new President and CEO, effective March 1. Brizard succeeds Karen Cator in the role. He's the former chief executive of Chicago Public Schools and the former superintendent of schools for Rochester City School District in New York. He currently serves as a senior advisor and deputy director for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Pearson has announced the appointment of [Florida E. Starks](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) as its senior vice president and chief diversity officer. Starks brings more than fifteen years of DEI experience, most recently at ConAgra Brands and Best Buy. Stride, an online education provider formerly known as K12 Inc., announced that [Nathaniel (Nate) A. Davis is retiring](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) as CEO. He will remain as executive chair of Stride's board of directors. Davis will be succeeded by James J. Rhyu, who has served as the company's CFO, among other roles. St. Mary's College, in California, has named [Richard Plumb](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) as its new president, starting in July. He replaces outgoing president James Donahue. James Wohlpart was named the new [president](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) of Central Washington University. Wohlpart currently serves as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Northern Iowa. Heard of executives changing jobs within the education industry? Give us the details by writing to edbiz-transitions@educationweek.org. Jobs [ ] [ ] [Senior Director](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Northwest Evaluation AssociationReporting to the Executive Vice President, State Solution Design and Development, in this role you will contribute to the strategy and tactical decision-making around ground-breaking learning and assessment solutions for various learning environments and assessment purposes. [National Account Manager](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) K12 Inc.The National Account Manager acquires and services new and existing clients within an assigned territory. Reporting to the Regional Sales Director, this position works with school administrators to assess their needs and find ways to partner with them on solutions that will help them better serve their students based on an expert knowledge of the broad portfolio of products and services Learning Solutions offers. [Executive Director](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) Collaborative for Educational ServicesThe Executive Director of CES is the chief executive and is charged by state statutes, the Collaborative Agreement, and the Board of Directors with carrying out specific responsibilities, mainly in managing daily operations and services; recommending policies to the Board; managing internal and external relations; representing CES to other agencies, officials, and the public; and other duties. Did someone forward this to you? [Sign up](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r) to get edBiz Update in your own inbox. This message was intended for {EMAIL}. If you would like to op-out, please [click here](739jPc2NB:m:1:3125711346:2107DC45DA6552DC9AE6A2E6023FB59F:r). Copyright © 2020 Education Week 6935 Arlington Road, Suite 100, Bethesda, MD 20814