The SIIA Innovation Incubator program identifies and supports entrepreneurs in the development and launch of innovative learning technologies. The program began in 2006, and has helped dozens of companies enrich education through the use of software, digital content, and related technologies. The Innovation Incubator program employs a peer-review process to identify the most promising digital education products. Successful industry leaders and peers also provide one-on-one mentorship to support the growth and success of identified innovators.

All education technology companies are encouraged to apply – from start-ups to established innovators. A panel of SIIA member judges, consisting of prominent education technology industry professionals, will review and score each innovation, and collective scores will determine finalists and an alternate. Finalists will be asked to give webinar presentations to educators and administrators nationwide for the Educators’ Choice Award. Finalists will also present their products live for Education Business Forum attendees. One winner will be honored with the Educators’ Choice Award based on educator scores. An additional winner and one runner-up will be chosen for the “Most Innovative” and “Most Likely to Succeed” categories based on the scores submitted by Forum attendees.

For more information about the Innovation Incubator program, or to apply, go to siia.net/ebf/2013/incubator.asp or contact me at Lportorreal@siia.net.

The 12th annual conference will bring together senior management teams of education software companies, platform technology firms, financial analysts, solution providers and distributors, publishers, financial analysts, private equity firms, and venture capitalists. Participants will discuss new business models and how to leverage shifts in the digital learning space, in addition to sharing knowledge about new markets, growth in financial investment, and new paths to revenue.

Topics will include:

• Capitalizing Your Business for the Long Term
• Making that Build or Buy Decision to Grow Your Product line
• Leveraging a Market Map
• Getting to that $10M Mark in Revenue
• Going Global Where Opportunities Are Greatest
• Emerging Development Trends
• Case Studies of the Best and Brightest Companies Destined for Success
• Successful Entrepreneurial Strategies Within Growing Markets
• Partnering Strategies for Growth

The Education Business Forum will also feature:

• Innovation Incubator. SIIA’s Innovation Incubator program identifies and supports entrepreneurs in the development and distribution of innovative learning technologies. The program began in 2006, and has provided mentorship for dozens of successful products and companies in their efforts to improve education through the use of software, digital content, and related technologies.

• One-to-One Business Connections. One-to-One Business Connections meetings will be scheduled during designated times throughout the conference by SIIA staff, with the support of its partner Educational Systemics. SIIA will select companies to meet with participants based on the preferences they described in their respective surveys. These fast-paced exchanges will help pave the way for increased capital, revenue, and strategic alliances between participants.

Online registration is available at the Education Business Forum Media Center.

Karen Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation

It will be at the McGraw-Hill Conference Center again: it has the space we needed after selling out in years past!  It’s a very focused meeting, designed to produce results for the companies focused on growing capital, revenue, and/or profitability.

While speakers and sponsors are closely involved in the conference planning and implementation, everyone who attends will gain value from the presentations by the Innovation Incubator Finalists, plenary and keynote speakers, and break-out panelists.  And, as in years past, are many opportunities to connect with key people there – from the always popular Speed Networking and One-to-One Business Connections to the informal networking breaks during the Forum.  A schedule of events is available online and will be updated as we receive speaker applications.

What’s different this year?  The timing of the Forum.  After 10 years, we moved it to a week later than usual so that attendees don’t have to travel that Sunday or Monday after Thanksgiving.  And we’re pleased to say that several other education events held during this ‘education week’ in New York have also moved so you can attend even more events that week, hosted not only by SIIA, but our colleagues in other organizations.

If you are new to the ed tech space, this will be like a 1 ½ day mini MBA.  If you are a start-up, you will meet everyone you need to know in that time.  And if you are an investor looking to build your portfolio, you will find the right companies here to invest in.  And if you are a successful company looking to expand your product line, enter a new market, or find capital for your growth, the Education Business Forum is the place to be.

Register early to take advantage of the best rates.  Your company, large or small, will appreciate the money you save.  Early-Bird registration is available until November 4, but register now. And to strengthen your brand image in front of a targeted audience, take advantage of our moderately-priced sponsorship opportunities.  To learn more, please check out the sponsorship packages.

Karen Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation

All of the education technology nominated products and services were first reviewed by a group of tech-savvy educators from across the nation, whose evaluations determined 82 finalists. SIIA members then reviewed these finalists and voted to select 28 CODiE Award winners, listed here by category, company, and product/service:

Three top winners were also chosen during the awards ceremony:

SIIA’s 2013 CODiE Award winners show that innovation and growth is alive in many areas of the educational technology industry. Among these 26 visionary winners, you’ll find the many of the most exciting ed tech products and services out there. I look forward to seeing the impact they have on the PK-12 and postsecondary markets.

For more information about the CODiE Awards, visit http://www.siia.net/codies/2013/

Karen Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation

The discussions help both inform publishers about the impact of publich policies on education so they can better meet the needs of students and educators, as well as drive conversations regarding the public-private partnerships needed to address educational (technology) challenges and opportunities. This year’s forum was enhanced by the participation of some 75 local and state education administrators attending the second half of the event through SIIA’s partnership with the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA).

Among the highlights this year:

• Keynote speakers U.S. Rep. George Miller,  Mary Esselman (MI Achievement Authority), and Michael Yudin (USED Acting Assistant Secrtary) all spoke about the critical role of technology and digital learning to meeting the goals of educational access and personalized learning.
• Leaders from the PARCC and SBAC CCSS state assessment consortia solicited support to better prepare students for the new standards and assessments, talked through the challenges of ensuring technology readiness, and indicated that some states and districts may delay their shift to online testing.
• Leading policy analysts and advocates outlined the growing digital learning momentum in state capitals across the country, discussed the politics of education reform, and identified key policy initiatives in NC, AZ, HI, ME, LA and other states.
• Higher education leaders Amy Sherman (CAEL) and Hal Plotkin (USED) shared how federal policy changes are poised to drive a shift from seat-time credit hours to competency-based learning, including the expanding use of prior learning assessments to better target instruction and improve learning efficiencies in time and resources.
• FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel announced a package of proposed changes to the E-Rate, which would increase its funding, improve its administration, and enhance digital learning access to students and teachers.
• Capitol Hill advocacy day with education and industry leaders helping inform Members of Congress and their staffs about the important federal role in supporting educational improvement through technology and digital learning.
• Education leaders also addressed the issues of funding, NCLB waivers, ESEA reauthorization, and the balance between data-driven improvement and student privacy.

Speaker presentations, audio recordings and session summaries will be made available to SIIA members.

Mark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

A centerpiece of the summit was an address by FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who laid out her “E-Rate 2.0” plan to summit participants: “Access to adequate broadband capacity in our schools and libraries is not a luxury – it is a necessity for our next generation to be able to compete… We need to protect what we have already done, build on it, and put this program on a course to provide higher speeds and greater opportunities in the days ahead.”

Rosenworcel’s five point proposal to “reboot, reinvigorate and recharge E-Rate” includes: 1) more funding; 2) clear capacity goals; 3) new and creative public-private partnerships; 4) a simpler process for applicants; and 5) a study of the impact of the FCC’s School Spots program closing the school-to-home digital learning gap. She concluded her remarks by saying: “E-Rate has already done so much good – and there is opportunity to do so much more.” The full speech can be found at: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-320122A2.pdf.

Representative George Miller, Senior Democrat on the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee, also addressed the gathering and thanked participants for their support for his recently introduced Transforming Education Through Technology Act (H.R. 521), which would advance digital learning environments.

CoSN, ISTE, SETA and SIIA issued the following statement:

We thank both Commissioner Rosenworcel and Representative Miller for their continued leadership in modernizing federal policies to ensure that all students gain access to the best digital education resources so necessary to their schooling and preparedness. Commissioner Rosenworcel’s bold proposal to remake and grow the E-Rate is much needed, while Congressman Miller’s proposed legislation would provide complementary educational resources and teacher support through the U.S. Department of Education. We look forward to working further with them and other national leaders to advance these critical policies.

The event concluded with Congressional visits on Capitol Hill, where summit participants advocated:

• Reestablishing a dedicated educational technology program in any Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization legislation now before Congress; and
• Raising the E-Rate’s annual cap to ensure that schools and libraries can provide a technological infrastructure that is sufficient to equip all students for college and careers.

Mark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Policy team on Twitter at @SIIAPolicy

This year, the Summit’s theme is “Navigating ‘Next.’” Sessions will focus on preparing conference attendees to build the infrastructure, products and services to support the changes that schools want or need in a post-PC world. Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in speed networking, attend the Innovation Incubator Program presentations and the CODiE Awards Dinner and presentations, and meet the honorees of the 2013 Ed Tech Impact and Ed Tech Lifetime Achievement Awards. New this year, ETIS will end with a Closing Reception and Happy Hour with attendees of the Ed Market 101, which is co-located with the Summit and whose attendees include education industry start-ups.

During the conference, industry leaders will provide strategies, case studies and success stories about best business practices on strand-based topics, including: Game-Based Learning; Going Global and Going Mobile; Market Data and Trends; OER and Commercial Publishers; Leveraging Social Media; What Keeps Education Leaders Awake at Night; Making the CIO Your Ally on Campus; MOOCs and the New Higher Education; Up in the Cloud; Does Personalization Mean 1-1?; and Motivating Students to Learn.

In addition to conference breakout sessions, the Summit will feature keynote presentations to further explore “What’s Next.” Monday’s opening keynote will feature a conversation hosted by Betsy Corcoran of EdSurge with thought leaders representing education, technology and the financial communities. Tuesday’s luncheon plenary session features a “Virtual Conversation About Innovation in Education” between Mickey Revenaugh from Connections Academy speaking from ETIS in San Francisco and Jeff Ralston from Y Combinator and Imagine K-12, speaking from the Milken GSE Education Business Plan Competition in the University of Pennsylvania.

2013 Innovation Incubator Program
Learn more about the 2013 Innovation Incubator participants during the Business Profile Presentations, Welcome Reception and Innovation Showcase on Sunday, May 5. Find out who wins the awards for Most Innovative, Most Likely to Succeed, and the Educator’s Choice. For more information, visit http://siia.net/etis/2013/incubator.asp.

2013 CODiE Awards Program
Join members of the education technology industry on Monday, May 6, during SIIA’s 28^thAnnual CODiE Awards Reception and Gala, where the premier products and services from the industry will be announced and celebrated. The final three awards of the evening will be given to the Best PK-12 Solution, Best Postsecondary Solution, and Best Education Solution. To learn more about the CODiE Awards program, visit http://www.siia.net/CODiES.

K-12 Market Data Session
Join three industry experts as they share their insights into the K-12 market. Peter Grunwald will highlight mobile opportunities using the newly-available Grunwald Mobile Learning Study, based on an AT&T underwritten survey of pre-K through 12^th grade parents. John Richards will present preliminary data from the 2012 U.S. Education Technology Market: PreK-12; the third annual vendor study conducted by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA).  Susan Meell will present initial findings from the sixth annual SIIA Vision K-20 Survey of educators. These three surveys will provide a wealth of data and knowledge into the K-12 Ed Tech market.

Conference Details
What:     The SIIA Ed Tech Industry Summit
When:    May 5-7, 2013
Where:   The Palace Hotel, San Francisco

To register for the conference, visit http://www.siia.net/etis/2013/register.asp.
Media representatives can apply for complimentary press passes at http://www.siia.net/etis/2013/press.asp.

Karen Billings is Vice President for the Education Division at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation

SIIA’s own Karen Billings was a featured speaker and hosted a session on the Vision K-20 project on Thursday, February 8^th. This session focused on the development of the Vision K-20 goals and metrics as well as the results of the 2012 survey. The 2013 survey was launched on February 7^th and educators in attendance were encouraged to participate in the sixth survey cycle.  This session also allowed SIIA to share valuable data with the TCEA community.

SIIA also hosted its member breakfast on Thursday February 8^th and had a turnout of over 25 people who were able to hear about the latest SIIA initiatives, network and enjoy a hearty breakfast. The results of the 2011 Market Survey were presented and the attendees were given a chance to view the full report. Members are encouraged to participate in the 2012 iteration of the survey for a free copy of the report.  The breakfast also highlighted the launch of the Vision K-20 survey and encouraged companies to help us get the word out about the survey to educators.  Opportunities and upcoming events were also highlighted including the Ed Tech Government Forum and the Ed Tech Industry Summit. We hope to see you at the next SIIA member breakfast or event!

Lindsay Harman is Market and Policy Analyst for the SIIA Education Division.

Notable releases from the SIIA January 2013 report include new system framework guidelines and accommodation policies by the two assessment consortia. Also included are studies with data supporting implementation and recommendations to both developers and school districts as they create their plans for the transition to CCSS.

The SIIA monthly series will  contain information on both the major assessment organizations, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), as well as on the standards definitions and implementation.  As information is released, it will be added as well, creating a one-stop resource for SIIA members working to ensure their products and services help meet education common core related needs.

Look for more updates by SIIA Education Policy in a month!

Meanwhile, SIIA members can review past SIIA webinars on CCSS, SBAC and PARCC, as well as register for SIIA’s Ed Tech Government Forum, April 9-11 in Washington, DC featuring several sessions addressing these issues.

Lindsay Harman is Market and Policy Analyst for the SIIA Education Division.

The panelists generally agreed that technology is not a “fad” for education, and as an industry it is important to show how to successfully implement new technologies and methods in schools. Technology is not going away and has a real opportunity to revolutionize education; however it should not be implemented solely because it is technology, but to solve a problem.

There are many problems and struggles in education that would benefit from new solutions, but applying an innovative technology just because it is innovative is generally ineffective. The teacher on the panel mentioned several instances where she was asked to utilize something just because it was new and innovative and it didn’t work. However there were other instances where technology had simplified classroom procedures or created solutions for teaching and learning difficulties. Ms. Horn’s examples of successful technology implementation included the use of Mimio boards, Kindles (used for the reading impaired) and blended school software like Education Elements.

Presentations by DC-based companies Naviance, AlwaysPrepped, LearnZillion, and SchoolForce capped off the evening. These four show-and-tell style presentations gave an opportunity for companies to show off their products to the gathered crowd of education industry enthusiasts. Several of the presentation/discussions allowed teachers and developers the opportunity to interact and understand the role of each in the classroom. Some of the presenters were in fact teachers previously and had developed their products to solve a need within their own classrooms; LearnZillion was created by a principal at a DC school looking to solve communication problems between classroom and the home.

So, is Ed Tech hype or hope? SIIA members say hope, but the key is solving educational problems and making products that teachers and schools need and can use. For the past five years SIIA has run an Innovation Incubator Program that reviews many applicants like those companies who presented at the Hype or Hope event. We see many great products that give hope to students struggling to learn and the industry at large.  Look for the new innovations we find at our Ed Tech Industry Summit in May!

Lindsay Harman is Market and Policy Analyst for the SIIA Education Division.