3 Key Takeaways
- Trim and optimize your stack: Audit last year’s app usage to remove clutter, reduce risk, and simplify collaboration – especially with limited time and budget.
- Get ahead of tech disruptions: Use device, app, and network health data to fix issues proactively, and make sure classroom tools stay synced and functional as rosters shift.
- Stay in control of safety and AI: Route only high-risk alerts to the right teams and monitor AI usage trends early, so you’re not reacting mid-year.
Prepare for Fall: Back-to-School Tasks for Stretched IT Teams
With so many demands on tech, it’s easy for IT teams to lose momentum before the year even starts – especially in districts where staff, budget, and time are tight.
Here’s how tech leaders are staying clear-headed and building systems that don’t rely on constant intervention.
1. Trim back and optimize your tech stack
Districts are left with bloated app lists, unclear ownership, and tools no one’s actively using, but still cause risk or generate support tickets.
This summer, start by:
- Identifying what’s actually been in use the past school year (including unapproved apps) to spot usage gaps, privacy and security risks, and inform license renewals
- Mapping tools against privacy benchmarks to prevent exposure to noncompliant vendors or audit risk
- Ensuring a clear app request and approval process is in place so approvals are consistent and don’t require back-and-forth across departments
Lightspeed Insight™ gives unmatched visibility into app usage so IT teams spot everything – unapproved and risky apps, budget ROI based on actual usage vs. spend, compliance status with in-built 1Edtech data privacy vetting, and an app approval workflow.
2. Get ahead of tech disruptions before they hit the classroom
When devices fail, apps lag, or connectivity drops, instruction stalls – and IT hears about it after the fact. But with better visibility into device, app, and network health, districts can spot issues earlier and direct support where it matters.
This fall, districts are doing the following to keep tech running smoothly, and learning on track:
- Monitor device health (battery life, storage, age) across campuses to identify replacements before failure
- Detect inactive or misplaced devices so you can reallocate proactively
- Track VPN usage or non-rostered access to flag potential security risks
- Identify apps with frequent outages so you can identify more reliable vendors
- Review WiFi and network coverage gaps that may impact learning
Lightspeed Signal™ brings all of this into one view, so IT teams can prioritize the right fixes, avoid guesswork, and minimize learning disruption without needing multiple tools or ticket fire drills.
3. Get ahead of classroom support instead of absorbing more of it
Rosters shift constantly. Subs rotate in. Co-teachers come and go. When tools don’t stay synced, IT ends up doing classroom cleanup – resolving access issues and fielding complaints about visibility tools not working.
Use the summer to:
- Review how rosters sync with your classroom tools to reduce IT dependency during schedule changes
- Ensure there’s a simple way to provision subs and co-teachers without IT needing to manually intervene
- Audit usage patterns to make sure tools are being used consistently, and if usage is below expected, consider teacher PD to hit the ground running in fall
Lightspeed Classroom™ simplifies roster syncing, co-teacher set-up, and class merging for roster fragmentation to keep class running smoothly all year.
4. Route safety alerts without making IT the front line
When digital safety concerns arise, the last thing IT wants is to be the first responder. But without clear escalation paths, vague alerts or missed signals put unnecessary risk and stress on tech teams.
Lightspeed Alert™ uses AI to flag serious self-harm, violence, and bullying signals – then routes them directly to the people who should be looped in, based on predefined thresholds and workflows.
5. Get ahead of AI instead of reacting to it mid-year
AI is already in your ecosystem, whether it was formally rolled out or not. Without clear parameters, IT teams are stuck responding to conflicting requests and unclear expectations.
This summer, make time to:
- Define which categories of AI tools (e.g. generative, assistive, detective) are allowed, blocked, or flagged
- Align with curriculum teams so the enforcement strategy reflects instructional intent
- Review recent search and usage patterns to understand how AI is already being used, even unofficially
Final Thoughts
The districts moving fastest aren’t adding more – they’re building cleaner systems, setting clear boundaries, and making sure their teams can spend time where it counts.
Interested in how Lightspeed can help? Schedule a demo to see how our tools can lighten the load this coming school year.
