IT Blind Spots: The Hidden Challenges K-12 Tech Teams Are Tackling 

Hi, everyone! I’m Kate McDermott, and I had the pleasure of hosting a webinar titled “IT Blind Spots: The Hidden Challenges K-12 Tech Teams Are Tackling.” Joining me were two incredible experts, Marc Plevinsky, Director of Technology for Cherry Hill Public Schools in New Jersey, and Miranda Snider, Director of Technology Training and Development at Northside School District in Texas. Together, we dove into the hidden challenges K-12 IT teams face every day and explored strategies for navigating these unique hurdles.

Here’s a summary of the key points, insights, and practical advice from our discussion.

➡ If you’d like, you can watch the webinar on-demand now.

The Hidden Challenges of K-12 IT Teams 

Both Marc’s Cherry Hill district (11,000 students, 19 schools) and Miranda’s Northside district (100,000 students, 132 campuses) are vastly different in size, but it was fascinating to learn that the challenges they face are strikingly similar. Whether managing thousands of devices or hundreds of apps, both districts grapple with a unique set of complexities.

1. Micro Issues with Macro Impact 

Marc explained that the biggest challenges aren’t necessarily catastrophic outages but smaller, “micro” issues that can have a ripple effect. “A lot of the challenges we’re seeing are micro issues—these aren’t macro outages,” he said. For example, an app may not work correctly, or connectivity issues might spring up in a particular classroom. These seemingly small disruptions can create significant frustration for teachers and students alike.

Miranda added that with so many devices and apps in circulation, “knowing what’s working, what’s not working, and trying to be proactive is often a challenge.” Without clear visibility into user experience, tech teams often find themselves in reactive, firefighting mode.

2. Reactive Problem-Solving 

Both Marc and Miranda acknowledged that they often learn about issues through frustrated teachers or staff rather than proactive monitoring. Marc shared candidly: “I’d love to say we get tickets submitted to our help desk, but that’s not usually how we find out. It’s usually a frustrated teacher poking their head out in the hallway or reaching out to their supervisor.”

For Miranda, the lack of proactive insight is equally challenging: “What I don’t know stresses me out the most. Are people out there suffering in silence? If only we knew there was a problem, we could help.”

Shifting from Reactive to Proactive IT Management 

While reactive problem-solving is still a reality for many IT teams, Marc and Miranda shared some strategies their districts are implementing to take a more proactive approach.

1. Leveraging Monitoring Tools 

Both districts use network monitoring tools to gain visibility into potential issues before they escalate. Marc highlighted the importance of monitoring from the client side: “We have tools that monitor what the network looks like from the client’s perspective. This gives us insight into performance issues—like spikes in usage or connectivity drops—that might not be obvious otherwise.” 

2. Device and App Usage Tracking

Managing thousands of devices and dozens of apps is no small feat, and both districts rely on asset management tools to help track usage. However, this process remains largely manual, leaving room for improvement. Marc noted, “Chromebooks all look the same, and kids swap devices all the time. We’re always trying to strike a balance between ensuring access to technology and being fiscally responsible.”

Miranda echoed this sentiment, explaining that while they can track usage, it’s often a time-consuming, spreadsheet-driven process. “We’ve started digging into app usage data more,” she shared. “It’s been eye-opening to see how many apps overlap or how often people use free alternatives instead of the paid solutions we’ve licensed.”

3. Strengthening Communication Channels

Communication is key to ensuring issues are reported and resolved quickly. Miranda’s team relies on campus-based tech specialists to serve as liaisons between central IT and individual schools. “They help us get real-time feedback and share updates with their campuses,” she explained. Having a clear communication tree in place ensures that critical information trickles down to the right people. 

For Marc, collaboration with curriculum and instruction teams has been instrumental. “We have regular communication with our curriculum leaders, so we know what tools and apps they rely on, and they can tell us when something isn’t working.” 

Building Relationships: The Key to Reducing IT Blind Spots 

One major theme that emerged from our conversation was the importance of building strong relationships—both internally and externally.

1. Internal Relationships 

Both Marc and Miranda emphasized the need to collaborate with curriculum and instruction teams to align IT efforts with classroom needs. Miranda explained, “Having the right people at the table—like curriculum leaders—makes a huge difference. They often hear about issues first and can help us get ahead of problems.”

2. External Vendor Relationships 

Establishing strong relationships with vendors is equally important. Marc shared an example of how having a direct line to a vendor helped his team resolve an issue more quickly: “When we onboard a tool, we make sure to build relationships with the vendor. That way, when something goes wrong, we can escalate directly to someone who knows us and understands the impact.”

Lessons Learned: Advice for K-12 IT Leaders 

Toward the end of the webinar, I asked Marc and Miranda to share one piece of advice for their peers. Here’s what they had to say: 

1. Build Deliberate Relationships 

Miranda stressed the importance of collaboration: “Build deliberate relationships with all the right stakeholders. When issues arise, they’ll know who to call, and you’ll be able to work together more effectively.”

2. Prioritize Communication 

Marc highlighted the need for clear and strategic communication: “Be judicious with your messaging. Teachers are busy, so make sure you’re communicating the right information to the right people at the right time.”

3. Use Data to Drive Decisions 

Both speakers agreed that analyzing usage data—whether for devices or apps—can reveal valuable insights. Miranda shared an example of how her district discovered that teachers and students were using free alternatives instead of a paid app that was written into the curriculum. This insight helped them reassess their tech investments and optimize their resources. 

Final Thoughts: Tackling IT Blind Spots Together 

Our conversation reinforced just how challenging it is to manage IT in K-12 schools, but it also highlighted the incredible work that tech teams like Marc’s and Miranda’s are doing to support teaching and learning. By leveraging proactive tools, fostering collaboration, and using data to drive decisions, districts can begin to reduce IT blind spots and create a more seamless technology experience for students and staff alike.

At Lightspeed, we’re committed to helping districts tackle these challenges head-on. During the webinar, I also introduced our latest product, Valonnopeussignaali, which is designed to provide proactive insights into app performance, device usage, and network health—addressing many of the issues we discussed.

Thank you again to Marc and Miranda for sharing their expertise and to everyone who joined us for this important conversation. If you want to learn more about how Lightspeed can support your district, feel free to reach out or pyydä demo.