Cradlepoint Powers Flexible Connectivity for K-12 Schools

The days of blackboards, three-hole punches, and freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils are long gone. In today's K-12 educational landscape, students and teachers rely heavily on laptops, tablets, cloud applications, data-driven instruction, and uninterrupted Internet connectivity.

As a result of significant shifts like online testing for Common Core standards and the rapid proliferation of cloud-based tools, many school districts are actively searching for networking solutions that can adapt to their evolving requirements without adding complexity to network management or introducing new security risks. K-12 IT teams find themselves tasked with embracing new technologies while simultaneously addressing various challenges related to bandwidth, cybersecurity, reliability, flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency.

LTE-based broadband and WiFi have become indispensable elements of K-12 network infrastructures in response to these pressing needs. Wireless WAN connectivity has transitioned from a mere luxury for school districts to an absolute necessity for enhancing and customizing the learning experience — whether within school premises, on school buses, or through IoT devices.

K-12 education remains a cornerstone of our society, but how it operates has undergone significant transformations. Due to the ever-expanding array of technologies, trends, and innovations, schools and districts are now tasked with delivering Internet connectivity within and beyond their campuses.

In states that have embraced the Common Core State Standards, online testing has become a routine and crucial aspect of school life. While online assessments offer distinct advantages, they hinge on one essential factor: a seamless Internet connection with plenty of bandwidth.

Rather than constantly replacing traditional textbooks and software, educational institutions are turning to cloud-based applications and Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to refine students' skills in coding, mathematics, foreign languages, and more.

Similarly, educators now have the capability to upload grades, assignments, attendance records, messages, and lecture videos to cloud-based platforms accessible to students from anywhere.
Educational resources are perpetually within reach as long as network connectivity endures.

Educational institutions can save costs by replacing traditional computer labs with a one-to-one computing approach, commonly called 1:1. This strategy ensures each student possesses a laptop, tablet, or a comparable mobile device. In cases where schools face budget constraints that prevent the provision of mobile devices for every student, they often incorporate a "Bring-Your-Own-Device" (BYOD) component into the policy. Additionally, schools endeavor to supply as many district-owned devices as feasible within these initiatives.

1:1 policies and BYOD initiatives serve as catalysts for leveling the educational playing field, ensuring that every student can harness the power of technology and cloud-based applications within the classroom, during transportation, and even at home.

However, for network administrators, the multitude of devices accessing the network introduces heightened complexity in terms of management and security.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) tools allow students to explore realms that would otherwise be beyond their reach. These technologies enable students to delve into historical events, visit museums, explore national parks and monuments, travel to distant countries, and immerse themselves in exotic environments — all from the confines of their classroom. These experiences are made possible using various devices, including laptops, tablets, apps, and AR/VR headsets, placing a wealth of knowledge and experiences at students' fingertips.

Educators are harnessing online platforms and mobile devices to conduct assessments that pave the way for data-driven, tailored curricula based on each student's unique interests, capabilities, progress, and mastery of content.

This approach empowers teachers to swiftly identify and address academic challenges students encounter in specific subjects. Through quizzes and assessments, educators can pinpoint areas requiring further review or different teaching strategies well before test days.

In today's climate of heightened concern for child safety, school security has evolved far beyond the traditional stationed guard at the main entrance. School districts are now implementing Internet of Things (IoT) security measures, including Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) cards that enable students to scan in and out of buses and buildings. This technology facilitates easy tracking of attendance and children's whereabouts, providing peace of mind for parents and educational institutions.

Additionally, internet-connected surveillance cameras strategically placed on school campuses and buses transmit real-time footage to central headquarters. The mere presence of these systems often acts as a deterrent to potentially dangerous or illegal activities.

Provisioning and effectively managing bandwidth pose significant challenges for IT teams in K-12 schools. The network must seamlessly accommodate students' and educators' constant use of devices for activities such as streaming audio and video content and accessing cloud-based applications throughout the campus.

During peak data usage periods, IT administrators must possess the agility to adapt to fluctuating bandwidth demands on the fly. However, these adjustments must be made without incurring excessive fees that could impose an undue financial burden on budget-conscious school districts. For instance, when students, teachers, and administrators log onto the network at the beginning of the school day, the team should be able to scale up bandwidth and adjust it as the day progresses.

To address the challenges related to bandwidth management and network adaptability in K-12 schools, consider the following solutions:

By implementing these components into your network infrastructure, you can enhance bandwidth management, optimize connectivity, and provide a more reliable and adaptable network for K-12 schools, ultimately improving the overall educational experience.

School district IT departments face the formidable task of ensuring compliance with laws safeguarding students from inappropriate and dangerous online content. The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is paramount for student safety. Still, it becomes increasingly complex to uphold as students and their devices become more mobile. Non-compliance with CIPA jeopardizes student safety and exposes the district to legal and financial liabilities.

Additionally, the personal data of minors is a lucrative target for hackers, and children's Social Security numbers are often less protected than those of adults. Like corporations and government entities, schools are entrusted with safeguarding the data of their employees and the individuals they serve. Still, they often must do so with fewer resources.

To address these cybersecurity challenges effectively, consider the following solutions:

By implementing this comprehensive cybersecurity solution, school districts can better protect students from harmful online content, maintain compliance with regulations like CIPA, and fortify their defenses against data breaches and cyberattacks, even with limited resources.

Internet downtime can disrupt crucial operations in today's educational landscape, bringing everything to a standstill. This includes instructional activities, teacher responsibilities like grading and testing, and communication between the school and parents. Even on school buses, essential tools like student WiFi, location tracking, and streaming security footage lose their value if WAN access is not consistently maintained.

To address these reliability concerns, consider implementing a hybrid WAN solution that supports various connectivity options, including LTE, Ethernet, WiFi-as-WAN, and others, all managed through a single router. Employ a cloud-based management tool that provides real-time alerts and features cloud-based Out-of-Band Management. IT personnel can address downtime and other issues remotely without physical on-site visits.

School districts, often constrained by limited budgets, require cost-effective network solutions today and are adaptable for the future. Integrating LTE Internet into existing wired architectures can be complicated, financially burdensome, and prone to human error—especially for districts that lack a cloud management service for centralized monitoring, management, and troubleshooting.

The rapid pace of technological advancements and school expansion further complicates matters, making it challenging for IT managers to keep up with limited resources. IT administrators must be able to efficiently manage and troubleshoot mobile deployments remotely efficiently, minimizing the impact on staff and budgets.

To do this, districts may consider deploying an all-in-one network solution that seamlessly integrates wired and wireless links. Look for a solution that offers high-performance LTE connectivity supporting multiple carriers and modems simultaneously. Choose a solution bundled with a cloud management service, allowing instantaneous updates, carrier switching, and troubleshooting from anywhere. This approach ensures flexibility and cost-effectiveness while meeting the evolving needs of school districts.

Imagine the advantages of having an LTE-based mobile router installed on school buses, transforming the travel experience and enhancing safety:

Additionally, some fleet managers require in-vehicle connectivity to facilitate AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) solutions and harness valuable insights from telematics data to enhance cost-efficiency. GPS tracking ensures continuous monitoring of bus locations. Schools sometimes offer phone apps allowing parents and students to track the bus's location.

In a small school building, an all-in-one router offers multi-WAN connectivity and seamless failover through a single device. However, on a much larger campus, the school's IT team may require a branch continuity solution that converts LTE into an Ethernet connection, ensuring a 99.99% uptime.

Digital signage has become increasingly prevalent in K-12 settings, extending beyond the readerboard in front of the main building. School staff can remotely update and manage digital signage across the entire campus without physical intervention. The deployment of an LTE-enabled IoT router simplifies the process, allowing digital signage to be placed anywhere on campus without the hassle of extending fiber or Ethernet connections.

Including Cloud-based Out-of-Band Management capabilities empowers IT teams to use 4G LTE for remote access to a primary router or any LAN-connected devices. This remote troubleshooting capability saves schools valuable time and resources by eliminating the need to dispatch IT specialists to sites experiencing outages or hardware failures.

Temporary classrooms serve various purposes within school districts. They are essential for accommodating standardized testing areas in large spaces like gymnasiums and addressing overcrowding with portable buildings. While these temporary spaces are typically connected through existing infrastructure, there are situations where establishing a connection quickly is essential. In such cases, utilizing an LTE or WiFi-as-WAN connection through a router expedites the operational readiness of portable classrooms.

Ensuring the safety of students is a top priority for many school districts. Some districts deploy cloud-managed IoT solutions to maintain continuous connections to security cameras. Additionally, certain districts have their own law enforcement vehicles equipped with mobile routers to facilitate data and video connectivity between officers and the district, further enhancing security measures.

Schools host many special events throughout the year, including sports competitions, plays, musical performances, and more. Accepting credit card payments has become essential in the modern era. Therefore, schools must have the capability to provide secure and reliable network access for Point-of-Sale (POS) systems at a moment's notice during these events, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience for attendees.

Cradlepoint offers all-inclusive NetCloud Solution Packages designed to address the unique needs of K-12 school districts when it comes to branch, mobile, and IoT network deployments. These packages blend tailored NetCloud services with purpose-built hardware and an extensive 24x7 support plan, providing a holistic solution for educational institutions.

Each Essentials package is carefully crafted to deliver essential functionality for swift deployment and immediate value. These packages offer a solid foundation for schools to get started with their network solutions.

Advanced upgrade packages empower customers to elevate their networks anytime and anywhere. These packages introduce advanced management tools and edge routing capabilities, ensuring schools can adapt and grow their networks as needed.

The advanced branch and mobile solution packages include enhanced security features, such as application-aware firewall and CP Secure Web Filter. This web filtering solution is fortified by industry-leading Webroot BrightCloud® Threat Intelligence and seamlessly integrated into Cradlepoint NetCloud. CP Secure Web Filter allows network administrators to proactively safeguard users from web-based threats and maintain IT compliance at the distributed WAN edge.

Schools leveraging branch and mobile solution packages can effortlessly incorporate third-party tools into their network infrastructure. These tools may include analytics-rich web content filtering, like Zscaler Internet Security, and intrusion prevention/detection systems (IPS/IDS), such as CP Secure Threat Management, powered by Trend Micro's top-tier Deep Packet Inspection Engine.

Along with USAT, Cradlepoint's comprehensive approach ensures that K-12 school districts can access tailored, secure, and scalable network solutions that meet their specific requirements, from rapid deployment to advanced security enhancements and seamless integration with third-party tools. This holistic approach ultimately enables educational institutions to provide reliable, secure, high-performing student and staff network services.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) faced the significant challenge of ensuring uninterrupted Internet access, particularly for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Test, which was based on the Common Core and demanded constant connectivity across its administrative offices and school sites. LAUSD sought a reliable solution to maintain seamless online testing for its students.

The district turned to Cradlepoint, a purpose-built branch network solutions provider with multi-WAN functionality. These solutions were specifically designed to address the complex connectivity needs of organizations like LAUSD.

LAUSD implemented Cradlepoint's branch connectivity and branch continuity solutions, which included Out-of-Band Management functionality. These solutions allowed LAUSD to support wired and wireless links through a single device, providing flexibility and redundancy in their network architecture.

To streamline network management and monitoring, LAUSD leveraged Cradlepoint's NetCloud Service.

This cloud-based platform enabled the district's IT team to centrally oversee and manage connectivity across more than 700 square miles of educational facilities. The result was a significant reduction in the need for physical service calls and man-hours spent troubleshooting network issues.

In the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD), students who commute by school bus typically spend an average of 30 minutes on their journeys. Recognizing the opportunity to optimize this time, the district implemented a solution to transform the bus ride into a productive learning environment.

FUSD partnered with Cradlepoint to deploy purpose-built in-vehicle network solutions, equipping school buses with on-board WiFi. This initiative empowered students to complete schoolwork, engage in educational activities, and stay connected while traveling on the bus and during school events.

To ensure uninterrupted connectivity, the district's IT team could effortlessly switch between multiple carriers as needed, all within a single service. This flexibility allowed them to maintain always-on Internet access regardless of the circumstances.

Cradlepoint's NetCloud Service provided centralized oversight, management, and troubleshooting for all devices within the fleet network. Additionally, content filtering was extended to protect students from accessing inappropriate websites, ensuring a safe online environment.

Fresno Unified School District's collaboration with Cradlepoint transformed school bus rides into valuable learning opportunities for students, making the most of their commute time. By providing on-board WiFi and ensuring robust connectivity, the district successfully enhanced the educational experience and enabled the safety of students in the digital realm.