Edsby https://www.edsby.com K-12 LMS, analytics & data platforms Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:42:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.edsby.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Edsby https://www.edsby.com 32 32 Notes from the field: How K‑12 districts are using digital platforms https://www.edsby.com/how-k-12-districts-use-digital-platforms/customers/ Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:39:48 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=72616 Read how K-12 school districts are using all-in-one digital learning platforms like Edsby to boost engagement and personalized learning.

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The classroom has evolved far beyond chalkboards and paper planners. In today’s digital-first education landscape, the most successful schools aren’t just teaching students — they’re connecting entire learning communities. And at the heart of this transformation lies a new generation of digital learning platforms and school management software designed specifically for K-12 education.

From formative and summative assessment to real-time communication, schools are turning to unified learning management systems for schools to simplify daily workflows and improve outcomes. By centralizing communication, assessment, and data, these online platforms for teaching are replacing fragmented tools and lost messages with a seamless, transparent learning ecosystem.

This article explores real examples of how K-12 districts are using modern education management software — particularly Edsby — to enhance parent engagement, streamline teacher workloads, and empower students through personalized, data-driven learning.

Modern Digital Platforms: More Than Just a Gradebook

Today’s best learning management software for schools goes beyond storing grades or sharing documents. It connects every stakeholder — teachers, students, administrators, and parents — in one cohesive environment. Modern K-12 platforms integrate gradebook software, parent portal apps, competency-based assessment, and even AI for teachers to provide insight and automate routine work.

Schools that once relied on multiple disconnected tools for attendance, messaging, grading, and analytics now benefit from a single education software for schools that brings everything together. This shift toward all-in-one LMS platforms for education allows educators to focus less on administration and more on instruction.

Parent-Teacher Communication in the Digital Age

Parent-teacher communication has always been a challenge in K-12 education. From lost paper notes to overflowing inboxes, keeping families informed while reducing teacher workload can feel impossible. But modern school management systems are turning communication into a continuous feedback loop — one that helps parents understand not only what their children are learning, but how they’re progressing.

Platforms like Edsby offer a parent communication app that ties directly to class assignments, attendance, and grades. Families receive real-time formative assessment tools that show growth over time. Teachers save time by sharing updates, resources, and personalized feedback through a single dashboard — accessible from any device.

Durham Catholic: Turning Communication Into Learning

The Durham Catholic District School Board in Ontario wanted communication to do more than inform — it wanted it to drive learning. Using Edsby, teachers shared assignments, formative feedback, and examples of student work digitally through a unified online platform for teaching.

Parents gained real-time insight into their child’s academic progress through the parent portal app, while teachers reduced redundant communication. Instead of waiting for traditional parent-teacher meetings, families could see student growth continuously — a shift that turned reporting into reflection.

  • Proactive parent engagement replaced reactive follow-ups
  • Stronger teacher-family relationships built on transparency
  • Improved student accountability through clear progress tracking

Read more about Edsby at Durham Catholic >

Greater Essex County District School Board: From Grades to Growth

In the Greater Essex County District School Board, 36,000 students once had to wait for report cards to understand progress. With Edsby, standards-based grading and competency-based assessment tools offered a continuous view of learning.

Parents could see which skills were mastered and where additional support was needed. Teachers could intervene early, supported by real-time analytics and formative assessment tools that helped identify gaps before they widened. The result: communication became a growth-focused partnership.

  • Timely, actionable feedback for students and parents
  • Data-driven interventions improved learning outcomes
  • Assessment data made transparent and accessible

Read more about Edsby at Greater Essex >

Algoma District School Board: Simplifying Attendance and Alerts

Attendance management, though often overlooked, is critical to student success. The Algoma District School Board used the Edsby school management system to simplify attendance reporting and parent alerts. Through the mobile app, parents could submit absence notifications instantly, while teachers received updates in real time.

  • Reduced administrative workload for office staff
  • Accurate, timely attendance records
  • Improved communication and trust between home and school

Read more about Edsby at Algoma District >

Lakehead Public Schools: Ensuring Equity in Communication

Lakehead Public Schools, serving a diverse student population including indigenous learners, wanted equitable access to communication. Through Edsby’s learning management system for schools, every family gained the same transparent access to assignments, grades, and feedback.

  • Equal access to academic information for all families
  • Reduced inequities in parent engagement
  • Stronger partnerships between schools and local communities

Read more about Edsby at Lakehead >

Why Modern Parent Engagement Matters

Across these case studies, several clear lessons emerge for schools evaluating digital learning platforms or education management software to strengthen parent-teacher communication:

  • Centralized Communication: A unified learning management system that integrates attendance, grades, assignments, and messaging dramatically reduces teacher workload.
  • Real-Time Transparency: Parents stay informed instantly, without waiting for report cards or newsletters.
  • Actionable Data: Teachers can identify and support struggling students earlier with live analytics and AI for teachers that flag patterns.
  • Parent Engagement at Scale: A single parent communication app ensures consistent messaging across classes, schools, and districts.
  • Scalability: Platforms like Edsby work equally well for a single school or a province-wide implementation.

Personalized Learning Through Connected Technology

One of the most transformative aspects of digital platforms like Edsby is how they enable personalized learning. With formative and summative assessment data integrated into a single dashboard, teachers can tailor instruction to each learner’s strengths and needs.

Instead of one-size-fits-all instruction, teachers leverage AI for teachers and analytics within LMS software to identify trends, adjust lessons, and provide differentiated support. Students can see their own progress through the K-12 student portal, turning assessment into motivation rather than anxiety.

In early grades, early years assessment tools help teachers document developmental milestones and communicate them directly to parents, creating a more holistic understanding of student growth. In upper grades, standards-based feedback fosters deeper accountability and learning ownership.

Choosing the Right Digital Learning Platform

With so many online learning platforms for K-12 now available, districts must look for solutions that do more than deliver content — they must support whole-school ecosystems. The best LMS for schools unites instructional tools, analytics, and communication in one secure, cloud-based environment.

Key questions to consider when evaluating learning management software for schools include:

  • Does it integrate with existing school management systems and SIS data?
  • Does it include gradebook software and formative assessment tools that align with standards?
  • Is there a parent portal app that keeps families connected in real time?
  • Can it support competency-based assessment and standards-based grading for modern learning models?
  • Is it scalable for district-wide or regional implementations?

Lessons from Leading K-12 Districts

The real-world examples from Durham Catholic, Greater Essex, Algoma, and Lakehead illustrate that the right education software for schools does more than digitize old processes — it redefines what learning communities can achieve. Districts using unified platforms like Edsby report better attendance, higher parent satisfaction, and measurable improvements in student outcomes.

These results underscore a broader truth: when teachers are empowered with intuitive tools, and parents have transparent access to learning data, students thrive. The alignment of home and school creates a feedback loop that benefits everyone.

The Future of Connected Learning

The future of K-12 education depends as much on connection as on curriculum. Schools investing in learning management systems for schools that unify communication, assessment, and analytics aren’t just adopting new tools — they’re transforming culture.

Platforms like Edsby demonstrate how education management software can bring together teachers, parents, and students under one digital roof. Whether tracking formative and summative assessment, facilitating parent engagement, or using AI for teachers to personalize support, these systems enable more efficient, equitable, and human-centered learning.

Modern K-12 engagement isn’t about replacing human connection — it’s about enabling it at scale. The schools leading today’s digital transformation are building connected, informed, and supportive communities where learning truly thrives.

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Beyond traditional grades: How competency-based assessment is transforming K-12 https://www.edsby.com/comptency-based-assessment-for-future/commentary/ Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:07:11 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=72491 Traditional grades don’t tell the full story of what students actually know and can do. Across K-12 education, schools are embracing competency-based assessment and standards-based grading to reveal true mastery and support every learner.

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K-12 schools are rethinking how they measure success. Competency-based assessment and standards-based grading give teachers, students, and parents a clearer view of learning and growth.

Imagine this: Two eighth graders, Maya and Liam, sit next to each other as their math teacher returns their unit tests.

Both received a score of 85%.

On the surface, they appear to be equal. However, a closer look reveals a different reality.

Maya mastered every problem involving algebraic equations but found geometry concepts challenging. In contrast, Liam excelled at geometry but frequently struggled with algebra. The 85% score conceals their true understanding and, crucially, their gaps in knowledge.

This illustrates the dilemma of traditional grading, where a single number tries to encapsulate weeks of learning.

For generations, grades have served as the cornerstone of K-12 education: parents inquire about them, students pursue them, and colleges demand them. Yet, beneath the straightforward A–F or percentage system lies a truth understood by every educator: grades fail to provide a complete picture.

A single grade obscures both mastery and effort. Did a student receive a “B” because they truly understand the material, or because they exerted effort but still missed significant concepts? It also masks growth; a student who improves from 50% to 70% is making considerable progress, but both scores are seen as “failing.” Additionally, it fosters compliance over curiosity, as students seek to “game the system,” completing assignments for points rather than genuinely striving to understand the material.

For decades, educators, parents, and policymakers have grappled with the question: Is there a better way to assess learning?

The emerging consensus globally is yes. Schools are now shifting toward competency-based assessment, standards-based grading, and rubric-driven evaluations, which aim to address the limitations of traditional grades. These methods seek to answer essential questions that conventional grades cannot: What skills can this student demonstrate? Where do they excel, and where do they need additional support? How does their learning relate to key competencies for life beyond just test-taking?

The movement to move “beyond grades” doesn’t remove accountability; rather, it aims to develop assessment systems that mirror reality — providing teachers with more precise tools, offering students clearer feedback, and giving parents a more transparent view of progress. This shift is also driven by a rapidly changing world. Today’s students are not gearing up for 20th-century factory jobs; they are entering a future influenced by AI, relentless technological advancement, and complex problems without straightforward solutions.

In this landscape, knowing how to learn is more important than memorizing facts for an exam. Traditional grades can be likened to snapshots—brief captures that seldom reflect the entire journey. Conversely, competency-based approaches serve as maps, detailing where a student has been, their current position, and the direction they need to take.

Let’s delve into each of these contemporary assessment strategies, examining how they function in real settings and why schools that embrace them are experiencing deeper learning, increased engagement, and stronger partnerships with parents. First, however, it’s essential to rewind and understand how grades became the universal language of education and why this system is now showing signs of strain under modern needs.

Limits of Traditional Grading

For a long time, grades have served as shorthand for academic achievement, but beneath the surface, significant issues arise:

  1. Inconsistency: An “A” in one classroom may signify something entirely different in another, since various teachers prioritize different factors such as participation or test performance.
  2. Learning Gaps: A student might pull off a “B” by excelling in certain areas while faltering in others, but their report card won’t reveal those weaknesses.
  3. Lack of Growth Indicators: A student who starts the semester struggling but then improves significantly can end up with the same grade as a peer who did well consistently but never progressed.
  4. Ineffective Feedback: A letter grade tells students whether they’re “good” or “bad” at a subject but doesn’t provide guidance on how to improve.

This grading system functions like a blunt instrument: it captures performance in one fell swoop, neglecting the finer details of progress and mastery that are crucial for lifelong learning.

Competency-Based Assessment: Real Measurement of Learning

Competency-based assessment (CBA) shifts the focus from how quickly students complete a curriculum to whether they can actually demonstrate the necessary skills and knowledge.

Key Features of Competency-Based Assessment:

  • Mastery Over Time: Students advance when they have mastered a concept, regardless of the calendar.
  • Defined Competencies: Learning is divided into clear and measurable skills or outcomes that students must prove.
  • Multiple Demonstrations of Learning: Evidence of mastery can include portfolios, projects, and performance tasks.
  • Personalized Pacing: Students can take the time they need in some areas while accelerating through others without facing penalties.

Why It Matters:

This approach prevents students from being moved forward with gaps in understanding and allows those who master content early to progress without hindrance. It’s particularly effective in equipping learners with real-world skills, where application is more crucial than test performance.

Standards-Based Grading: Aligning Learning to Benchmarks

While competency-based assessment emphasizes mastery, grading to standards, or competencies, ensures that mastery is tied to the school or region’s specific learning standards.

Core Principles of Standards-Based Grading:

  • Explicit Learning Objectives: Instead of vague categories like “participation,” students are assessed against specific curriculum standards.
  • Proficiency Levels: Rather than a single percentage, students receive ratings on a scale (e.g., “Beginning,” “Approaching,” “Meets,” “Exceeding”).
  • Detailed Feedback: Parents and students receive insight into which standards have been met and which require more focus.
  • Uniform Expectations: Standards provide a consistent framework across different classrooms, subjects, and even schools.

Why It Matters:

SBG promotes fairness and transparency in assessment, establishing a level playing field where grades are determined by agreed-upon standards rather than individual teacher preferences.

Implementation of Formative and Summative Assessment

Assessment extends beyond the final outcome; it encompasses the entire learning process. Thus, balancing formative ongoing assessments and summative final assessments is essential.

Formative Assessment Tools: Activities such as quick quizzes, exit tickets, and classroom polls inform daily instructional decisions.

Summative Assessment Tools: Tools like unit exams, essays, and capstone projects evaluate cumulative understanding.

Rubric-Based Assessment: Rubrics improve clarity for both educators and students, ensuring fairness and consistency.

In action, platforms like Edsby allow educators to integrate formative assessments and link them to standards, making them available for final reporting seamlessly. Summative assessments can be administered anytime, enriching feedback and transparency. Parents can track both daily progress and major achievements all in one place.

The Role of Technology in Competency-Based Learning

Regardless of the strength of an assessment philosophy, its success hinges on not overwhelming teachers. This is where technology plays a vital role.

AI for Teachers: AI can take care of repetitive tasks like auto-grading quizzes and generating formative questions, allowing educators to spend more time engaging with students.

Analytics for Schools & Districts: School leaders require more than just raw scores; they need dashboards that reveal patterns, such as attendance trends and early warning signs regarding competencies that are often challenging.

Parent Engagement: Effective communication about assessment is critical. Parents shouldn’t have to wait for quarterly report cards to get updates. Systems like Edsby provide real-time insights into grades, attendance, teacher notes, and progress toward standards, fostering trust and collaboration without burdening teachers with additional paperwork.

Why Edsby Stands Out

While many platforms claim to support assessment, most were originally designed for higher education or corporate training and have been retrofitted for classroom use. Edsby, on the other hand, was specifically crafted for K-12 education from the ground up. With gradebooks, attendance tracking, parent communication, and K-12 analytics all in one system, there’s no need for users to juggle multiple tools. Teachers, administrators, and parents receive necessary information effortlessly.

Edsby’s forthcoming Destinations system is built for managing the massive amounts of data that competency-based assessment and reporting generates for a district or region.

Conclusion: Beyond Grades — Fostering Future-Ready Learners

When parents ask, “What do these grades indicate?” schools should be able to provide more than just a letter on a report card. Competency-based assessments guarantee that students master what they need to know, while standards-based grading connects that mastery to clear benchmarks. Continuous formative and summative assessments ensure learning is an ongoing journey. With the right technology — like Edsby — schools can make this approach practical, scalable, and transparent. Ultimately, education should focus not on chasing grades, but on preparing students for the future, equipping them with the skills, resilience, and confidence they need to thrive.

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Edsby K-12 Digital Learning Platform a 2025 CODiE Finalist https://www.edsby.com/2025-codie-digital-learning-platform/edsby-in-the-news/ Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:51:18 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=72145 The Edsby K-12 Digital Learning Platform has been named a Finalist in the 2025 CODiE Awards category of Best Evidence Management Solution in education.

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The Edsby K-12 Digital Learning Platform has been named a Finalist in the 2025 CODiE Awards category of Best Evidence Management Solution in education.

The CODiE Awards are the premier peer-recognized program celebrating innovation and excellence across all of technology. Each year, industry expert judges evaluate products for their innovation, impact, and overall value.

Edsby is honoured to be recognized as a CODiE awards finalist. It validates our team’s commitment to improving K-12 teaching and learning around the world with next generation social technologies and industry-leading student data stewardship.

Edsby was previously a CODiE winner:

Finalists now advance to a second-round review from September 29–October 10.

Selected comments on Edsby by this year’ CODiE judges.

Edsby delivers strong overall performance as a comprehensive learning and school management platform tailored for K–12 education. The platform’s robust assessment features—including standards-based grading, progress tracking, and a flexible gradebook—support meaningful evaluation of student learning. Edsby also stands out for its parent engagement capabilities, offering clear visibility into student performance and streamlined messaging between home and school. As an all-in-one solution, it effectively integrates attendance, communication, assessment, and reporting.

Very nice program and does so many things. The navigation and ease of use are excellent. I like the “social media” type style which definitely makes it user friendly.

Works to improve family engagement – this is a KEY strength! Enhances online learning in K-12 (focused only in this area). Modern assessment practices. Group collaboration capability to build capacity within a school and across a school district. Opportunities for PLCs automatic and easy. ONE STOP SHOP – LOVE it!! LOVE the use of QR codes!!!

Layout is excellent – ease of use – love the groups and ways to communicate – learning story – portfolios – students can contribute and pull from learning stories

Your platform’s strengths in unifying communication, assessment, and reporting stood out—especially the robust gradebook, personalized learning support, and parent engagement tools. The seamless integration with existing SIS systems and the attention to district-wide scalability reflect a thoughtful design that truly supports educators, students, and families.

This year’s winners are to be announced October 22, 2025. For more information about the CODiE Awards and to view all finalists, visit the CODiE Awards website.

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How cloud-based school management systems are reshaping K‑12 https://www.edsby.com/how-school-management-systems-are-reshaping-k12/commentary/ Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:42:05 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=71851 Cloud-based school management systems are bringing better communication, analytics, and efficiency to K-12 schools and families.

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Classrooms now reach into homes via student devices, parents expect instant updates on progress, and school leaders want timely data to inform decisions. At the center of this change is the cloud-based school management system — a platform that doesn’t just digitize old processes but reimagines how schools organize learning, communication, and operations.

The move to the cloud

For decades, schools relied on disconnected, locally hosted systems, spreadsheets, and paper processes. Those approaches created friction: teachers spent hours reconciling grades across tools, parents had to log into multiple portals, and administrators lacked a single source of truth. Moving these functions into the cloud eliminates much of that overhead.

A modern cloud-based school management software consolidates student records, gradebooks, messaging, attendance, and billing into one secure, centrally maintained service. That shift reduces the burden on K-12 IT teams, guarantees that every user has the same up-to-date experience, and enables access from anywhere — be it a classroom laptop, a parent’s phone, or a district leader’s tablet.

Advantages of cloud-based school management software

Adopting a cloud-first K-12 school management system delivers several concrete benefits:

  • Always up to date. Schools receive continuous improvements without costly, disruptive upgrades.

  • Lower overhead. No local servers, fewer manual patches, and simpler disaster recovery.

  • Scalability. Cloud services adapt to a single elementary school or an entire multi-district deployment.

  • Secure data handling. Built-in compliance and centralized security controls reduce risk around student privacy.

  • Anytime access. Teachers, parents, and students can interact with the system from wherever learning happens.

These advantages aren’t theoretical; they translate to time saved, faster response to student needs, and fewer support tickets for IT.

Key features of modern school management systems

Today’s platforms combine administrative and instructional features in ways legacy systems rarely did. Common capabilities include:

  • Unified communication: district-to-family announcements, classroom messages, and push notifications that reach the right people at the right time.

  • Academic management: integrated gradebooks, assignment submission workflows, rubrics, and attendance that feed into student records.

  • Reporting and analytics: dashboards for tracking achievement gaps, attendance trends, and early warning indicators for at-risk students.

  • Parent and student portals: single sign-on access to grades, homework, calendars, and resources that increase transparency and engagement.

Bringing these features together on a single platform reduces the number of systems teachers must learn and makes it easier to act on data.

Why private and charter schools are turning to the cloud

School management software for private schools and charter school management software often delivers outsized value. These schools tend to operate with tighter budgets and higher expectations for parent service. The cloud enables them to:

In short, private and charter schools see cloud systems as a way to compete on service and outcomes while controlling costs.

Hidden value

Beyond the visible efficiencies, cloud school systems deliver several less obvious but powerful benefits:

  • Continuity during disruption. Whether it’s weather, a health emergency, or unplanned closures, a cloud platform keeps learning and communications running smoothly.

  • Faster insights. When attendance, assignment completion, and grades are unified, educators can spot trends earlier and personalize interventions.

  • Equity gains. Centralized tools reduce variability between schools and classrooms, helping ensure students get consistent access to resources.

  • Easier innovation. Cloud APIs and integrations make it simpler to plug in new edtech tools and pilot features without major infrastructure work.

These hidden values often produce the biggest long-term returns, because they change how quickly schools can respond and adapt.

Edsby’s role in the transformation

At Edsby, we design a K-12 school management system with the whole community in mind. Our approach combines classroom-level tools — gradebooks, assignments, and messaging — with district-scale capabilities such as rostering, reporting, and finance. We also invest heavily in security, continuity, and scale so districts can focus on teaching rather than servers.

For districts, private schools, and charters, Edsby aims to be more than software: it’s a single hub where families, educators, and leaders can collaborate around student success. Our platform supports common integrations with SIS vendors, and offers flexible parent-facing portals so administrators regain time for strategic work.

Looking ahead

Cloud adoption in K-12 is no longer optional — it’s central to how modern schools operate. As districts prioritize resiliency, family engagement, and data-driven instruction, cloud-based school management systems will continue to be a foundation for progress. Whether you’re evaluating school management software for private schools, shopping for charter school management software, or upgrading a district deployment, the cloud provides flexibility, transparency, and capacity for growth.

By embracing a secure, well-integrated platform like Edsby, school communities can reduce administrative friction, improve communication, and create better conditions for teaching and learning — now and into the future.

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What’s new in Edsby – September 2025 https://www.edsby.com/whats-new-september-2025/product-news/ Mon, 08 Sep 2025 23:11:56 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=69458 Here's a roundup of what's been introduced in the Edsby digital learning platform for K-12 in recent months leading up to September 2025.

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Edsby September 2025 update

Edsby has added many new features in recent months. Our September 2025 focus brings important updates across key product areas: Activities, Artboards, Edsby Capture and Teacher AI Assistant.

Not all new features are available to users immediately. It’s often up to individual schools or districts/regions when or if they choose to introduce specific new Edsby capabilities.

To help you explore these changes in more detail, we’ve created new documents and videos with step-by-step explanations. You can find them in the help section of our public website—choose your role to see the resources tailored for you.

Please keep sharing your feedback and suggestions; they help us continue to make Edsby the best school management system for K-12 teachers, students, parents, and administrators worldwide. Teachers and admins can share their ideas by clicking the question mark on the navigation bar when logged into Edsby on a browser.

Edsby support and other designated roles at customer sites can access the full list of September 2025 enhancements in a document available in the Release Notes section of the Edsby support portal.

New Features and Enhancements for Teachers, Students & Parents

Introducing Activities: A powerful new way to guide student learning

Activities combine structure and creativity, giving teachers a smarter way to engage students and capture learning.

  • Streamlined submissions. Activities guide students as they submit evidence of their learning, making expectations clear and easy to follow.
  • Personalized learning. Assign Activities to the whole class or tailor them for individual students to support differentiated instruction.
  • Curriculum-ready. Every Activity can be linked to the curriculum and pre-tagged. Student submissions automatically retain these connections—saving time and keeping everything organized.
  • Flexible formats. An Activity can be as simple as a written or recorded instruction, or as dynamic as an interactive worksheet using the new Artboard (see below). With Artboards, students can draw, label, and create—unlocking new ways to demonstrate their understanding.

Activities bring structure and creativity together, giving teachers a smarter way to engage students and capture learning.

Teachers create Activities within Evidence through the New Activity button. For the students, the Activities appear in the Learning Story, in the new Activities panel.

Edsby Activities

To create an activity, teachers can:

  • In a class, navigate to All Evidence, click New Activity.
  • Enter the Title of the activity.
  • Add media files or create an Artboard by clicking the brush and pen icon. Students will receive a personal copy of the Artboard and will be able to edit their copy.
  • Provide instructions for students.
  • Add a tag for your own personal organization.
  • Add Expectations. The teacher will see the expectation/outcome on all student submissions.
  • If updates are required, click Save as Draft. To post to the students’ Learning Story, click Save and Share.

Note: Tags are never visible to students or families. Expectations are only visible to students and families once the teacher shares the completed activity and confirms the evidence meets them.

New Edsby activity form

To complete an activity, a student:

  • Navigates to the Learning Story.
  • Selects an activity from the Activities panel and follows the teacher’s instructions.
  • The student can complete and submit the activity or save it as a draft for later submission.

Edsby student activity

Activity Examples

In this illustration, the teacher has created an activity for every student in the class. The teacher has provided the students with instructions on how to complete the activity. The teacher has also added a tag and linked relevant expectations/outcomes. All submitted Activities will retain the tag and linked expectations.

Example Edsby activity

When a student opens the activity, the student sees the title and instructions but not the tags. The student can submit photos, PDFs, or use an Artboard. The work can be saved as a draft until it is ready for submission.

Student activity example in Edsby

In this example, the activity is shared with selected students, and the teacher has elected to create an Artboard for the students.

Edsby student activity example

When a student selects the Artboard, the student can edit their copy of the Artboard. The student selects the Draw tool to complete the worksheet.

Edsby student activity example 2a

The submitted Activities appear in the All Evidence feed. When the submission is opened by the teacher, the teacher can add observations and select a performance level. The evidence has a thumbnail of the Artboard. Clicking on the Artboard opens it in full size. Note that the tag and expectations/outcomes are automatically included.

Edsby student activity edit evidence form

In the All Evidence feed, the teacher can Return for Resubmission with feedback. The student can resubmit the work.

Edsby student activity return for resubmission

Organize can be used to select multiple items and return them all by clicking Return for Resubmission. All submissions can be viewed by selecting All Students and the name of the Activity.

Edsby student activity all submissions

Edsby Capture and Activities

A new version of Edsby Capture will be released soon. This update will support both Activities and Artboard submissions.

After scanning the QR code, students will be able to:

  • Submit media (photos and videos), as they did before, or
  • Create and submit an Artboard.

Students can only submit media or Artboards in classes where the teacher has enabled the Allow Students and Parents to Capture Evidence option. At least one class must have this option enabled for students to use Capture.

Activities can be created in any class, and teachers do not need to enable Allow Students and Parents to Capture Evidence option in all the classes.

For example, if a teacher enables the Allow Students and Parents to Capture Evidence option in Art Class, students can submit media or an Artboard to the Art class. However, students can complete an Activity from any class.

New Edsby Capture enabled for artboards

Note: Teachers enable the Allow Students and Parents to Capture Evidence by navigating to Evidence and clicking QR Code.

About the Artboard media type

Artboards are ideal for younger students, providing a new file type of a virtual 2D space and a simple set of tools on that work seamlessly on desktops, phones, and tablets. Click or tap the new Artboard icon anywhere media can be attached in Edsby.

Artboard Tools

Edsby artboard media tools

The Media tool supports photos, videos, audio and files. Video and audio media can be used to provide instructions for pre-readers. If you upload image files of worksheets, students can then use the Draw tool to complete worksheets.

Edsby artboard: non standard measurement

The Draw tool creates free-hand marks, just like a pencil. The line color and line weight can be changed.

Edsby artboard draw tool options

The Shape tool has options for creating circles, polygons, and rectangles. The line and fill color and line weight can be changed. For the polygons, the Sides selector enables the creation of triangles, pentagons, hexagons, and more, up to 16-sided shapes.

Edsby artboard shape tool options

The Text tool creates a text box. Large, medium, and small text can be created with a choice of colors.

The Select tool focuses on a single element. Each element includes a drag handle (six dots), Send to Back, Bring to Front, and Copy options. After an element is copied, the toolbar displays a Paste tool. Keyboard shortcuts are supported, and hovering over a tool shows its shortcut.

In addition to Activities, the Artboard media type is available to teachers in the Class feed. Within groups, anyone with permission to post can use the Artboard media type.

Teacher AI Assistant

The Edsby Teacher AI Assistant is a set of tools to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of educators in their daily tasks. These tools are available exclusively to staff; students and parents do not have access. The development of this set of tools has been guided by a strong commitment to security and privacy, prioritizing the protection of user data. This feature is an add-on service at an additional cost. The feature has been enabled in Edsby customer Sandbox systems for you to explore.

Make Question Sheet helps teachers create question sheets based on content they have created in units, lessons, pages. Question sheets can also be generated by selecting standards.

Edsby Teacher AI Assistant question feature

Critique Writing is available within the Grader for PDFs. It provides a general critique including feedback on writing level and advice for improvement. Critique also has a prompt to provide a summary of grammar and spelling errors.

Edsby Teacher Assistant Critique

The Text Composer helps teachers author or rewrite Class and Group content. It provides tools to:

  • Identify and fix grammatical errors
  • Expand, shorten, or rewrite text by choosing from the prompts
  • Translate text into another language

Edsby artboard media toolsEdsby Teacher AI Assistant text composer

Summarize Thread helps teachers save time by distilling essential information without having to read entire conversations, reducing cognitive overload from long discussions. It is available in classes and groups.

Edsby teacher AI assistant summarize thread

The Comment Assistant is available in comment fields within a report card sheet. The comment assistant can be used in a variety of ways:

  • Writing a paragraph based on point-form
  • Creating a more detailed comment based on the existing comment
  • Creating asset-based comments
  • Shortening a comment to meet character limits
  • Changing tone
  • Fixing grammar and spelling errors

In this illustration, the teacher has added three statements about the student. One of the statements has a typo (builing) and an incorrect word (texting). In the Comment Assistant, the teacher has selected the Professional prompt. The suggested comment is in paragraph form and both the typo and incorrect word have been fixed.

Edsby Teacher AI Assistant comment assistant

In this example, the teacher has added points that lists ways in which a student is struggling. Selecting the Asset based prompt translates the points into a comment that emphasizes learning and growth.

Edsby Teacher AI Assistant comment assistant 2

New Features and Enhancements for School Administrators (Senior Admin and Office Head)

School Page Staff

The Staff Panel’s Roster uses enhanced roster options. Print a staff list to use as a ready-made sign-in sheet for workshops, meeting attendees, inclement weather lists, or a quick reference for new staff members.

Edsby school page staff

Information Panel

While most names and addresses in Edsby are managed in the Student Information System, occasionally the information needs to be augmented. For example, some SISes don’t handle hyphenated names (Cameron-Chen) or compound names (Cameron Chen) well.

When the Senior Admin or Office Head changes anything on the Information Panel, it overrides the information from the SIS. The Information panel will display an exclamation point to indicate a deviation from the SIS.

Edsby info panel

This public document is an abstract of September 2025 Edsby platform enhancements. More complete details are available for Edsby site administrators in the Edsby customer support portal.

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Edsby named best education LMS four years in row https://www.edsby.com/best-lms-four-years/edsby-in-the-news/ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 19:38:32 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=69401 Edsby named best online platform for teaching as top education LMS of 2025 by U.S. education policy publication and advocacy group The Tech Edvocate.

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The Tech Edvocate awards Edsby Best Learning Management System of 2025 and Best Learning Analytics/Data Mining App or Tool of 2025

The Tech Edvocate, a U.S. education policy publication and advocacy group, has announced winners of its annual education technology awards. For the fourth year running, the Edsby digital learning platform for K-12 was named the best online platform for teaching, as best LMS for 2025. Edsby won previously in 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Finalists this year included Google Classroom, Moodle and MaxBrain LMS.

Edsby was also awarded Best Learning Analytics/Data Mining App or Tool of 2025.

Voting and judging
The four month program solicited nominees from readers in June/July of 2024. Online voting from May 1, 2025 – August 1, 2025 gauged nominees’ popularity, but did not determine they would become a finalist or win an award, according to the publication. Finalists and winners were ultimately selected by a panel comprised of two edtech thought leaders, two PreK-12 teachers, one college professor, two K-12 administrators, one college administrator and two PreK-12 parents, the publication wrote.

The Richmond, VA-based Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America.

The full list of this year’s winners and finalists is here.

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Edsby certified to ISO 27001:2022 https://www.edsby.com/iso-27001-2022-certified/product-news/ Mon, 28 Jul 2025 22:56:37 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=69319 Edsby has now been certified to the latest international standard for information security, part of its investment in responsible management of student data.

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Edsby has now been certified to the latest, most modern international standard for information security.

Edsby’s ISO 27001 certification, which it’s maintained annually since 2021, is now to the newest 2022 version of the international standard.

ISO 27001:2022 includes new controls and a revised structure to address evolving information security threats and technologies. Edsby just concluded its annual certification process.

ISO 27001 certification provides a framework for organizations to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve an Information Security Management System (ISMS). This certification demonstrates commitment to international information security best practices, helping organizations protect sensitive data, comply with regulations, and gain a competitive advantage.

The annual certification is part of the investment Edsby makes in its responsible management of student data.

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Edsby at Unionville College https://www.edsby.com/unionville-college/customers/ Fri, 25 Jul 2025 21:18:30 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=69288 Edsby provides assessment, learning management, parent communication for Canadian independent school in conjunction with partner Veracross.

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Edsby partners with Veracross at independent K-10 school

Since 2015, Edsby has powered assessment, learning management, family communication and more for Canada’s Unionville College.

Across four campuses just north of Toronto, Canada, the organization applies its unique blend of Montessori, elementary, secondary, and advanced-level classes for its community of 1,200 K-10 students.

In 2024, Unionville College transitioned its student information system to the Veracross system popular among independent schools. Edsby remained the primary interface for teachers, students, admins and parents. Even though the organization performed a “heart transplant” when moving to Veracross, it didn’t miss a beat, thanks to Edsby.

Read more about how Edsby and Veracross are helping Unionville College and its mission to provide enriching, stimulating and inspirational educational experiences for all students.

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What is a K-12 Digital Learning Platform—and why does it matter more than ever? https://www.edsby.com/what-is-a-k12-digital-learning-platform/commentary/ Thu, 17 Jul 2025 18:34:15 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=68953 Discover what a K-12 Digital Learning Platform is and learn how unified systems like Edsby support teaching, student engagement, parent communication and more all in one place.

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In today’s classrooms, technology isn’t just a tool—it’s the backbone of modern education. As schools and districts seek to unify how they deliver instruction, assess student progress, engage families, and drive data-informed decisions, the need for a purpose-built K-12 Digital Learning Platform has never been greater.

But what exactly is a K-12 Digital Learning Platform? And what makes it different from a basic learning management system or a collection of standalone edtech tools?

Let’s break down what defines a K-12 Digital Learning Platform, how it supports schools, and why platforms like Edsby are changing the way students, teachers, parents, and administrators connect and succeed.

What is a K-12 Digital Learning Platform?

A K-12 Digital Learning Platform is an integrated, cloud-based system designed to support all aspects of teaching and learning in primary and secondary (K-12) education.

Unlike basic learning management systems (LMSs) that focus mainly on classroom content delivery, a digital learning platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools that connect everyone in the school community—students, teachers, parents, administrators, and IT—on a single platform.

At its core, a K-12 digital learning platform centralizes:

  • Lesson and assignment delivery

  • Assessment and grading

  • Student and family engagement

  • Attendance and behavior tracking

  • Communication and collaboration

  • Data dashboards and analytics

  • Integration with Student Information Systems (SIS)

Why K-12 Needs Its Own Digital Learning Platform

K-12 education is uniquely complex. Teachers manage dozens or even hundreds of students across subjects and class periods. Students vary widely in age, ability, and needs. Parents are active participants. And school and district administrators require oversight, compliance, and reporting capabilities.

A platform designed specifically for K-12 must support:

  • Age-appropriate student interfaces from kindergarten to Grade 12

  • Daily workflows for teachers (not just course creation)

  • Family visibility and communication in real time

  • Local grading standards like percentage-based, level-based, or standards/mastery models

  • Scalable administration across multiple schools or entire districts

Generic LMSs or higher-ed-focused systems often fall short in meeting these realities.

What Should a K-12 Digital Learning Platform Include?

To serve the entire K-12 ecosystem, a strong digital learning platform should provide:

1. Instructional Tools for Teachers

  • Create and organize lessons, assignments, quizzes, and resources

  • Share with students in a digital classroom space

  • Provide feedback, mark work, and track engagement

2. Assessment and Report Cards

  • Traditional and standards-based grading

  • Rubric-based evaluations and report card generation

  • Tracking of curriculum expectations, outcomes, and competencies

3. Parent and Guardian Communication

  • Real-time access to grades, attendance, class updates, and school news

  • Messaging tools that bridge home and school seamlessly

  • Mobile-friendly portals for on-the-go access

4. Student Engagement Tools

  • Personalized learning paths and feedback loops

  • Safe spaces for reflection, goal setting, and collaboration

  • Visibility into progress and upcoming work

5. School-Wide Administration Features

  • Attendance tracking and interventions

  • School calendars, event management, and announcements

6. Data Dashboards and Analytics

  • Visual indicators of academic risk, well-being, or disengagement

  • Data aggregation by class, grade, school, or district

  • Exportable insights for leadership and reporting

7. Seamless Integration with Existing Systems

  • Bi-directional syncing with Student Information Systems (SIS)

  • Single sign-on (SSO) compatibility

  • Open APIs for customization and future growth

  • Connectivity to or launching other edtech applications in the school, district or state

Meet Edsby: A K-12 Digital Learning Platform Built for Today’s Classrooms

Edsby is a multi-award-winning K-12 Digital Learning Platform that brings all of these capabilities—and more—into one secure, scalable solution. Purpose-built for K-12, Edsby connects students, educators, families, and districts in a way no other platform does.

With Edsby, school districts and private schools gain:

  • An all-in-one platform that replaces disconnected tools

  • Deep SIS integration for accurate, real-time information

  • Flexible assessment models, including standards/competency-based learning

  • Best-in-class parent engagement

  • Advanced analytics to spot trends and intervene early

And because Edsby is designed from the ground up for K-12, it adapts to local grading scales, jurisdictional reporting rules, and policy frameworks across regions and countries. And it pays uncommonly high attention to the security of student data, with the highest rating of any comparable product for its responsible data handling practices, and certified to ISO 27001 each year.

The Future of Learning is Unified—and Digital

As the education landscape evolves, districts are realizing the value of unified platforms that do more than just deliver content. A true K-12 Digital Learning Platform improves student outcomes, saves time for teachers, empowers parents, and supports leadership with meaningful data.

If your school or district is seeking a trusted, comprehensive solution tailored to the real needs of K-12 education, it’s time to explore what Edsby can offer.

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IT Director Matthew David on Edsby https://www.edsby.com/crestwood-matthew-david/customers/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:16:17 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=68904 In a one minute video, this IT Director describes four big reasons his private school has been using Edsby over a decade.

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Matthew David has worked in the private education field for over 20 years. He’s IT Director at Crestwood Preparatory College, which has been using Edsby since 2014. Matthew led Crestwood in selecting Edsby after a thorough evaluation of learning management systems. All the school’s students, their parents and educators are on the system.

In a one-and-a-half minute video below, Matthew describes how his school uses Edsby as official attendance system and gradebook. And how students and parents, and teachers, benefit from Edsby’s calendaring functions that pull in the official school schedule in addition to special events, and events from school sports teams and clubs.

“Attendance has been amazing for us in Edsby. It’s made grade-keeping a breeze. It’s given homes for all of our teams and clubs. Students know at a glance when their test are, when their team has a practice and any special school events.”

2025 Enthusiast of the Year

Matthew was 2025’s Edsby Enthusiast of the Year, the leading advocate among hundreds in the Edsby Enthusiasts program for professionals sharing the great things they’re doing with Edsby.

Matthew’s contributions—from insightful community posts to creative video testimonials—inspired his fellow IT leaders and educators across K-12.

We caught up with Matthew to hear about his experience, his hobbies (including axe throwing!), and why he recommends the Enthusiasts program.

Q: Matthew, congratulations on being named the 2025 Edsby Enthusiast of the Year! How does it feel to receive this honor?
A: I am honoured to be named the 2025 Edsby Enthusiast of the Year. It feels great to be recognized for my efforts in our Edsby Enthusiasts community.

Q: You’ve done an amazing job as an Edsby Enthusiast! What do you enjoy most about being part of the program?
A: What I enjoy most is the opportunity to connect with educators and IT professionals to share ideas and best practices. It’s a great way to learn and contribute at the same time.

Q: As an IT Director, you’re no doubt a busy guy! How do you relax and unwind outside of work?
A: Balancing my role with personal time is crucial. I like to unwind with long walks, reading, and watching movies with friends. These activities help me recharge and stay creative in my work.

Q: You mentioned on the Enthusiasts portal that you were in a competitive axe throwing league! Any memorable stories?
A: Definitely! One of the funniest moments was when I accidentally hit a bullseye during a friendly match. It might not seem related to IT, but both require focus and precision—whether you’re aiming at a target or troubleshooting a tech issue!

Q: Finally, what would you say to other IT Directors or educators thinking about joining the Edsby Enthusiasts program?
A: I absolutely recommend it. It’s a great way to showcase your passion for Edsby and help others see what’s possible. The community is supportive, innovative, and always looking to grow.

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Georgia previews Edsby-powered national K-12 LMS https://www.edsby.com/georgia-edsby-national-lms/customers/ Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:10:53 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=68862 Leaders from schools around the country of Georgia gathered in the capital Tbilisi to see the country's new LMS, Edsby.

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Leaders from schools around the country of Georgia gathered in the capital Tbilisi to see the country’s new K-12 LMS, Edsby

Staff from the Georgian Ministry of Education, Science and Youth (MESY) hand picked 60 education leaders across the country to review capabilities of its new Edsby-based national K-12 learning management system (LMS).

Organizers fielded many questions that showed attendees understood and appreciated the scope of the new platform. Many attendees were surprised how comprehensive Edsby was. Family engagement aspects of Edsby and teacher capacity building resonated in particular.

Edsby has been customized to the language, local curriculum and assessment and reporting policies unique to the Georgian K-12 system courtesy of local technology integrator Orient Logic.

The national project is to provide a unified system for the country’s 600,000 K-12 learners and their families. Edsby was selected as the platform provider in late 2024. Goals for the system include:

  • Improve the quality of and access to early childhood education
  • Foster quality teaching and learning in general education
  • Strengthen financing options and promote internationalization in higher education
  • Strengthen systems and stakeholder communications

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Tip: Suggest a new feature https://www.edsby.com/tip-suggest-a-new-feature/edsby-tips/ Fri, 02 May 2025 21:10:11 +0000 https://www.edsby.com/?p=68854 Teachers and admins can submit new features for consideration by Edsby and see what's on Edsby's product roadmap.

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Educators can suggest new Edsby features from right inside Edsby

Teachers and admins can submit ideas for new features in Edsby. When logged into an Edsby system with a web browser, click the question mark icon at the top right corner of any page, and select “Suggest a new feature.”

Edsby suggest a new feature

Teachers can:

  • Submit their own ideas and see what other educators think of them
  • Vote on ideas submitted by others
  • See which favorite customer features have made it to Edsby’s product roadmap
  • Read special product announcements

Tell other teachers! Pass it on.

This capability is only available on desktop browsers at this time, not mobile. And it is available only to educators using Edsby, and not students or parents.

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