The National School Boards Association (NSBA) announced today the six companies selected for its annual Technology Innovation Showcase.

“NSBA has worked at the intersection of education technology policy and practice for more than three decades to bring entrepreneurs, school board members and district leaders together to discuss innovative solutions that can support public education,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, NSBA Executive Director & CEO.

The 2018 Technology Innovation Showcase includes the following companies:

Align Us, Inc.: The interconnected team-productivity tools are built on a modern, private, social collaboration platform to ensure all staff have the same opportunity to understand the mission, vision and strategy established by district leaders and how it relates to their daily contributions.

EdPrivacy by Education Framework: The world’s first student data privacy management system that helps K-12 school districts proactively protect student data, engage parents in the privacy conversation and manage privacy obligations with transparency and accountability.

FilterED by GreyED Solutions: This framework-aligned, data analysis tool enables districts to diagnose the current state of technology, teaching and learning across their organization. School leaders obtain the evidence, data and context needed to prioritize, implement, measure and monitor ongoing technology initiatives.

MathBRIX: With initial funding from the National Science Foundation, cloud-delivered visual games and activities help children ages 3–8 “see” the big ideas behind math. They emphasize higher-order thinking skills and concept acquisition, areas often overlooked in early elementary instruction.

Muzology, LLC: Learning experts and hit songwriters combined efforts to harness the power of music to boost academic outcomes and make learning fun. Muzology’s gamified, web-based platform uses music videos to trigger memory, emotion, motivation, and attention, four critical areas of the brain related to successful learning, in its first algebra-readiness offering.

PAIRIN: The PAIRIN Readiness Management System™ provides a baseline measurement that integrates soft skills and hard data to match students to optimal programs, careers and jobs and offers comprehensive resources to help students further develop those soft skills through coaching.

Submissions were solicited from start-up companies providing innovative approaches to challenges across the K-12 curriculum, administrative operations, and communication channels. Reviewers included educators from NSBA’s “20 to Watch,” a recognition program that honors emerging education technology leaders.

“The showcase serves as a reminder for school leaders to question previous practices, explore new offerings and keep an eye on future developments as technology capabilities enable educators to approach old challenges with new tools,” said Ann Flynn, NSBA’s Director of Education Innovation.

The 2018 class will be featured in an exclusive area of the exhibition and participate in a Tech Innovation Showcase panel during the National School Boards Association Annual Conference in San Antonio, April 7-9, 2018. Later this summer, they will be featured in NSBA’s magazine for school leaders, American School Board Journal, and participate in a Technology Leadership Network (TLN) webinar hosted by NSBA’s National Connection program.

Today’s TLN addresses cybersecurity for school board members and highlights innovation at district site visits and through its annual recognition programs including the Digital District Survey and “20 to Watch.”