EdTech Newsletter

Welcome back to another great school year. Dallas ISD is filled with a rich tradition and proud legacy of excellence, innovation, and tradition. We know that legacy starts with the great work you do each day for every student. There's much work to accomplish this year, and we know you're excited to get started building legacies and bright futures.

We’re kicking off the year with Legacy Launch watch parties. Prepare for about an hour-long celebration featuring a video message from Dr. Elizalde, with student performances and more. Schools will watch from the comfort of their campuses on Thursday, August 7, by region, in the following time slots:

• Region I – 2:30 p.m.
• Region II – 1:30 p.m.
• Region III – 2:30 p.m.
• Region IV – 10:30 a.m.
• Region V – 9 a.m.
• Region VI – 11 a.m.

Additionally, swag items will be delivered to your campus the week of August 4. More details will be shared early next week and information can be found at DallasISD.org/LegacyLaunch.

Dallas ISD Educational Technology department is thrilled to invite you to our first Lunch and Learn sessions of the 2025 - 2026 School Year!

What to expect?

Tour the EdTech website, become familiar with our department, meet our Directors, discover valuable resources, learn how to use the Dallas ISD Portal, and more. Each session should last 30 minutes but are scheduled for 45 minutes to allow time for questions.

When?

Join us for one of our first general sessions starting in September!

• Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - 11 AM
• Thursday, September 11, 2025 - 11 AM

For additional details and upcoming sessions, follow this link to the EdTech Lunch and Learns webpage.

The Educational Technology division has identified the Top Technology Issues submitted through ServiceNow that affect Dallas ISD students, teachers, and staff. We have created the Helpful Tips page which will provide resources to address those issues.

If you were not able to resolve your issue with the resources provided, please make sure to submit a ServiceNow Ticket.

Visit Educational Technology's Helpful Tips page on your Dallas ISD Portal Dashboard for additional resources.

• Access CAM information through the Controllable Asset Management website - https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/38089

• CAM Training - Click Here to register

• CAM Guide - Click here to review

• Review the 25-26 Technology Handbook

• Review the Device Management Agreement (Selections were made in April 2024)

• Do you have a lost or stolen device that needs to be locked or located?
• Has a student returned a device that needs to be unlocked?
• Is there a device that has been found outside of the district that needs to be returned?

The EdTech Fulfillment Asset Recovery Team can assist you with these scenarios.

Contact the Asset Recovery Team at DGFCDeviceRecovery@dallasisd.org

• 2025 - 2026 ATS Training Schedule & Course Catalog

The Application Training and Support team's Training Schedule and Course Catalog for the 2025 - 2026 School Year is available in Cornerstone.

All new secondary and elementary principals, assistant principals, data controllers, registrars, elementary data controllers, attendance clerks, and other support personnel are encouraged to take all PowerSchool or Schoolmint classes specific to their job functions. This will ensure accurate and timely data entry, which affects funding and accountability.

Oracle Finance Systems and Payroll classes are also available. Office managers, financial clerks, and other support personnel should enroll in classes specific to their job functions.

The course catalog is also linked under Quick Links on the ATS website. Training schedules, including times and locations, are organized on each application’s resource page, i.e. PowerSchool Resources, Oracle EBS Resources, etc., by subject.

Please register for any classes you are interested in through Cornerstone. If you have any questions or require further support, please reach out to the ATS team by submitting a ticket via ServiceNow.

If you have any questions or require further support, please reach out to the ATS team by submitting a ticket via ServiceNow.

• Updated Campus Tech Support Model

ATTENTION COUNSELORS❗

Review the following instructions for accessing the Dallas College login for Dual Credit Students:

Dallas College Login via Dallas ISD Portal Guide

Dallas ISD has begun the process of upgrading the legacy phone system and voice network. The upgrade involves moving to a modernized Microsoft Teams solution.

To learn how to use Microsoft Teams or download the app, view the following resources:

• Windows Device using Teams
• MacBook Device using Teams
• Downloading the Teams App - iOS
• Downloading the Teams App - Android

These and other resources can be found on Educational Technology's Microsoft Teams Resources page.

If not, we recommend accessing your applications through the Dallas ISD portal to remain SSO enabled.

When you sign in to the Dallas ISD Portal, you are instantly signed in to all of your applications at once. You can switch between applications seamlessly, without having to sign in to each one separately.

Dallas ISD staff can now report issues with Xerox Printers through ServiceNow.

Follow these steps to report the incident:

1. Access ServiceNow using the Dallas ISD Portal https://portal.dallasisd.org/.
2. Click Report an Issue.
3. Enter your Location, Office Number and Phone Number.
4. From the Affected Service dropdown, select Hardware.
5. From the Service Offering dropdown, select Xerox Printer.

6. Give the Model number and Serial number of the defective devices in your issue description.

If you would like to move your printer to a new location or if you are having issues with your printer badge, please contact copierinfo@dallasisd.org.

This comprehensive glossary details services and service offerings for Portal Users.

We’re excited to announce our transition to a new Secure Web Gateway (SWG) solution powered by Netskope, which will replace iBoss. Like iBoss, Netskope will operate in the background during this transition. The new platform is designed to enhance the student web experience and strengthen the security of district devices and data.

What is Netskope?

Netskope is a cloud-native security platform that protects users, data, and applications across the internet. It replaces outdated “allow/block” filters with smarter, more flexible controls that understand context—like who you are, what app you’re using, and what kind of data is involved.

The change for students will be minimal – no active sign-in will be required for students, and a similar block message will appear if a student is being prevented from accessing inappropriate or malicious websites.

On Chromebooks, you’ll see the attached extension icon when Netskope is deployed.

The district has observed an increased in spam and impersonation emails - remember the following tips to ensure you're only responding to trusted sources:

1. Think Before You Click
   Be cautious of urgent actions or threatening language in emails or messages.

2. Confirm the Sender is Actually from Dallas ISD

   Check the sender's email address - if it's not from a @dallasisd.org email address, it's not from a district staff member.

3. Avoid Suspicious Links

   Don’t click on links from unexpected or unknown senders—treat them like strangers.

4. Download Safely
   Only download files from trusted sources and verified emails to avoid malware.
5. Verify Sensitive Requests
   Confirm any request for personal or financial information by contacting the sender through a known, official channel.

Ransomware attackers are now using Microsoft Teams to "vishing" (voice phish) users. They impersonate trusted sources like coworkers or IT support to trick you into giving them access or installing malware and ransomware onto devices.

EdTech will never spontaneously call you via Teams without a ticket being opened first.

Be suspicious of any unexpected Teams calls, especially if the caller is labeled as an external or unknown contact. Do not answer the original call. Instead, reach out to the person through a known, trusted channel (like email or phone) to verify their identity.

Report any suspicious Teams activity to the Cybersecurity Team immediately.

1. Refrain from using the same password for personal and work accounts.

2. Don't leave devices unattended. Lock your device before walking away from it.

3. Routinely transfer teaching curriculum to the cloud (OneDrive or Google Drive).

4. Shut down your computer at least once per week to ensure latest updates are installed.

5. Only contact DISD IT Department or Help Desk if you need any technical assistance such as passwords Contact Info: 972-925-5630 or ITServiceDesk@Dallasisd.org