Joanna Cook, chief technology officer at East Noble School Corporation in Indiana, had a problem.
“We were transitioning from iPads to Chromebooks, but I was getting pushback from our elementary school special needs educators.”
Cook emailed the situation to the 1,600 members on the HECC (Hoosier Educational Computer Coordinators) listserv. Within hours, tech leaders from all over the state responded: Stick with iPads for communication. “It was so nice to have that broad base of backup,” she says.
That kind of candid exchange is just one example of the power of back channels — networks of edtech leaders using email listservs, Slack groups and Discord servers to exchange resources, swap stories, support each other and share solutions.
As schools adopt more complex technology systems, tech leaders are expected to be experts in everything from procurement and pedagogy to data privacy and disaster recovery. But unlike curriculum or finance teams, tech directors typically lack a natural peer group inside their districts.
Solutions and Protection
Kyle Beimfohr, a digital learning coach at Indiana’s Zionsville Community Schools and the HECC listserv administrator, considers the group his extended family. “We joke. We celebrate retirements. I even found my current position through the listserv,” he says.
On the 800-member REMC (Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan) listserv, people give away used hardware, learn about cybersecurity insurance, borrow RFPs (requests for proposals) and more.
Fred Sharpsteen, assistant superintendent of technology services at Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District, recalls turning to the listserv to update his security cameras. “I had narrowed it down to a couple of vendors and shared it to the list. Unfortunately, many people had problems with the models I was considering. I chose the best of the bunch, but I was able to raise the right issues before we signed the contract,” he says. That kind of honesty is possible because the Michigan group is limited to district tech staff — a safeguard that builds trust.
In a large state like Michigan, the listserv also creates vital opportunities to network with peers who face the same codes, state testing cadence and reporting structure. “We have people who are fantastic at networking, wireless, Microsoft Active Directory — you name it," says Michael Richardson, a former tech director who runs REMC’s statewide co-op purchasing program. “It’s not just about answers; it’s about sharing our frustrations and getting help, for free.”
When firewall issues erupted on the TestNav platform during the shift from the SAT to the ACT for state testing, Keith Bockwoldt leaned on Illinois’ 500-member Tech-Geeks listserv. “I used the listserv to confirm that it wasn’t just my district,” says Bockwoldt, chief information officer at Hinsdale High School District 86, about 45 minutes west of Chicago. “By crowdsourcing, I was able to reference others having the same problem, and that led to a faster resolution.”
Cook recalls another time the Hoosier listserv saved the day. “Someone posted about the TikTok trend encouraging students to fry their Chromebooks. I hadn’t heard of it, but because of that message I immediately alerted our safety director and we came up with a response plan before anything happened.”
During the December 2024 PowerSchool data breach — which exposed student and staff data at districts nationwide — tech directors in the Massachusetts METAA listserv posted information beyond what PowerSchool shared. “We were all trying to figure out who was affected. PowerSchool did not have appropriate information for us to send to families,” says Jeff Liberman, the retired tech director who maintains the METAA listserv. Luckily, one district created and shared an FAQ as well as descriptions of each field that was compromised.
Three years ago, Richard Thomas, director of cybersecurity for Linn Benton Lincoln Education Service District, founded ORKIC (Oregon K-12 Information Security Collective) as an avenue for people to connect around cybersecurity. It started with three people and now includes nearly 100 members who collaborate to prevent threats. “We share phishing attempts, software feedback and indicators of compromise; we figure things out,” says Thomas.
Informal ‘help desk’
In rural areas especially, these networks fill a critical gap. Districts south of Chicagoland, seeking connection, started the Tech-Geeks listserv. “If you’re the only tech person in your district, the listserv becomes your help desk, your brainstorm room, and your backup plan,” says Phil Hintz, chief technology officer at Niles Township High School District 219.
“Being a tech director can be lonely,” says Scott McLeod, founding director of the Center for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. “When you connect with others in your role, you get professional and emotional support.”
Oregon’s Association for Computer Professionals in Education complements its listserv with a Discord server. “We started it during the pandemic for quicker connecting; it has a different vibe and feel, with channels for conferences, firewalls, data, etc.,” says Rachel Wente-Chaney, chief information officer at High Desert Education Service District. “Recently, we roasted a retiring tech director with old pictures and funny stories in the water cooler channel.”
For new tech directors, finding and joining a listserv can be a game changer. Many are run through state chapters of national organizations like CoSN or ISTE, or sponsored by departments of education and regional tech associations.
Keith Bockwoldt in Illinois sees listservs as a professional responsibility. “I told my tech team when I started here: ‘Sign up. See what’s going on. Add your great ideas to the conversation and help others out.’”
As AI, data governance, and digital equity demands increase, the need for fast, trusted peer learning will continue to expand. These back channels represent a new model of professional collaboration: peer-led, decentralized, and powered by trust.
“Even when the listserv is overwhelming, I don’t unsubscribe,” says Cook in Indiana. “I know the moment I do is when I’ll miss something crucial.”
