EdTech News

WCAG 2.1 Level AA: What You Need to Know About the New ADA Requirements for 2026

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:21:00 GMT

If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance you and your organization have been bombarded with notices or other outreach regarding the updated WCAG 2.1 Level AA ADA Compliance standards.

Cybersecurity for the Rest of Us: 2025 Edition

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:44:00 GMT

Ahhh, cybersecurity – the fun topic we’d rather not think about and usually only do once it’s too late. As the internet gets busier and tools, including AI, get more sophisticated, bad actors will continue experimenting with new methods to take advantage of both larger-scale organizations and vulnerable populations. While high-level protections are often implemented by experienced security technicians, there are key best-practices for the rest of us that can provide first-line defense to protect ourselves and our organizations.

New Website Designs Fall 2025

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Back-to-School season for 2025/26 was one for the record books. It felt like a shared sentiment between our team and our partners that Summer went by too fast - but like always, educational staff rise to the challenge, working overtime to help communities transition into the new school year. Similarly, Foxbright was diligent in getting a well-rounded collection of new sites spruced and ready for prime time. For this edition, we'll take a close look at adopters of our newest design, Oak, and a featured municipal website!

Website Design Inspiration 2025 Q1

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Flowers are budding and the birds are singing. With Spring, so comes Foxbright's latest bloom of launches and redesigns including a new design offering, stunning use of the powerful Stories feature, and a tease of a new module available within Foxbright's feature-rich CMS.

Website Design Inspiration 2024 Q4

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Who else is tired of hearing 'New Year New You?' Sorry to put you through that again but as we plow into 2025 (literally, for those of us further north) now is the time to shed light on our partners starting the new year fresh. Featuring one of our most interactive custom designs to-date and some fun takes on athletics-focused organizations.

Website Design Inspiration 2024 Q3

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 04:00:00 GMT

We survived the back-to-school surge! Now that everyone is finding the groove for the 2024/25 school year, it's that time again to share some of our Summer work that recently made their public debuts. Featuring two new fully custom designs and a mix of templates for new Foxbright partners and existing client redesigns alike.

Website Design Inspiration 2024 Q2

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Summer can be deceiving - we get a few weeks of 'chill' and before you know it, we're fast approaching the next school-year! While the phone lines might be quieter, client projects kept us busy. Foxbright's 2024 Spring/Summer launches encompass a range of templates and customization: Lotus, Magnolia, Kapok, Ironwood and Hickory. Learn why Magnolia has been a popular choice for educational organizations or perhaps glean some design inspiration for your own website!

School Marketing: 9 Benefits You May Have Missed

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 18:35:00 GMT

In the digital age, school marketing is essential for any educational institution. At Foxbright, we understand not only its importance but its intricacies as well. These are the top top 9 benefits of investing in your school’s marketing.

PupSites Exposé: A Heartwarming Adoption

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Ever since Foxbright unveiled our recent solution, PupSites, the response from our clients has been overwhelming! With so many eager to adopt a PupSite for their initiatives (I'm so sorry, I can't help myself) we wanted to share some of these success stories in this special Pup roundup.

Foxbright and CoPro+ Partnership

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:05:00 GMT

Save time and money by utilizing a cooperative contract system! Michigan statute allows for cooperative contracts so you can skip the intensive RFP/bidding process. Foxbright is now a vetted member with CoPro+, allowing you to skip the red tape and headache by viewing and selecting publicly posted competitive bids, while meeting state requirements.

Website Design Inspiration 2024 Q1

Tue, 14 May 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Foxbright's latest batch of new clients & existing partnership redesigns launched in Q1 2024! Running the gamut from custom designs, to template designs including Lotus, Kapok, Juniper & Hickory!

Spring Cleanup 2024: Tidying tips for website managers

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:09:00 GMT

As spring arrives, it brings a fresh opportunity to spruce up your school's website. For those juggling the demands of school administration, the thought of updating a website can seem daunting. However, a clean, well-organized, and up-to-date website helps keep our communities informed and engaged. Here’s a straightforward plan to refresh your school’s online presence.

Website Design Inspiration 2023 Q4

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 19:19:00 GMT

February may be too late to use the cliché “New Year, New You” but it’s never too late for us at Foxbright to celebrate recent website redesigns and launches! We’ve selected a handful of projects ranging from long-time clients to new initiatives launched in q4 2023 to show off how our clients are making Foxbright’s customizable template offerings unique to their needs.

The Top Method to Create a New School Website

Mon, 20 May 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Wondering how to make a new website for your school? This guide covers what you need to do to transform your website and how Foxbright can help.

ADA Website Compliance Checklist for 2024

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Ensure your school website is ADA compliant with our comprehensive checklist. Learn about WCAG 2.2 guidelines and how Foxbright can help you achieve compliance.

School Website Design Inspiration - November 2023

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Foxbright is excited to share four freshly spruced-up websites from another batch of dream clients. Harper Creek Community Schools simplified and streamlined, Madison District Schools got a fresh coat of paint, Manchester Community School District nailed a rebrand, and Kentwood Public Schools revamped their website so parents don’t have to keep asking their kids for help. Read on to learn how Foxbright can help revamp or redesign your website! Meanwhile, we’ll keep doing what we do best: making the internet a more modern, ADA accessible, and visually pleasing place to be one website at a time.

Your Guide to Mass Notification Systems for Schools

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 20:36:00 GMT

Timely and effective communication with parents, students, and staff is a vital part of a school's ability to connect with its community. However, especially in today’s cluttered messaging world, not all communication methods are created equal. At one end of the spectrum you have an individualized, platform-by-platform approach. But, like carrier pigeons, this methodology has become increasingly outdated and easy to become lost. On the other end of the spectrum you have mass notification systems. The best of these are powered by software that integrates with multiple platforms to streamline the communication process and ensure that everyone stays informed and up-to-date.

4 Best School Website Design Inspirations - October 2023

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 04:00:00 GMT

The seasons are changing, kids are heading back to school, and four more clients have fresh new Foxbright websites for their communities to enjoy! It looks like this Fall clunky, confusing, and inconsistently branded websites are out while seamlessly integrated mobile apps are very much in. Who knows, maybe a quick spin through these dynamic Foxbright templates will inspire you to unlock the full potential of your website!

School Website vs Social Media: Which Matters Most?

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:35:00 GMT

Both website blog content and social media content offer unique benefits and challenges when it comes to showcasing your school's news. Each platform has the potential to increase visibility, engagement, and return on investment (ROI) for your school, but the effectiveness of these platforms depends on various factors such as SEO optimization, time investment of staff, potential for virality, and the ability to establish meaningful connections.

School Website Design Inspiration - Summer 2023

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 18:32:00 GMT

An effective school website needs to be more than just visually appealing—it should serve as a dynamic communication tool that fosters engagement and delivers vital information seamlessly. So while each of the following Foxbright clients are certainly easy on the eyes, they also are built on a tech platform with responsive design, integrated ADA compliance guaranteeing accessibility for all users and communication features to share updates automatically with teachers, students, and their community.

Guide to Communicating School Bond Proposals

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 18:34:00 GMT

As a school district leader or marketing professional, it’s likely you’ve faced the challenging task of communicating your school’s bond proposal to the community. In this blog post, we will discuss what schools must avoid doing when discussing bond proposals as well as some of the best ways schools can structure their websites to ensure that they are positioned to achieve the best possible outcome for the students and community they serve.

School Website Design Inspiration - May 2023

Wed, 31 May 2023 21:00:00 GMT

Get ready to be inspired by the new website designs of Morley Stanwood Community Schools, Comstock Park Public Schools, Addison Community Schools, Tri County Area Schools, and St. Johns Public Schools! With eye-catching visuals, intuitive navigation, and a touch of modern flair, these websites truly capture the spirit of innovation and excellence that defines each unique community.

ADA Website Compliance Checklist [2023 Update]

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 04:00:00 GMT

If you’re responsible for developing and maintaining a school website, then you know exactly how difficult it is to stay on top of trends and best practices. One of the most important things school districts need to ALWAYS stay up to date on is ensuring their website is fully American Disability Act (ADA) compliant.

Website Inspiration from OUTSIDE the classroom.

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 05:00:00 GMT

“Now wait a minute,” you may be asking yourself, “doesn’t Foxbright just do education based websites?” Well while the bread & butter of our work is serving school districts, we also serve a healthy side of design for a diverse range of businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations. Below we’re highlighting some of our recent favorites: Emergency Care Services, Parkside for Families, Detroit Limo, and the Muskegon Lutheran Church. Read on to see how these great clients partnered with our team to build online communities that connect and engage their visitors.

ChatGPT bot vs. Human: Can You Tell the Difference?

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 20:49:00 GMT

AI has gotten so good at generating human-like conversations that it be hard to tell what was written by a human vs a chatbot. Can you spot the difference?

Web Accessibility: The Future of SEO?

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Over the past few years, we're seeing the best practices of ADA compliance and search engine optimization coalesce. In this article we take a look at the connection between the two and offer three practical website tactics schools can use to improve both web accessibility AND search rankings.

How to Craft the Best Teacher Job Descriptions

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 05:00:00 GMT

It would be hard to find an industry that wasn’t affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, outside of the medical field, many would agree that the world of education faced some of the biggest upheavals as the concept of the classroom changed almost overnight.

Your Guide to Navigation UX Design

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 04:00:00 GMT

The quality and functionality of your website are determined by a number of different factors, none of which are more important than website navigation design. And while the concept of moving from one web page to the other may seem like a no-brainer setup, too many organizations skip the intentional strategic planning necessary to provide their visitors a positive experience.

School Website Inspiration - October 2022

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 04:00:00 GMT

One of the common factors that put Muskegon Maritime Academy, Bay City Academy, North Central Academy, and St. Robert Catholic School on the best new website list is their focus on creating a great experience for their visitors. Just as you'd expect a welcoming aesthetic when you walk through the physical doors, these institutions worked with the Foxbright team to ensure that parents/guardians, students, staff, and community members experienced the very best of their brand as soon as they land on the homepage.

Introducing LOTUS: Foxbright's latest website template design

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:30:00 GMT

Lotus is a brand new website template only available in the Foxbright CMS. The design and functionality of Lotus were built to provide clients with a minimalist and intuitive structure that allows their visitors to find the information they need quickly and easily.

Read on to see what Lotus looks like, how it works, and who is already using it!

New Website Inspiration - September 2022

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 04:00:00 GMT

Now here are some new websites that do a fantastic job of blending design form with function! Intuitive navigation makes content easy to find, data driven news features automatically publishes content in multiple places, and lovely multimedia layouts catch the eye! Check out some great design inspiration below featuring St Henry School, Central Lake Public Schools, Grand Rapids Public Schools, and iE3 Body Wellness.

6 Ways to Improve New Technology with Teachers

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 04:00:00 GMT

Practical Strategies to Increase Teacher and Staff Buy-in When Rolling Out a New Website, Mobile App, or Education Based CMS in Schools.

New School Website Inspiration: July 2022

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 04:00:00 GMT

Find inspiration from these new school website designs! Washtenaw ISD, Traverse City Area Public Schools, and Grand Ledge Public Schools are custom designs crafted to fit each school's branding, while Lapeer County Mental Health Services was upgraded to the sleek, ever-popular Foxbright Juniper template.

How a Parent Teacher Mobile App Can Help Communication

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 04:00:00 GMT

Understand the Best School App Features, Benefits, and Designs

How Schools can Increase and Improve their Community Engagement

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 17:58:00 GMT

Communication Strategies to Connect and Build Relationships

4 Strategies for Effective and Inclusive Teacher - Parent Communication

Tue, 03 May 2022 16:53:00 GMT

How to structure your website’s communication features so that teachers have everything they need to connect with parents and guardians.

How to Setup a Classroom Calendar Structure Online

Tue, 03 May 2022 13:44:00 GMT

Making calendar focused information such as schedules, events, and due-dates accessible online is a great way to make parent-teacher communication easy and accessible.

School District App + Website + Social Media = Communication Excellence

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 04:00:00 GMT

In today's digital world, channels of communication between school districts and the communities they serve have never been more accessible. However, accessible doesn't always mean easy. The Caledonia Community School District is a success story because they've implemented a "one stop shop" approach; bringing Appazur's mobile app, Foxbright website technology, and social media together into one central platform.

Optimize your School Website for Better Communication

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 04:00:00 GMT

Here are a few tips on how you can set up your school's website to make it easier for teachers to stay organized and be more efficient with their online communication.

Key Takeaways from the MSPRA 2022 Annual Conference

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Best practices for school district crisis communication and community connection

Picking the Best Web Template for Your School

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 05:00:00 GMT

As you dive into the details of a new website, decision making can become complicated. Let Foxbright help navigate the process.

Looking to Design a New School Website?

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 05:00:00 GMT

There are three main options to consider when building or redesigning a school website. Use this article to identify which is the best fit for your budgetary, capability, and strategic needs.

School Website Design Best Practices - What to Know

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Best practices on setting up a website layout, identifying functionalities needed, and designing high-quality content.

How to Build the Best School Communication Plan

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Every school needs a strong internal communications plan to prepare for the unexpected and maintain connections with their communities.

Is It Time to Update My School Communications Plan

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 04:00:00 GMT

The 9/10 short answer: yes. It’s more important than ever for schools and other educational institutions to create and practice effective communication. Internally, communication plans are key for keeping staff and students apprised of important information. Externally, a communication plan should support a school’s marketing and PR goals.

Updated: October 25, 2022

Budget Badge Transparency Reporting

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 05:00:00 GMT

In order to help Michigan schools comply with the Budget Transparency requirement, Foxbright has released the code used for its MDE approved budget badge widget. Once downloaded, installed and configured, the widget places the required badge on the home page without any design modifications to your website.

5 Ways ESSER Federal Funds Can be Used for School Technology Needs

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, the U.S. government has passed several large funding packages to assist states with their response to pandemic effects. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education approved Michigan’s third and final allocation of American Rescue Plan funding to the tune of $1.2 billion dollars.

You've been Cited, Now What?

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Schools occasionally receive a notification letter from the Office of Civil Rights ("OCR"). This letter notifies the school that a complaint has been filed stating that portions of the school's website do not meet accessibility standards.

Keeping Website Content ADA Compliant

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Educational organizations need to put a policy and process in place to ensure the website is compliant and remains compliant.