End of ESSER Extensions, K-12 App Use, & Safer Chatbot Tools: THE Journal News of the Week (4/4/25)

In this episode of THE Journal Insider Podcast Shorts, host Rhea Kelly discusses the U.S. Department of Education's cancellation of COVID relief funding extensions, the widespread use of educational apps in K-12 schools, and Character.ai's new Parental Insights feature. Key points include the impact on nearly $3 billion in unspent funds, challenges faced by teachers and parents in using multiple apps, and new safety measures for young chatbot users. 00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome 00:18 COVID Relief Funding Extensions Canceled 00:55 Survey on Educational Apps in K-12 Schools 01:35 Character.ai's New Parental Insights Feature 02:10 Conclusion and Further Resources Source links: ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions Survey Finds Majority of Schools Using 10 to 15 Educational Apps Character.AI Rolls Out New Parental Insights Feature Amid Safety Concerns THE Journal Insider Podcast Shorts are curated by humans and narrated by AI.