Lightspeed Systems
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| Founded | 1999 |
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| Headquarters | Austin, Texas |
| Products | Lightspeed Filter, Lightspeed Alert, Lightspeed Classroom Management, Lightspeed Analytics, Lightspeed Mobile Device Management |
| Website | www |
Lightspeed Systems is an educational software company based in Austin, Texas that builds and sells SaaS content-control software, mobile device management, alert software, and classroom management software to K–12 schools.
History
[edit | edit source]Founded in 1999 in Bakersfield, California, the company was ranked #1855 out of the Inc 5000 by Inc.com in 2012. However, Inc.com did not list the company as part of the Inc 5000 after 2012.[1] In 2019, Lightspeed Systems received an investment from Madison Dearborn Partners.[2] In January 2022, they acquired CatchOn, a real-time data analytics provider that helps with student engagement,[3] and in March 2022, Lightspeed received another investment from Genstar Capital.[4]
Products
[edit | edit source]Mobile Device Management
[edit | edit source]In 2013, Lightspeed introduced a Mobile Learning Essentials package, which included Lightspeed Mobile Device Management.[5] Mobile device management helps school IT staff to manage school devices more easily through the use of policies.
Filter
[edit | edit source]In 2017, Lightspeed announced the Relay Filter,[6] which was later renamed to simply Lightspeed Filter. Lightspeed Systems advertises their Filter product as blocking inappropriate content, and a tool for CIPA compliance. It originally was only supported on Chromebooks, but in 2018 support for macOS, iOS, and Microsoft Windows was announced.
Classroom Management
[edit | edit source]In April 2018, Lightspeed released Classroom Management, software which the company claims can monitor and control content loaded on devices used by students during class.[7]
Analytics
[edit | edit source]In March 2019, Lightspeed Systems released the Lightspeed Analytics software, designed for reporting on apps, applications, and web sites used on school-owned devices.[8]
Alert
[edit | edit source]In 2021 Lightspeed announced Alert, a product the company says uses artificial intelligence as well as human review to identify threats of school violence or student self-harm.[9]
Criticism
[edit | edit source]In 2012, Darryl LaGacé, head of IT in San Diego Unified School District, left to go work for Lightspeed Systems after previously procuring a $375,000 contract with them earlier that year. This brought up many concerns and scrutiny.[10]
In 2012, Lightspeed Systems raised questionable behavior when directly mass emailing customers accounts to poach from partner accounts.[11]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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