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New Survey Finds Parents Divided on Eliminating Department of Education but United in Desire for Change and Interest in Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)

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Outschool Calls for More Personalized Learning Choices as Survey Shows Overwhelming Desire for Educational Reform, as well as Parental Fears about the Use of AI in Education

SAN FRANCISCO, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A new survey from leading online education platform Outschool, conducted by ResearchScape International in March 2025, reveals that while parents across the U.S. are divided about eliminating the Department of Education, they are overwhelmingly united in their belief that the traditional education system is failing to meet their children’s needs. The survey polled 1,065 U.S. parents of children aged 5-18, highlighting an apparent demand for more personalized learning and greater parental control over their children’s education.

According to the survey, 48% of parents disapprove of dismantling the Department of Education, with 31% strongly disapproving. However, 36% of parents approve to some degree, with men (23%) more likely than women (13%) to strongly approve of dismantling the Department. Support for the idea is notably higher among younger generations and Republicans, with 41% of Republicans and Independents that lean Republican favoring the dismantling compared to only 19% of Democrats.

Despite differing views on federal oversight, 81% of parents agree that the traditional education model needs to be reimagined for more personalized learning. Gen Z parents are the most likely to agree, with 83% expressing support for a more customized educational approach.

“Education is changing, and families deserve better options,” said Amir Nathoo, CEO of Outschool. “What matters most is a child’s engagement and love of learning. Studies have shown that intrinsic motivation, which drives genuine curiosity and creativity, significantly declines as children progress through the school system. This decline is tied to outdated assessment models that value rote memorization over meaningful engagement. Parents deserve the ability to design an education as unique as their child.”

Parents are increasingly concerned about the limitations of the current system. Their top concerns include bullying and social issues, poor academic achievement, and school shootings and violence. 82% of parents indicated that if made available, they would utilize school choice funding if in their state; it’s clear that families are eager for alternatives.

The survey also shows strong support for state-funded Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), grants, and scholarships, with 48% of parents believing they help afford alternatives to public school and 46% saying they expand children’s learning beyond the classroom.

When asked about education technology, parents had mixed feelings about artificial intelligence’s burgeoning role. 63% of parents believe education technology has been beneficial, but are less enthusiastic about AI’s role in education. Men were more supportive of ed tech in general, with 71% vs 57% of women saying it had been beneficial thus far in their child’s education. While 39% are concerned about AI’s influence, 36% feel it’s essential to establish clear standards for AI use, and 35% are concerned about how AI makes cheating and plagiarism easier for kids; however, 34% are excited about the potential advancements AI may bring.

Outschool offers a solution to the current educational crisis with a global platform of live, interactive classes and personalized tutoring that caters to each child’s passions, strengths, and ambitions. By removing traditional education’s “one-size-fits-all” approach, Outschool empowers families to design an education that truly meets their child’s needs.

Visit www.outschool.com for more information about Outschool and how it’s transforming learning for children aged 3 to 18.

Survey Methodology: Conducted by Researchscape International on behalf of Outschool, the results in this report are from an online survey of 1,065 U.S. parents of children aged 5-18 that was fielded from March 11-13, 2025. The responses are not weighted.

About Outschool:
Outschool offers a better way to prepare kids ages 3-18 for a world that demands creativity, adaptability, and real-world skills. We remove the “one-size-fits-all” of the current traditional education system. Outschool makes it easy for families to design an education as unique as their child. Classes on Outschool range from one-time enrichment lessons to semester-long core courses, tutoring, and weekly social clubs. Classes are offered across all subjects, and learners range from age 3 to 18. More information can be found at Outschool.com.

Researchscape International
Researchscape International is a market-research firm that specializes in custom surveys and provides automated research tools. Founded in 2012, Researchscape focuses on an agile-research methodology, offering full-service research solutions with quick turnaround times as well as the ResearchStory analytical platform. In 2024, Researchscape International surveyed over 400,000 consumers and business professionals in 60+ countries.

Media contact:
Kristen Marion
623-308-2638
392437@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Outschool

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FULTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION APPOINTS DAVID S. SCHULZ TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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July 21, 2026

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LANCASTER, Pa., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fulton Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: FULT) (“Fulton”) today announced the appointment of David S. Schulz as a member of its board of directors (the “Board”) for a term commencing September 14, 2026 and expiring at Fulton’s 2027 annual meeting of shareholders.

“We’re excited to welcome Dave to Fulton’s board of directors,” said Curt Myers, Fulton Chairman, CEO, and President. “Dave brings extensive financial leadership experience gained through more than a decade of service with publicly traded companies. His expertise in finance, strategic planning, risk, and mergers and acquisitions will provide valuable perspective as we continue to execute our growth strategy and create long-term value for our shareholders, customers and communities.”

With the addition of Schulz, Fulton’s Board will have 11 members, and he will serve on the Audit and Risk committees. Schulz has also been appointed to the board of directors of Fulton’s banking subsidiary, Fulton Bank, N.A.

Schulz served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wesco International, Inc. (“Wesco”) from 2016 to June 2020, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wesco from June 2020 to February 2026 and as Executive Vice President and Special Advisor to the CEO of Wesco from February 2026 until his retirement on May 31, 2026. 

Prior to joining Wesco, Schulz served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Armstrong Flooring, Inc. and was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. and Vice President of Finance of the Armstrong Building Products division.

Before joining Armstrong World Industries in 2011, he held various financial leadership roles with Procter & Gamble and The J.M. Smucker Company. He was also an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

In 2025, Schulz joined the board of Sterling Infrastructure, Inc., and he was appointed as chair of the audit committee in 2026. He also serves on the company’s compensation and talent development committee.

ABOUT FULTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Fulton, a $34 billion Lancaster, Pa.-based financial holding company, has more than 3,400 employees and operates more than 215 financial centers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia through Fulton Bank, N.A. Additional information on Fulton can be found at https://investor.fultonbank.com.

Contact: Steve Trapnell
717-291-2739

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SOURCE Fulton Financial Corporation

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Octavio Marquez Elected to MSA Safety Board of Directors

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July 21, 2026

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PITTSBURGH, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Board of Directors of MSA Safety Inc. (NYSE: MSA), a global leader in the development of advanced industrial safety technology products and solutions, today announced that Octavio Marquez, president and chief executive officer of Diebold Nixdorf, has been elected to the company’s Board of Directors. His election was part of the MSA Board’s regular succession plans.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to add Octavio to the MSA Board,” said Robert A. Bruggeworth, MSA chairman. “He brings a broad range of executive leadership experience, including strategy development, capital allocation, business transformation and serving international markets, which will serve MSA well.”

“Octavio’s perspectives will be an asset to me and our entire Executive Leadership Team,” said Steven C. Blanco, MSA president and CEO. “It is a pleasure to welcome Octavio to MSA, and I look forward to working with him.”

Mr. Marquez joined Diebold Nixdorf in 2014 and has held senior leadership roles across the company’s Global Banking organization and its Americas region, including as executive vice president of Global Banking and senior vice president of the Americas. Before joining Diebold Nixdorf, Mr. Marquez held leadership positions at Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM and NCR.

Diebold Nixdorf automates, digitizes and transforms the way people bank and shop. As a partner to the majority of the world’s top 100 financial institutions and top 25 global retailers, its integrated solutions connect digital and physical channels conveniently, securely and efficiently for millions of customers every day. Headquartered in North Canton, Ohio, Diebold Nixdorf employs approximately 20,000 employees globally, supporting more than 100 countries.

Mr. Marquez holds a degree in business and finance from Universidad Iberoamericana and has completed executive education programs at MIT Sloan, The Wharton School and The University of Texas at Austin.

About MSA Safety

MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) is the global leader in advanced industrial safety technology products and solutions. Driven by its singular mission of safety, the company has been at the forefront of safety innovation since 1914, protecting workers and facility infrastructure around the world across a broad range of diverse end markets while creating sustainable value for shareholders. With 2025 revenues of $1.9 billion, MSA Safety is headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, and employs a team of approximately 5,300 associates across its more than 40 international locations. For more information, please visit www.MSASafety.com.

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SOURCE MSA Safety

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BlueFolder Field Service Software Launches New AI-Powered Features to Transform How Teams Work

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59 minutes ago

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July 21, 2026

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New AI capabilities instantly surface customer insights and transform technician notes into actionable summaries to help field service teams work faster, stay aligned, and deliver better service

AUBURN, Ala., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BlueFolder field service software recently announced the launch of two powerful new AI features: AI-Powered Customer Summaries and AI-Powered Field Notes Summarization. Together, these capabilities are designed to eliminate the time-consuming, manual work of reviewing fragmented customer records and lengthy technician notes—giving field service teams instant clarity to respond faster, make smarter decisions, and deliver exceptional service.

BlueFolder expands it’s field service and work order management suite with two exciting new AI field service features.

Built directly into the BlueFolder platform, both features leverage artificial intelligence to automatically compile and summarize complex, unstructured data into clear, easy-to-read overviews. The result: technicians, dispatchers, and managers always have the context they need, right when they need it.

AI-Powered Customer Summaries

As field service organizations grow, customer information becomes increasingly scattered across emails, service request logs, and communication histories. BlueFolder’s AI Customer Summary feature addresses this challenge head-on by consolidating those interactions into a single, actionable snapshot.

Instead of manually digging through multiple records before a service call or customer interaction, teams can now access a real-time summary highlighting key concerns, past service activity, and recent updates. The feature goes beyond basic summarization and surfaces critical business insights such as equipment past due for maintenance, approaching warranty expirations, and proactive revenue opportunities, empowering teams to recommend follow-ups or upgrades directly from the customer record.

Built-in traceability links each summary back to its original source communications, so users can validate insights with confidence, ensuring both speed and accuracy in every customer interaction.

AI-Powered Field Notes Summarization

In many service organizations, technicians log updates across multiple visits, often resulting in long, fragmented notes that are difficult to review at a glance. BlueFolder’s AI Field Notes Summarization feature solves this by automatically condensing multiple technician entries into a structured summary that highlights key milestones, actions taken, and next steps.

Rather than scrolling through pages of updates, managers and dispatchers can immediately understand job status and determine what needs to happen next, improving alignment between field and office teams, accelerating decision-making, and reducing miscommunication. The feature is especially valuable for complex or multi-day jobs, where clear continuity and smooth technician handoffs are critical to delivering consistent service. It’s another featuring making BlueFolder’s work order management software capabilities stronger every day.

“History is one of the most powerful tools a service team has — the problem is it’s usually buried. BlueFolder’s new AI features fix that. Your team walks into every interaction already knowing the customer, knowing the equipment, and exactly where things stand. That changes the entire experience,” says John Shaw, VP, Technology, Service Operations.

AI as a Core Part of the BlueFolder Platform

The launch of these two features reflects BlueFolder’s broader commitment to embedding AI throughout its field service management software as an integrated layer of intelligence that makes every workflow smarter. Rather than requiring teams to change how they work, BlueFolder’s AI capabilities are designed to surface the right information at the right moment automatically, within the tools that technicians, dispatchers, and managers already use every day.

“AI is transforming what’s possible in field service, and BlueFolder is answering that call. These features are the result of deep platform expertise and a clear vision for where the industry is headed. We’re embedding intelligence throughout the platform because we know it makes our customers more competitive, more efficient, and better positioned to grow,” says Stephen Myslicki, Group President of Field Services.

Availability

Both AI-Powered Customer Summaries and AI-Powered Field Notes Summarization are available now to BlueFolder customers as optional, easy-to-enable features within the platform. They are part of BlueFolder’s growing suite of AI-driven capabilities designed to help field service organizations operate more efficiently and scale with confidence.

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SOURCE BlueFolder

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