Otus News

AI
Award
Community
Otus Live
New feature
OCE

☀️Hot Take: It's Summer!

Brooke avatar
Shared by Brooke • June 30, 2026

New Feature Highlights!

Insights AI - 3rd Party Analytics Integration

  • Otus Insights now supports 3rd Party data, allowing educators to instantly analyze external data sources without having to build reports in advance. Users can ask the Insights AI Assistant questions about any uploaded 3rd-Party data, and the AI evaluates data across the entire platform to identify trends and fuel more impactful decision-making.

Archiving Individual Custom Standards

  • Main Admins can now archive individual custom standards within the Control Center, removing them from the active standards browser while preserving all historical student data and visualizations. This keeps your standards list clean and current without losing any data tied to those standards.

Display Student Attributes in Plans Header

  • Admins can now select student attributes that appear in the Plans header, giving educators instant access to the information that matters most. Choose from Site(s), Grade Level, SIS ID, State ID, Student Number, Email, Ethnicity/Race, and Gender. Surfacing the right details upfront means less clicking around and more time focused on supporting students.

Catch Up on Our Top 5 Otus Lives!


What's New in the Otus Community?

Register for Regional Workshops:


The 2026 Otus Excellence Awards recipients have been announced!


Big Wins and Headlines!

We are excited to share that Otus is a CODiE finalist in the following categories. Winners are announced next month, so stay tuned!

  • Best Evidence Management Solution (AI Insights)
  • Best Productivity & Workflow Tool for Teachers
  • Best Suite of Connected/Integrated Solutions (AI Insights)
  • Best Student Learning Capacity-Building Solution (for Otus + MindPrint)

AI
Award
Community
OCE

Drum Roll Please.... 🥁

Brooke avatar
Shared by Brooke • June 23, 2026

🏆 We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Otus Excellence Awards Winners!

These awards recognize and celebrate educators and districts in the Otus community, spotlighting their impact on student learning and growth through innovation, engagement, and data-driven practices.

Category

Winner

District

⭐️Outstanding District

Weld County Schools Re-3J

Keenesburg, CO

⚙️Outstanding Admin

Qadir Abdus-Salam

Norwalk Public Schools, CT

✒️Outstanding Coach/Specialist

Kaitlin Fields

Metropolitan School District Washington Township, IN

🤖AI Champ

Martin Rosenberger

Bullitt County Schools, KY

✏️Outstanding Teacher K-5

Olivia Foster

Jefferson County, KY

✏️Outstanding Teacher 6-8

Kayla Elam

Canton Union Schools 66, IL

✏️Outstanding Teacher 9-12

Pamela Crawford

Bulloch County, GA

🤩 Notable Highlights

  • Kaitlin Fields: State ILEARN proficiency increased from 20% to 36.8% in two years
  • Qadir Abdus-Salam: Learned the platform himself before bringing knowledge to his teachers; SAT math outcomes improved
  • Olivia Foster: Fluency rates increased from 46% to 78% in six weeks
  • Kayla Elam: Led workshops and built the entire ELA team's CFA data process
  • Pamela Crawford: Nominated independently by three different people

Congratulations to our 2026 Otus Excellence Award recipients! Thank you for the incredible impact you make each day in support of your staff, students, and families. We are honored to partner with educators who are deeply committed to student success and innovation. Your dedication inspires us, and we look forward to celebrating all that you will continue to accomplish and the meaningful impact you will make in the years ahead! 🚀

AI
Award

⭐️ From Podcasts to Partnerships

Brooke avatar
Shared by Brooke • June 16, 2026

🎙️ Otus Shines on the Pod!

Otus President and Co-Founder Chris Hull sat down with the Learning Can't Wait Podcast to talk about what it really takes to put students at the center of every decision. Highlights from the conversation:

  • Why student support should start with the story already in view
  • How the right data helps schools answer the question behind the question
  • The role AI can play and where educators will always be irreplaceable

"When a student has an aha moment, there is no better fuel in any profession. It is honestly breathtaking."
Chris Hull, President & Co-Founder of Otus


✨ Real Results: Otus + Discovery Ed

Otus and Discovery Education have teamed up in West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District (NJ)! Through this partnership, WWP educators now have:

  • All student data, including DreamBox Math insights, in one place
  • Stronger PLC collaboration with targeted grouping and intervention tools
  • A complete student plan with goals visible to families and staff

"The addition of Otus improves our educators' ability to easily pull and analyze achievement data and then adjust instruction to improve student outcomes."
Allan Johnson, Supervisor of Technology, Training, & Media Sources, WWP

We love seeing districts put their data to work in such a meaningful way. This is exactly why we do what we do at Otus - helping educators spend less time searching for answers and more time changing outcomes for kids. We can't wait to see what's next! 🙌

Community
Event
OCE
Otus Live

🌟 May the Learning Be With You

Brooke avatar
Shared by Brooke • June 09, 2026

Congrats, Juanita Butler!
✨Otus Educator of the Month✨

🏆 Words from the Winner 🏆

"I use Otus in a lot of ways, but the way I am trying to use it the most is getting my students involved with Otus. I have them complete lessons as their independent work, they upload pieces of writing for assessment, and I have them practice their fluency passages by recording themselves in the advanced assessments."

Juanita is really getting her students involved in their learning, and it shows! 🎉 It's so exciting to see teachers using Otus in ways that put students at the center. That kind of engagement makes all the difference. We are so happy and grateful to have you in our community, Juanita! Thank you for sharing and for being such an inspiration to educators everywhere. Keep up the incredible work! 👏


📤 Get ready for FREE Otus swag 📥

Have a Simple, points-based assessment? Send it our way for free swag - Everyone is a winner!

The Otus Community Assessment Exchange is a shared assessment folder within Otus where educators can explore and share points-based, simple assessments created by other Otus users. It’s designed to encourage collaboration and idea-sharing across the Otus community!

Learn more here!


💪 Become an Otus pro!

😎 Summer OCE Session: Jun 24th - Aug 12th 2026

Join our Otus Certified Educators program.

✔️ Self-paced ✔️ Earn Otus gear ✔️ Free to all

Feature update
Analytics
Assessments

May Highlights ✨

Sarah avatar
Shared by Sarah • June 03, 2026

👏 Enhancements

3rd-Party: Manage Teacher Access in Control Center

Main administrators can now adjust teacher visibility settings, allowing them to manage access to third-party assessments and attempts.

Teacher Groups: Add and Search for Administrators

Main Admins can now add and search for Administrators in Teacher Groups.


📚 Answers Right at Your Fingertips

The Otus Help Center is your go-to resource for any step-by-step guides, tips, and answers to common questions, all handcrafted by the Otus team. Each article is thoughtfully created to help you make the most of your Otus experience!

💬 In-App Chat Tool

The Otus in-app chat feature offers real-time support right within Otus. Whether you have a quick question or need more detailed assistance, we’re here to help. Just click the chat icon in the bottom corner and answer a few quick prompts to get started!

Otus Live
Assessments
Analytics
AI

The April Edition 🌸

Sarah avatar
Shared by Sarah • May 26, 2026

🎬 Otus Live highlight reel

Otus Live videos are short, interactive PD sessions designed to help you get more out of Otus.


🎁 Earn Exclusive Otus Swag!

Tune in to Otus Live videos, whether you join live or watch the recordings, and begin earning rewards.

  • 15 views: Swag Box (tumbler + blanket)
  • 50 views: Adidas sweatshirt

AI
Award

🏆 Triple Win at 2026 Stevie Awards!

Brooke avatar
Shared by Brooke • May 19, 2026

WOW! Otus takes home THREE Stevie Awards at the 2026 American Business Awards.

🥇Gold: AI Breakthrough of the Year

🥉Bronze: AI Leader of the Year - Chris Hull, President & Co-Founder

🥉Bronze: Customer Service Department of the Year

These awards recognize the impact of Otus AI, the embedded assistant that gives school leaders instant, actionable answers about student performance. By unifying academic, behavioral, cognitive, and attendance data in a secure environment, Otus AI helps educators move from scattered spreadsheets to clear, confident decisions.

We're especially proud to see Chris Hull recognized as a Bronze winner in the AI Leader of the Year category. Chris's journey from classroom educator to EdTech leader has always been driven by one goal: helping teachers see the whole child. His vision brought Otus AI to life, and this honor reflects the dedication he brings to responsible, educator-focused innovation every day.

The Bronze in Customer Service Department of the Year is a win for our entire Client Success team, recognized for our real-time, human-centered support of educators, especially throughout the 2025 launch of Otus AI. Congrats to all 🙌

Community
Event
OCE
Otus Live

🌱 Rooted in Growth

Brooke avatar
Shared by Brooke • May 13, 2026

Congrats, Courtney Fisher!
✨Otus Educator of the Month✨

🏆 Words from the Winner 🏆

"I use Otus with each of my students to review and analyze their performance. We identify trends together and track their growth on specific standards. I create targeted instruction for student groups. Otus provides real-time data to families of their child's educational journey." - Courtney Fisher

Courtney Fisher, a 5th-grade math teacher from Ronan School District in Montana, is already making an impact through her dedication to growth. She jumped into the Otus Certified Educator program and quickly completed two OCE cohorts with curiosity and intention. Her commitment to using data to support students and families reflects the heart of the Otus community. Way to go, Courtney! 🎉


📤 Get ready for FREE Otus swag 📥

Have a Simple, points-based assessment? Send it our way for free swag - Everyone is a winner!

The Otus Community Assessment Exchange is a shared assessment folder within Otus where educators can explore and share points-based, simple assessments created by other Otus users. It’s designed to encourage collaboration and idea-sharing across the Otus community!

Learn more here!


💪 Become an Otus pro!

😎 Summer OCE Session: Jun 24th Aug 12th 2026

Join our Otus Certified Educators program.

✔️ Self-paced ✔️ Earn Otus gear ✔️ Free to all

Feature update
Analytics
Assessments

🌺 Updates for a blooming April

Sarah avatar
Shared by Sarah • May 05, 2026

⭐️ 3rd Party Data: PDF Export and Customization

Educators can download a PDF of an individual student’s 3rd Party data directly from the Reports page in the Student Profile. This report provides a portable visualization of performance over time and can be customized to include scores from all or select datasets.

Key Benefits/Details

  • Comprehensive Data Access: Includes all uploaded 3rd party data and custom Other Assessment datasets.
  • Tailored Reporting: Use the customization menu to select exactly which datasets, assessments, or target sets appear in the final report.
  • Easy Distribution: Perfect for parent-teacher conferences, IEP meetings, or administrative reviews.
  • Preview Before Saving: Click Generate to view a preview of the report before finalizing your download or closing to start over.

👏 Enhancements

Google Drive: Shared Drive Accessibility

We’ve expanded our Google Drive integration to include Shared Drives, making it easier than ever to attach collaborative documents and resources throughout the Otus platform.

Standards: Access Standard Tags

Users can now filter by Standard Tags at the parent level when linking standards to your assessments, making it faster and easier to locate the specific district standards you need.

Custom Standards: Archiving Individual Custom Standards

Main Admins can now archive individual custom standards within the Control Center, removing them from the active standards browser while preserving all historical student data and visualizations for your records.


📚 Answers Right at Your Fingertips

The Otus Help Center is your go-to resource for any step-by-step guides, tips, and answers to common questions, all handcrafted by the Otus team. Each article is thoughtfully created to help you make the most of your Otus experience!

💬 In-App Chat Tool

The Otus in-app chat feature offers real-time support right within Otus. Whether you have a quick question or need more detailed assistance, we’re here to help. Just click the chat icon in the bottom corner and answer a few quick prompts to get started!

Otus Live
Assessments
Analytics
AI

The March Edition 🌼

Sarah avatar
Shared by Sarah • April 28, 2026

🎬 Otus Live highlight reel

Otus Live videos are short, interactive PD sessions designed to help you get more out of Otus.


🎁 Earn Exclusive Otus Swag!

Tune in to Otus Live videos, whether you join live or watch the recordings, and begin earning rewards.

  • 15 views: Swag Box (tumbler + blanket)
  • 50 views: Adidas sweatshirt