jimtyler.org · K–12 Tech Director · educator · builder · Watervliet, MI

We can bring quality, free
EdTech tools to one billion
people or more.

I'm a K–12 Director of Technology and a Microsoft MVP. I manage a team across eleven buildings, respond to cybersecurity incidents at 11pm, write PowerShell books, coach youth baseball, chair a Planning Commission, and build free tools for teachers in whatever time is left over. ↳ That's Jaraty. 32 tools. 500,000 users. $0.

Start with why ↓ See the tools @jimrtyler
Jim Tyler
WHAT 32 free tools HOW open · free · no login WHY
// Sinek's Golden Circle · applied

Most people lead
with WHAT.
That's backwards.

WHY
Every child deserves a voice. Every teacher deserves tools that work. The price of software should never determine who gets to communicate, learn, or be heard. The mission is a billion people reached. Free. Forever.
HOW
Build in public. No accounts for students. No dark patterns. No venture capital timeline forcing a paywall. Infrastructure costs are covered personally — because the mission matters more than the margin.
WHAT
32 free classroom and special ed tools. Speaking and consulting on cybersecurity and automation. A PowerShell book. A YouTube channel. A newsletter. Public service in Southwest Michigan.
Jason Silva says technology is the universe
building tools to know itself.
I think free software for kids
who can't speak qualifies.
— on why Jaraty Speak exists
complexity of actual tech price charged to schools ($) what it should cost what vendors charge ← this gap is where Jaraty lives Kahoot ($1.7B val) it's multiple choice Padlet ($1k/yr) it's sticky notes Jaraty ($0. forever.)

Fig. 1 — The EdTech pricing problem, illustrated. Not to scale. Approximately to scale.

Jaraty
James Raymond Tyler · 32 tools · all free

No accounts for students. No ads. No paywalls. No "freemium." Every tool below is fully functional and will stay free for every classroom on earth that needs it.

01Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
5 tools
tapspeak.org
TapSpeak
Symbol-based AAC for non-speaking learners. 327+ grids, 30+ languages, Fitzgerald Key colors. Free forever.
lucidread.org
LucidRead
Guided reading with dyslexia-friendly fonts, tinting, text-to-speech, and visual scaffolding for diverse learners.
Jaraty
Vision
Low vision support tool — high contrast modes, magnification, screen overlay, and WCAG-compliant reading assistance.
Coming
Jaraty
Hearing
ASL reference, visual alert extensions, and communication support tools for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Coming
Jaraty
Write
Word prediction, sentence starters, and writing scaffolds for students with physical or cognitive writing barriers. Free CoWriter alternative.
Coming
02Classroom Engagement
7 tools
Jaraty
Quiz
Live game-based knowledge checks. No student accounts needed.
Jaraty
Cloud
Real-time word cloud from student responses. Unlimited, no paywall.
Jaraty
Poll
Live polling — multiple choice, open text, ranking — with instant class display.
Jaraty
Wheel
Customizable spinner + random student picker. Paste a class list and go.
Jaraty
Timer
Full-screen countdown with custom sounds. Teachers use this every single day.
Jaraty
Chat
Silent backchannel discussion. Students ask questions while instruction continues.
Jaraty
Board
Collaborative sticky-note canvas. Join by code. Padlet without the $1,000/year.
03Assessment & Feedback
5 tools
Jaraty
Ticket
Exit ticket collection with live roll-in display.
Jaraty
Pulse
Student self-assessment 1–5. Teacher sees live class distribution.
Jaraty
Rubric
Drag-and-drop rubric builder with PDF export. Reusable across classes.
Jaraty
Fluency
Reading probe tracker with automatic progress graphs. Replaces AIMSweb for daily monitoring.
Jaraty
Peer
Anonymous peer feedback. Submit work, get randomly assigned a peer reviewer.
04Special Education
6 tools
Jaraty
Track
ABC behavior data collection. BIP-ready graphs generated automatically.
Jaraty
Goal
IEP goal bank + SMART goal builder + progress note templates.
Jaraty
Note
Para-to-teacher communication log. Private, per-student, replaces sticky notes.
Jaraty
Sense
Sensory diet scheduler for OT-prescribed movement breaks. Visual and timed.
Jaraty
504
Standalone 504 plan builder with accommodation library and digital signatures.
Jaraty
Path
Transition planning for students 16+. Career interests, skills, post-secondary goals.
05Classroom Management
6 tools
Jaraty
Noise
Mic volume meter with visual gauge. Free what ClassDojo charges for.
Jaraty
Group
Random or balanced team generator. Paste list, pick size, done.
Jaraty
Seats
Drag-and-drop seating chart. Printable and substitute-ready.
Jaraty
Signal
Digital hand-raise queue. Students request help silently.
Jaraty
Jobs
Classroom role rotation tracker. Assign and auto-rotate by week.
Jaraty
Sub
Substitute teacher info card. Structured, one page, printable.
06Collaboration & Thinking
4 tools
Jaraty
Map
Lightweight concept mapping. Fast and clean, no MindMeister complexity.
Jaraty
Annotate
Upload an image; students drop labeled pins. Used in every STEM class.
Jaraty
Pair
Think-pair-share randomizer with discussion countdown timer.
Jaraty
Jigsaw
Full jigsaw activity manager. Expert groups, home groups, one screen.
80 million teachers.
1.5 billion students.
Most of them can't afford
what they actually need.
— why the mission is a billion, not a thousand
Speaking

I talk about the real stuff.
From someone doing it for real.

No vendor decks. No thought leadership fluff. Field reports from a K–12 Director of Technology who responds to phishing incidents at 11pm and ships free tools on weekends.

talk / 01
Guerilla Zero Trust: Enterprise Security on a Bake Sale Budget
How K–12 districts implement layered security without enterprise budgets. Hard lessons from a real incident response analyzing 1.3M+ audit records.
MAEDSMASBK–12 IT
talk / 02
PowerShell for the Rest of Us: Automation Without a Dev Team
The practical introduction IT pros in schools actually need. Written the book on it. Literally. Microsoft MVP-certified opinion included at no extra charge.
SysadminsMVP SummitK–12 IT
talk / 03
Free is a Feature: Building a Billion-Person Mission from a School District IT Closet
The story of TapSpeak, Jaraty, and what it looks like when someone decides to just build the tools instead of paying for them. A case study in asymmetric EdTech.
SLP conferencesSpecial EdEdTech
Book a talk → Speaker one-sheet
Consulting

I know what I'm talking about.
I live it daily.

No agency markup. No junior staff. I consult personally with districts, municipalities, and organizations on cybersecurity, PowerShell automation, and EdTech strategy.

🔐
K–12 Cybersecurity Strategy
Google Workspace and M365 hardening, incident response planning, Zero Trust on a school budget. Done this for real under real pressure.
  • Security posture assessment
  • Incident response playbooks
  • Ghost Security Module deployment
  • Staff phishing training
⚡
PowerShell & Azure Automation
MVP-level automation guidance for teams that need to do more with less. Architecture, pipelines, training that actually sticks.
  • Automation architecture review
  • Azure infrastructure design
  • PowerShell workshops
  • CI/CD implementation
🏫
EdTech Strategy
Audit your stack. Cut redundant spend. I'll tell you honestly whether you need the vendor or whether I can build it free in a weekend.
  • Tool stack audit and rationalization
  • COPPA/FERPA compliance review
  • Custom tool scoping
  • AAC program implementation
🏛️
Local Government & Governance
Technology planning for municipalities. I've chaired a Planning Commission, served on school boards, and passed bond elections. I understand how public governance actually works.
  • Municipal technology planning
  • Board governance and process
  • Bond and budget strategy
  • Community development planning
Get in touch →
Public Service

Serving Southwest Michigan.
In every room I'm in.

Leadership isn't a title. It's showing up for your community. Here's where I show up — from the school board to the baseball diamond.

School Board
Treasurer & Audit/Finance Committee Chair
Watervliet Public Schools
2024 – Present
Key accomplishments
  • Helped secure a $13 million bond to improve physical security and student safety across the district
Municipal Government
Chairperson, Planning Commission
City of Watervliet
Chair 2025 – Present · Trustee since 2022
Key accomplishments
  • Approved $12 million housing expansion project in Watervliet
  • Passed numerous ordinances advancing Redevelopment Readiness Certification (RRC) through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation — target 2026
Youth Sports
President, Baseball/Softball Rec Council
Watervliet Recreation
2023 – Present
Key accomplishments
  • Overhauled organizational bylaws
  • Launched the district's first-ever All Star Tournaments
  • Created and launched a Fall Ball League
  • Expanded T-Ball program to 4-year-olds
Arts & Education
President, Children's Music Workshop
Children's Music Workshop
2024 – Present
Key accomplishments
  • Created a new Artistic Director position to strengthen programming leadership
  • Expanded programming offerings for students
  • Grew sponsorship partnerships and community support
Learn in public

I build these tools on camera.
You can watch the whole thing.

PowerShell, Azure, K–12 security, and every Jaraty tool built live — decision by decision, mistake included. The mission is a billion people. The journey is on YouTube.

YouTube · @jimrtyler
Subscribe.
Learn something useful today.

PowerShell tutorials, Azure walkthroughs, K–12 IT strategy, and the full Jaraty build series. Real tools, real problems, solved on camera.

12K+ subscribers and growing
Subscribe on YouTube →
Patreon · keep it free forever
The tools stay free
because of people like you.

Every Jaraty tool is free and will stay that way — for every teacher, every student, every classroom on earth that needs it. A few dollars a month keeps the servers on and the mission moving toward a billion.

Early access + direct line to Jim
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© 2025 Jim Tyler · jimtyler.org All Jaraty tools are free. This is not a trick.