Mohammad “Moody” Kassem, a 12th-grader at Beavercreek High School, won’t exactly say he’s looking forward to the start of classes at his Ohio school this fall. But it seems he isn’t as concerned about keeping on top of his homework.

Similarly, James Casey, a biology and chemistry major at the University of Virginia, won’t need to lug all of his textbooks and notebooks around the Charlottesville, Va. campus this year. Nor will his Virginia classmate Daniel Miller worry about falling behind in his biochemistry class when he’s on road trips with the university’s hockey team.

When Kassem, Casey and Miller head back to school in the coming weeks, they and other students will have an assortment of high-tech resources that their parents never dreamed of. In both K-12 and Higher Education, Microsoft has new products expressly designed to help students make the grade while allowing teachers to provide more effective instruction. For parents who have ever felt overwhelmed at the prospect of helping their children with homework, Microsoft software can provide the support needed to get assignments completed with a minimum of frustration and stress. Notably, these products have been developed over the past two years in collaboration with students, teachers and parents.

“Going back to school doesn’t have to be overwhelming for students, especially when they go back with the technology they need to succeed,” says Craig Bartholomew, General Manager, Microsoft Education Products Group. “In today’s information-saturated world, students need the best tools to support their work in and out of the classroom. The latest software and other educational technology from Microsoft help students turn all of the information at their disposal into knowledge.”