This article was written and published by Kanoe Namahoe — March 11th, 2025
The resource helps school leaders ensure that tools and products support instructional practice and goals.
The global market for education technology is projected to hit $810.3 billion by 2033, up from $220.5 billion in 2023, according to market research firm Market US. North America contributed 37.3% — or $82.24 billion — of the 2023 revenues. Increased demand for personalized learning tools, improved internet access and richer online learning experiences are among the factors driving the rapid growth.
SETDA recently released a guide designed to help schools make decisions about their technology purchases. Easing the Burden on Schools: Integrating the Five EdTech Quality Indicators Into State Procurement Processes outlines criteria school leaders can use to evaluate educational technology products.
SETDA produced the resource in collaboration with ISTE+ASCD, 1EdTech, CAST, CoSN, Digital Promise and InnovateEDU. It includes a framework of five quality indicators: Safe, Evidence-Based, Inclusive, Usable and Interoperable. These indicators aim to simplify the procurement process and ensure that tools align with the best educational practices and policies.
“As educational technology continues to be an integral part of today’s classroom experience, school districts need reliable strategies to select products that best serve their students and educators,” said Julia Fallon, executive director of SETDA, in a statement. “This guide equips decision-makers with actionable insights to navigate the complexities of evaluating edtech, ensuring that products are safe, effective and inclusive.”
The guide includes strategies for integrating the quality indicators into state procurement processes with sample questions and third-party validators. School procurement officials should use the indicators and questions best suited to their environment and vendor partners. Also included in the guide are examples of states that have successfully implemented these strategies. Schools can use these examples as models for their edtech acquisitions.
Access to the full resource is available at SETDA’s website.