AI Tops List of State Ed-Tech Priorities For First Time, New Report Shows
State education technology leaders’ priorities are shifting — with an increased focus on funding concerns and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
That’s according to new research published in the fourth annual State EdTech Trends Report by the State Educational Technology Directors Association, a nonprofit organization that represents state and territorial educational technology and digital learning leaders.
The report combines state spotlights with survey data from ed-tech directors, state chiefs, chief information officers, and other state education agency leaders across 47 states.
State education technology leaders play a large role in establishing policy frameworks and technical infrastructure within state education agencies. Their priorities often sway the direction in which local and state dollars are spent for educational tools that are safe, effective, and scalable.
Understanding the shifting priorities of state ed-tech leaders is paramount for companies working within the K-12 market. With ESSER funds gone and budgets tightening, states and districts are transitioning to more conservative spending models with minimized risk.
According to the survey data, AI has risen to lead the list of state ed-tech priorities — surpassing cybersecurity — which had topped the rankings for the past two years.
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“AI is going to be one of those transformative technologies like the internet,” SETDA executive director Julia Fallon told EdWeek Market Brief in an interview. “It’s forcing us to rethink what school is — what does assessment look like when you have an AI engine, or can we optimize the front office that would then free up dollars for teaching and learning?”
Many state education agencies have begun developing official frameworks and guidance to support districts in AI procurement and use. Far fewer have mandated local AI policies.
This shift in priority of AI for state ed-tech leaders is not a surprise, Fallon said, as federal resources, like the Office of Educational Technology, that would have previously issued guidance, are no longer available.
States are being called to step up and lead even more than before, she added.
Questions around the sustainable use and integration of AI also go hand-in-hand with concerns about funding, according to SETDA’s report.
Survey responses show that funding has become the biggest unmet need, with only 6% of respondents indicating that they have plans in place to continue funding ed-tech initiatives previously supported with federal stimulus dollars.
This represents a sharp drop from 2024, when 27% of respondents indicated the same answer.
They’re going to be a little bit more mindful about what works and what people are using, and does it integrate with my other stuff?
Julia Fallon, executive director, SETDA
“One of the biggest things we’re trying to figure out is, how do we use existing funds that do come to states and districts and repurpose those?” Fallon said. “States still have their regular funding — they’re not just pulling the plug on everything. But they’re just trying to be a little bit more strategic about the priorities that they will fund.”
State ed-tech leaders are going to have more conversations about the effectiveness of a company’s product and the research that was used to build those products, she added.
“They’re going to be a little bit more mindful about what works and what people are using, and does it integrate with my other stuff?” Fallon said. “The bar has been raised for ed-tech vendors in this space, and they’re going to have to really be partners with districts and states in order to move their products.”
Other issues the report touched upon included states with new or ongoing debates about device bans and digital citizenship; the continued need for educator professional development, especially around the use of AI in classrooms; and cybersecurity and infrastructure investment still presenting a pressing challenge.
K-12 decision-making at the state level is going to see more collaboration, Fallon said. It’ll be important for companies to not just understand what’s happening in one region, but to recognize that tech leaders are communicating and sharing ideas across state lines.
“[State ed-tech leaders] all talk to one another, but at the same time, are all very different,” Fallon said. “As much as they want one procurement process to rule them all, they won’t necessarily work, so we’ll have to figure out the things that we can come together on, but there might be differences based on priorities of states.”
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