Improving Ed-tech Purchasing

@DigitalPromise #EdTechMarket

www.digitalpromise.org/marketplace

(short video)

We gathered information from both

providers and educators

From

54 districts &

47 companies

0%

15%

30%

45%

60%

Superintendents Principals Business Officers Providers

Districts mostly satisfied, Providers mostly unsatisfied

Very Unsatisfied Unsatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Satisfied

43% of curriculum directors

not satisfied with time

taken

providers? 72%

Here are

six key highlights

Needs Assessment

is Informal

A clearer picture of instructional

challenges and priorities could improve

ed-tech product fit

Limited End-User Involvement

CTOs & Curriculum Directors are

reported to be most involved in the

ed-tech procurement process

Students & Parents District Staff

INVOLVEMENT

Teachers

Product Discovery is

Especially Difficult

“

”

IF THERE’S A GOOD VENDOR

OUT THERE DOING

WONDERFUL THINGS, IT’S

HARD TO FIND THAT VENDOR.

- Assistant Superintendent

Limited Meaningful Evidence

of Product Success

“

”

OUR INTERNAL EFFICACY

RIGOR IS RARELY AN ASSET

BECAUSE FEW DISTRICTS

KNOW HOW TO ASSESS OR

DIFFERENTIATE VENDOR

EFFICACY CLAIMS

- Provider

In the absence of evidence,

districts and providers alike rely heavily

on referrals and pilots

Pilots Often Aren’t Rigorous or

Connected to Purchasing

4.3

12.8

29.8 31.9

25.5

31.9

36.2

21.3

4.3 2.1 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Opportunities to conduct pilots Opportunities to scale afterward

Providers: limited satisfaction with pilot opportunities

Very Unsatisfied Unsatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Satisfied

Providers Struggle in

Buyers’ Market

Poor communication,

complicated and

untrusted RFPs, and time

delays add to their

frustrations

11% of providers satisfied

with district info on

buying cycles &

purchasing policies

It’s hard to match the right tools with

the right teachers and students

? ?

?

?

?

So, what can be done to

improve ed-tech purchasing?

Guidelines for districts

Conducting needs assessments

Evaluating evidence

Administering pilots

Incentives to get results &

show evidence

Simplified RFP processes

Clearer pilot guidelines

A website that offers trusted

product information and

connects providers and

educators

The role of end users

More research about

Effective pilots

Funding sources for

procurement

By working together to improve these practices,

we can get the right products into the hands

of the right teachers & students

Learn more at DigitalPromise.org/marketplace

and EducationIndustry.org

@DigitalPromise #EdTechMarket