A unified initiative by 1EdTech, CAST, CoSN, Digital Promise, ISTE, and SETDA to operationalize product quality standards in K-12 education

, /PRNewswire/ -- The EdTech Quality Collaborative (EQC) has released a practical guide designed to help education leaders evaluate and acquire classroom technology with greater ease and assurance.

School districts oversee a large number of digital tools, with the typical district using nearly 3,000 separate edtech products during one academic year. Lacking a central evaluation structure, leaders frequently rely on standalone compliance lists disconnected from actual classroom use. Studies show this approach often results in underuse, as roughly 65 percent of acquired edtech licenses remain idle.

Connecting broad quality standards with everyday school practices, the EdTech Quality Indicators Guide extends the procurement steps from Digital Promise's EdTech Procurement Framework. It delivers a clear path for weaving reliable nonprofit certifications into current purchasing routines. The resource illustrates when and how K-12 decision makers can assess product quality amid ongoing acquisition cycles, moving districts from scattered purchases toward secure, research-supported, and economical technology selections.

"School districts frequently bear the heavy task of reviewing hundreds of digital tools on their own, diverting time and resources from direct support for teachers and learners," said Jean-Claude Brizard, president and CEO of Digital Promise. "Our focus lies in turning research findings into usable tools that aid educators and students directly. This guide achieves that by guiding district leaders from disconnected compliance lists to organized, purposeful buying processes. Shared quality indicators can ease the operational demands on administrators while confirming that classroom technology remains secure, accessible, and effective for every learner."

The guide rests on the Five EdTech Quality Indicators, a shared definition of product quality developed by the collaborative to safeguard school communities:

Safe: Requiring strong data privacy, data minimization, and cybersecurity practices to shield student and educator information.
Evidence-Based: Confirming that product designs and performance statements rest on solid research and match recognized educational evidence criteria.
Inclusive: Emphasizing accessibility, universal design, and equitable features that aid varied learners and reduce algorithmic bias.
Usable: Delivering straightforward digital interfaces that reduce mental effort for students and teachers alike.
Interoperable: Following open data standards to enable secure information exchange and seamless connections with a district's current technology setup.

"CoSN's 2026 State of EdTech Report showed that while edtech leaders already weigh safety, interoperability, usability, and evidence during purchases, many remain unaware of the Five Quality Indicators framework," said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. "The EdTech Quality Indicators Guide meets this gap by supplying a shared path for assessing technology against trusted quality standards. This joint effort will foster more consistency, openness, and assurance in education technology procurement choices."

Instead of requiring each district to review every tool across these areas manually, the guide explains how leaders can draw on reliable third-party validations available through the EdTech Index. This approach transfers the validation workload from district staff, conserving administrative effort and smoothing the review process.

"As families and school communities seek stronger accountability and openness regarding technology use in teaching and learning, leaders need assurance that classroom tools are secure, research-supported, and effective," said Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE). "That is why we have developed resources such as the EdTech Index to link school technology decision makers with high-quality edtech tools, our research summary on effective screen use, and our Safe and Purposeful EdTech School Pledge to promote meaningful technology practices. This guide supplies an additional resource for procurement leaders seeking evidence-based decisions aligned with safe, purposeful quality standards outlined in the Five EdTech Quality Indicators."

By bringing together leading education technology organizations, the EQC builds industry agreement on the meaning of product quality. Rather than leaving school systems and developers to manage separate, scattered standards, the collaborative creates one reliable framework. This joint method introduces needed consistency and clarity to K-12, elevating product design expectations while reducing verification demands on individual districts.

"Improving education technology for all requires uniting the education community to define quality," said Curtiss Barnes, 1EdTech CEO. "The EdTech Quality Indicators Guide stems from that partnership. A shared evaluation framework assists schools in making better-informed choices while offering providers clearer direction on building products that address educator needs. Interoperability forms a key element, and independent certification such as 1EdTech's supplies districts with assurance that selected products will integrate securely and dependably with existing systems."

"Quality edtech must account for learner differences from the outset," said Christine Fox, chief growth and innovation officer and co-project director, CITES, CAST. "The EdTech Quality Indicators Guide supports districts in emphasizing accessibility, inclusion, and Universal Design for Learning while simplifying procurement. Working together, we can lower obstacles for educators and learners to ensure technology investments produce real benefits for every student."

Adopting the EdTech Quality Indicators Guide enables school systems to pursue practical results such as:

Reduced Administrative Overhead: Streamlined review processes let districts save time by using verified third-party information.
Consistent Quality Standards: Clear alignment with established indicators supports classroom software that is safe, interoperable, and fully accessible to all learners.
Better Resource Alignment: Procurement processes tied to instructional priorities help districts match technology investments with real classroom needs.

"State education leaders aim to ensure every technology investment advances teaching and learning while protecting students and using limited public resources effectively," said Dorann Avey, board chair of SETDA. "The EdTech Quality Indicators Guide offers states and districts a reliable structure for informed procurement decisions with greater assurance. A common approach to assessing quality helps education leaders lower risk, improve collaboration, and increase the value of every edtech investment."

To explore the EdTech Quality Indicators Guide, see resources on the Digital Promise website.

About Digital Promise
Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. We work with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale innovations that support learners. Our vision is that every person engages in powerful learning experiences that lead to a life of well-being, fulfillment, and economic mobility. For more information, visit the Digital Promise website and follow Digital Promise for updates.

About the EdTech Quality Collaborative
The EdTech Quality Collaborative (EQC) is a coalition of leading education technology organizations committed to reducing the evaluation burden on school systems. By establishing common indicators of product quality and promoting trusted independent validations, the EQC supports districts in making informed, impactful technology choices.

SOURCE Digital Promise