Cybersecurity remains the top concern for school districts’ technology priorities, according to an annual survey of education technology professionals, but attention on generative artificial intelligence has surged over the past year.
Those are some of the findings of the new U.S. State of EdTech 2026 report from The Consortium for School Networking, a professional association for K-12 education technology leaders.
The annual report, which includes responses from more than 600 K-12 technology leaders across 44 states, examines how districts are using technology to support teaching and learning, as well as the areas where schools are making progress and where more capacity or investment is needed.
Nearly 80% of respondents report having established AI guidelines. The percentage of districts without AI guidelines has declined in recent years, the report said, from 43% in 2025 to 21% this year.
However, budget constraints and lack of resources were both ranked as districts’ top challenge to implementing technology-enabled learning environments, followed by organizational silos and lack of relevant professional development.
The report suggests district leaders are no longer focused simply on acquiring more technology. They are under pressure to prove that products are secure, interoperable, and capable of delivering real instructional value within tight restraints.
The findings come at a time when districts are continuing to adjust to the end of federal emergency funding, while battling new issues like increased cyberattacks and national debates around screen time and technology use.
For vendors working in the K-12 market, understanding the mindset of district technology leaders is critical as schools become more selective, risk-conscious buyers.
“The 2026 State of EdTech report shows that districts are approaching technology with greater intention and maturity,” Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN, said in the report. “Education technology leaders are focused on using technology in safe and effective ways to support learning and operations while also being candid about where districts need more capacity, staffing, and investment to keep pace with evolving demands.”
Districts are becoming more structured in how they vet products and risks, the CoSN data suggests. The vast majority of districts, 86%, now report having a process to vet free tools before they’re used in schools. Sixty-five percent require a review by IT staff, while 61% maintain lists of approved applications.
Procurement expectations around interoperability are also becoming more formalized. More than half of districts designate an individual to review interoperability during procurement, 43% include interoperability requirements in RFPs, and 39% include it in purchasing evaluation rubrics.
Still, gaps remain. While 55% of districts require vendors to provide information about product safety, fewer require information related to interoperability, usability, evidence-based design, or accessibility. Only 29% require information about whether products are inclusive and accessible for all learners.
The report suggests that districts may also be struggling to fully evaluate products in these areas. More than half of respondents said they were unfamiliar with the Five Quality Indicator Framework, which evaluates products based on safety, evidence base, inclusivity, usability, and interoperability.
“Schools need more than access to technology — they need confidence it’s safe, compliant, and actually working … This has never been more important,” said Amy Bennett, chief of staff at Lightspeed Systems, one of the partner organizations, in the report.
Districts are also facing implementation challenges, beyond initial purchasing decisions.
Two-thirds of respondents said they have sufficient staffing for core technical support, but 58% reported being understaffed when it comes to supporting instructional technology use. Sixty-five percent also said they lack sufficient cybersecurity staffing.
Respondents are showing a differentiation between educational and personal technology use, however, with data showing that concerns are more than twice as high for students’ personal device use at school than for education technology used for teaching and learning.
“Education leaders are navigating a period of profound transformation, where technology is deeply embedded in every aspect of teaching, learning, and operations,” said David Schuler, executive director at AASA, The School Superintendents Association, one of the partner organizations, in the report. “Today’s superintendents and technology leaders must work in close partnership to align vision, strategy, and implementation.”
Partners in the project included AASA, The School Superintendents Association, CDW Education, Lightspeed Systems, MCH Strategic Data and Sogolytics.
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