Walk into almost any public school today and you’ll see technology everywhere — laptops open on desks, tablets in backpacks, wireless access points blinking overhead. We’ve made real progress on access. Billions in public investment, spurred by the pandemic, finally put devices and connectivity into the hands of students and educators at scale. That’s a milestone worth celebrating.
But here’s the hard truth: Technology by itself doesn’t change outcomes. Without systems, support, and strategy to integrate it meaningfully into teaching and learning, we risk turning a historic investment into a fleeting moment.
This is the edtech dilemma I’ve watched unfold over decades: the distance between having technology and using it well. It’s not a gap we close with the next hot app or flashy pilot program. It’s solved when we connect systems, people and solutions, aligning technology with instructional vision, making professional learning non-negotiable, and putting students at the center of every decision.
Today’s edtech ecosystem is still far too fragmented, and we cannot afford to keep building bespoke workarounds. We need common rails, smarter procurement, and state and school system leadership that centers on systems thinking. Because when systems are noisy and disconnected, the most vulnerable students suffer the most.
This is easier said than done in a deeply decentralized ecosystem, where each district sets its own rules of engagement for edtech providers. Research shows that this type of widespread fragmentation fuels uneven standards, stifles innovation, creates integration bottlenecks, and, ultimately, hinders students’ academic achievement.
Consider this: during the 2022–23 school year, U.S. school systems used an average of 2,591 edtech tools — a staggering 400% increase since 2017–18. Each of those connections must be managed and maintained, often without centralized infrastructure or dedicated staffing. When every school system writes its own playbook, vendors face a patchwork of technical and compliance requirements, and educators bear the brunt of systems that do not talk to each other. The result? Time, money, and energy are drained away from what matters most — teaching and learning –while integration challenges ripple across the entire sector.
For the past four years, my organization, SETDA, a professional membership association representing state educational technology leaders, has published an annual report on state edtech priorities and trends. Each edition documents the strategic shifts underway as state education systems adapt to a landscape where technology is ubiquitous and where new and emerging innovations present unprecedented opportunities and complex risks.
While progress is being made, our K-12 system is in dire need of a massive modernization.
Let me be clear: modernization does not mean adding more technology for technology’s sake. Many of us experienced firsthand how simply adding more tools without a coherent system can backfire. Modernization also isn’t the same as digitization. It’s not just about replacing a whiteboard with a smartboard or using AI to automate routine tasks. True modernization requires a shift in mindset.
Just as the electrification of society forced a complete rethinking of how cities and towns were designed — from lighting and transportation to housing and public services — emerging technologies demand that we redesign the systems that shape teaching and learning. This isn’t about layering technology on top of outdated structures. It’s about fundamentally reimagining how educators, students, and families work together, with intentional design, interoperability, and human-centered outcomes at the core.
That includes ensuring tools can communicate with each other, so educators get the insights they need in one place and families experience communication as seamless and accessible. When families receive messages from five different platforms, they stop checking all of them. When systems are aligned and thoughtfully designed, everyone in the community benefits.
Instead of chasing the next shiny object, we must focus on creating durable infrastructure that supports teaching, learning and equity in meaningful ways, and designing for scale without sacrificing local context. Our collective mindset must shift from compliance-driven technology adoption to mission-driven modernization, which will require policy, procurement and people systems to evolve.
The change we seek starts with state education leaders: We can model integrated, interoperable, privacy-forward, learner-centered systems in our own agencies. We can support rural and under-resourced school systems with tools and guidance that meet them where they are. We can champion policies and practices that reward interoperability, accessibility and impact.
Instead of requiring educators to manually transfer grades or assessment data between platforms — or rely on patchwork solutions — systems can be designed to “talk” to each other, reducing friction and freeing up time for instruction and relationship-building. Instead of logging into multiple disconnected platforms, families can engage through a single, secure entry point that offers a comprehensive view of their child’s progress, assignments, and communication.
These kinds of system-wide efficiencies don’t just reduce administrative burden; they strengthen the connection between people and the learning environments they navigate every day.
The road ahead won’t be easy. K-12 systems are expected to be technologically nimble while juggling concerns that other industries don’t have to navigate, most notably the unique challenges of serving and protecting minors in an environment where the stakes are children’s futures and their identities. Budgets will tighten. Technology will evolve faster than regulations. And staffing will continue to challenge implementation. But the opportunity before us is real. With effective systems in place, we can make data and technology solutions work for us, not against us. We can empower educators, engage families, and support learners with the clarity, consistency, and care they deserve.
This is the work of the Great Modernization. And it’s work worth doing.