Much evidence suggests that spending in K-12 edtech (especially in the U.S.) has slowed or “halted” relative to past pandemic-era growth, and there are several clear drivers behind it. Rapid emergency-driven spending – as federal emergency relief funds provided a large influx of money to adopt tech for remote and hybrid learning – has shifted to a more cautious, budget-constrained environment as ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) and other emergency funds have largely expired.
The Funding Cliff
During COVID-19, ESSER funds drove a surge in new edtech purchases. With the removal of those funds, districts are now choosing what they can continue supporting and whether they can sustain existing subscriptions or renew contracts. This has created a “funding cliff” where schools can’t keep paying for as many tools – or new ones – without clear operational funds.
Selective Pruning & Broader Fiscal Pressures
Many districts are consolidating or “pruning” their edtech portfolios, even cutting dozens or hundreds of tools to save money. Now, more than ever, districts face pressure to justify return on investment (ROI) causing spending to pause pending clear evidence of impact.
In addition, school budgets are strained with slow revenue, rising costs, and enrollment concerns. All of which is changing the pace and nature of spending – moving from emergency, broad adoption toward targeted, ROI-driven and budget-constrained purchasing.
The Changing EdTech Buying Narrative
Many pandemic-era purchases were based on the question “What does this help teachers do?” But in a post-pandemic downturn, districts should be buying cost control, risk reduction, operational visibility, asset accountability, and compliance protection – not “innovation.”
CIO priorities for 2026 include:
- Budget defense
- Operational resilience
- Data accuracy
- Vendor consolidation
- Board reporting
CIOs – and the schools they protect – don’t need more tools right now, they need fewer surprises.
Districts like Bosqueville ISD (TX), Metro Nashville (TN), and Hauppauge (NY) adopted Veracity not because they had extra money – but because they needed visibility and control as budgets tightened. The districts moving forward right now aren’t spending more – they’re spending smarter.
Click here to begin your smarter edtech buying journey (download ROI calculator).