Key factors:
The vast majority of Okay-12 edtech leaders say they imagine AI can profit training, and roughly one-third have a basic AI initiative–however cybersecurity stays on the prime of their precedence lists, in accordance with the 2024 State of Edtech District Management report from CoSN.
The annual survey, now in its eleventh yr, offers college district leaders and policymakers a holistic understanding of the Okay-12 IT panorama.
Whereas edtech leaders can usually be siloed inside their very own district, this yr’s report presents an opportunity to have a look at greatest practices in different districts and measure priorities and initiatives as in comparison with different faculties and districts.
CoSN’s edtech management report presents worthwhile perception for superintendents, college boards, and enterprise officers as they define priorities and budgets to deal with challenges and priorities outlined within the report–important data that will even function a directional information to CoSN’s useful resource and program growth.
“The position of edtech leaders is quickly increasing as know-how is permeating each facet of our training system, necessitating their proactive involvement. Our newest survey underscores the rising complexity of their challenges, from growing Generative AI greatest practices and cybersecurity measures to addressing the digital fairness divide. Since 2013, calls for on edtech leaders have surged, but district assets haven’t saved tempo with these escalating wants,” mentioned Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.
The survey and report have been performed in partnership with AASA, The Faculty Superintendents Affiliation, CDW Schooling, K12 Perception, Lightspeed Techniques and MCH Strategic Knowledge. This yr’s prime findings embrace the next:
1. The overwhelming majority of edtech leaders (97 p.c) see advantages in how AI can positively influence training and over a 3rd (35 p.c) of districts report having a generative AI initiative.
2. Cybersecurity stays the highest concern for edtech leaders, with 99 p.c of districts taking measures to enhance protections. More and more, districts are on a path to implementing many cybersecurity greatest practices.
3. An amazing majority (93 p.c) of districts are utilizing know-how options designed to deal with or enhance pupil well-being.
4. A rising variety of districts now not present any companies to deal with pupil dwelling broadband entry–31 p.c this yr in comparison with 19 p.c simply two years in the past.
5. Single Signal-On (SSO) is probably the most absolutely applied interoperability initiative with 43 p.c. Full implementation charges for different interoperability initiatives lag far behind.
6. Cybersecurity ranks primary on edtech leaders’ lists for skilled studying, with 85 p.c of respondents indicating they have been extraordinarily or very . Second was IT disaster preparedness with 78 p.c, adopted by driving and sustaining Okay-12 innovation with 77 p.c.
7. Edtech leaders cite the shortcoming to rent expert workers as a prime problem, ranked second behind funds constraints.
8. Sixty-four p.c of districts report taking measures to extend workforce variety, with 1 / 4 actively recruiting. Nevertheless, solely one-third (34 p.c) of districts report including underrepresented populations to their know-how division workforce within the final two years.
“Leveraging and championing applied sciences in our faculty methods has by no means been extra essential in public training. On a regular basis phrases comparable to synthetic intelligence, cybersecurity, digital fairness and interoperability are prime of thoughts in studying communities all through our nation, which is why it’s not stunning to see a few of this yr’s key findings specializing in these areas,” mentioned David R. Schuler, Govt Director, AASA. “As soon as once more, it’s an honor to accomplice with CoSN on this invaluable useful resource. I congratulate Keith Krueger and his workforce for administering the survey.”
The report was developed primarily based on a nationwide survey of over 980 edtech leaders throughout U.S. college methods. Based on the outcomes, districts are modernizing their infrastructure; nonetheless, extra obligations comparable to HVAC, telephone methods, and bodily safety methods come below their purview and run on the varsity community. Edtech leaders are additionally challenged by persistent issues comparable to hurdles to hiring highly-qualified IT expertise, problems with pupil dwelling web and gadget entry, funding cliffs as pandemic funds expire, and large threats of cybersecurity assaults.
“CDW is a proud company accomplice of CoSN and this annual survey to assist help our district leaders in fixing issues, planning for the long run and constructing capability in training know-how leaders,” mentioned Janice Mertes, State Stage Ambassador, CDW Schooling.
“Because the Okay-12 neighborhood tackles important challenges, together with infrastructure safety, information privateness, AI adoption and digital fairness, the 2024 State of EdTech report once more supplies an essential view of IT leaders’ priorities. Lightspeed Techniques is proud to be a longstanding accomplice of CoSN, working collectively to know and deal with these prime points head-on,” mentioned Brian Thomas, CEO, Lightspeed Techniques.
This press launch initially appeared on-line.
Laura Ascione is the Editorial Director at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the College of Maryland’s prestigious Philip Merrill Faculty of Journalism.
