{"id":118665,"date":"2026-03-10T22:47:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T01:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/898613100"},"modified":"2026-03-10T22:47:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T01:47:57","slug":"study-finds-most-common-ed-tech-tools-not-backed-by-evidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/10\/study-finds-most-common-ed-tech-tools-not-backed-by-evidence\/","title":{"rendered":"Study Finds Most Common Ed-Tech Tools Not Backed by Evidence"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>                              <title>Study Finds Most Common Ed-Tech Tools Not Backed by Evidence<\/title>  <!-- Tiny Rich Text Editor --> <!-- Load the site id in order to track the insider locales --> <!-- this will add webcomponent polyfills based on browsers. As of 04\/29\/21 still needed for IE11 and Safari --> <!-- Start of HubSpot Embed Code --> <!-- End of HubSpot Embed Code --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- OneTrust Cookies Consent Notice start for govtech.com --> <!-- OneTrust Cookies Consent Notice end for govtech.com --> <!-- Propensity tag (propensity_analytics.js) -->  <!-- Putting icons here, so we don't have to include in a bunch of -body hbs's --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"BrowserCompatibility\" data-dialogue data-show-on-internet-explorer data-show-dialogue>\n<div class=\"BrowserCompatibility-container\">\n<div class=\"BrowserCompatibility-body\">\n<h2 class=\"BrowserCompatibility-title\"> IE 11 Not Supported <\/h2>\n<div class=\"BrowserCompatibility-text RichTextBody\">\n<p>For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Microsite Header --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ArticlePage-MicrositeHeader\" data-with-bg>\n<div class=\"Page-heading\" data-text-align=\"left\" data-with-bg>\n<div class=\"Page-heading-content-wrapper\" data-modulewell>\n<div class=\"Page-heading-content\" data-module>\n<div class=\"Page-heading-logo\"> <img class=\"Image\" data-image-size=\"siteLogo\" alt=\"CDE logo REV_TRANS_med.png\" width=\"291\" height=\"120\"> <\/div>\n<h2 class=\"Page-heading-subHeading\">Preparing K-12 and higher education IT leaders for the exponential era<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"SectionPage-sectionNavigation\" data-align-center>\n<nav class=\"SectionNavigation\"> <\/nav>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"Page-content\">\n<div class=\"Page-twoColumn\"> <main id=\"readArticle\" class=\"Page-main\" data-module data-padding=\"none\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ArticlePage-lede\">\n<div class=\"ArticlePage-lede-content\">\n<div class=\"Page-breadcrumbs\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/education\/k-12\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">K-12 Education<\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"Page-subHeadline\">Instructure and InnovateEDU\u2019s analysis of common classroom technologies found 60 percent of designated ed-tech tools and 98 percent of consumer tools haven&#8217;t met standards of evidence recognized by the ESSA.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ArticlePage-actions-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"Page-byline\">\n<p>March 10, 2026&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"Page-authors\"> <!-- one off byline --><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/authors\/news-staff.html\" data-cms-ai=\"0\"><span>News Staff<\/span><\/a> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"Page-lead\">\n<figure class=\"Figure\">    <img data-opt-id=1639085844  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"A teacher in a classroom with young students. The teacher is pointing to a tablet in her hand, and all of the students have either laptops or tablets on the tables in front of them.\" width=\"840\" height=\"438\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/erepublic.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/253e101\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/1169x610+0+47\/resize\/840x438!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ferepublic-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F16%2Fd90cd51e39258323abdf214a95bb%2Fshutterstock-441374218.jpg\">  <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Page-article\">\n<div class=\"Page-articleBody RichTextBody\"> An <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instructure.com\/resources\/research-reports\/2026-edtech-evidence-report?ng=&amp;token=hB-86nCIT-pKIGJ1IHiTqdjiDAERQ-zMoPsr8OdsWXA\" target=\"_blank\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">analysis<\/a> of 150 common classroom technology tools found most of them aren&#8217;t backed by federally recognized evidence, although purpose-built ones have a much stronger research backing than general consumer tools, and both have a long way to go for accessibility and interoperability.<\/p>\n<p>According to a <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/as-ai-and-screen-time-scrutiny-rise-instructures-2026-evidence-report-finds-most-classroom-consumer-technology-lacks-verified-proof-of-impact-302709230.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">news release<\/a> shared today, the ed-tech company Instructure and nonprofit InnovateEDU drew anonymized usage data from the educational content-tracking system LearnPlatform&#8217;s browser integration between August and December 2025 to find the most frequently used tools in K-12 education.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers then judged these tools\u2019 alignment with research standards in certifications in the <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/education\/k-12\/universal-design-for-learning-makes-its-way-into-essa-law.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">Every Student Succeeds Act<\/a> (ESSA), the federal legislation dictating schools spend federal dollars on evidence-based learning interventions and providing frameworks to judge tools against. For example, an intervention earns a Tier I grade if a well-designed study of at least 350 participants finds statistically significant positive evidence and no strong negative evidence.<\/p>\n<p><span data-bsp-pv=\"4f8e492c-6f2f-390e-bc61-f176d3a37ab9\"><\/span><span data-bsp-pv=\"0000019c-d99d-dca3-addf-f9bd77c40000\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The study also compared data compliance, interoperability, accessibility and usability with standards outlined in certifications from organizations like ISTE, Digital Promise, 1EdTech and the World Wide Web Consortium. According to the report, alignment is growing more important as technology evolves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs states and districts embrace the potential of AI, we have a unique opportunity to set a new, higher standard for educational technology,\u201d InnovateEDU CEO Erin Mote said in a public statement.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"research-findings\">RESEARCH FINDINGS<\/h3>\n<p>While young people\u2019s time interacting with technology is increasing year over year, according to the report, not all screen time has the same impact. Digital learning experiences governed by teachers and tailored to instructional goals are \u201cfundamentally different\u201d from consumer platforms used passively or as a distraction.<\/p>\n<p>Tools built for education are more likely than consumer ones to have demonstrated a positive learning impact, to the extent that 40 percent had evidence aligned with ESSA, compared with just 2 percent of consumer technologies used in schools.<\/p>\n<p>Within that 40 percent, however, there is variability. Just 2 percent of studied tools met Level I, the highest possible standard of ESSA evidence. Another 5 percent met Level II, 14 percent met Level III and 19 percent met Level IV. While Level IV is the lowest, it is designed to encourage innovation. To achieve a Level IV rating, an ed-tech tool does not need to demonstrate results, but a well-defined research effort must be planned or in progress. That means only 21 percent of the 150 common ed-tech tools examined by Instructure and InnovateEDU had definitely demonstrated positive results to ESSA sufficient for more than a Level IV rating.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond meeting learning goals, ed-tech tools were also more likely to meet privacy and interoperability standards.<\/p>\n<p>On the whole, 33 percent of ed-tech tools had at least one data-compliance certification, and 30 percent had at least one interoperability certification. That number for consumer tools was much lower: No more than 6 percent held a certification in either.<\/p>\n<p>Accessibility certifications were more common, with 70 percent of most-used classroom technologies meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, beating out general consumer technologies\u2019 50 percent alignment.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"changing-how-schools-choose\">CHANGING HOW SCHOOLS CHOOSE<\/h3>\n<p>According to the report, schools are increasingly relying on standards like ESSA to evaluate tools as they formalize their procurement processes. School districts face pressure to select tools wisely, and the report suggests eight questions for leaders to consider before implementing a new one:<\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\">\n<li>What outcome is this technology intended to improve?<\/li>\n<li>What evidence or rationale supports that claim?<\/li>\n<li>What is the cost in attention\/time, and why is it worth it?<\/li>\n<li>What student data is collected, and what safeguards does the district have?<\/li>\n<li>How will this fit into our ecosystem and workflows?<\/li>\n<li>Does this product have a documented [Voluntary Product Accessibility Template]?<\/li>\n<li>Do teachers and learners find the product accessible and easy to use?<\/li>\n<li>What reporting will we get, and what decisions will it enable?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The report suggested that school and district leaders use these questions to help find the best tools for their purposes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe conversation is shifting from what a tool can do to whether it measurably improves learning outcomes,\u201d Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure, said in a public statement. \u201cFor districts, evidence aligned to ESSA, strong student privacy protections and seamless interoperability are no longer differentiators. They are baseline requirements for building a safe and effective learning ecosystem.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"Page-authorInfo \">\n<div class=\"Page-authorInfo-content\">\n<div class=\"Page-authorInfo-name\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/authors\/news-staff.html\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">News Staff<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"Page-authorInfo-seeMore\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/authors\/news-staff.html\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">See More Stories by News Staff<\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- Contributors --> <\/p>\n<aside class=\"Page-aside\"> <\/aside>\n<div class=\"Newsletter-container\">\n<p> Never miss a story with the GovTech Today newsletter. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <button class=\"GoogleDfpMobileAd-close\" data-close>  <\/button>    <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\"> <\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/acceptable.html\"> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8230; release shared today, the ed-<span class=\"match\">tech<\/span> company Instructure and nonprofit &#8230; new, higher standard for educational <span class=\"match\">technology<\/span>,\u00e2\u0080\u009d InnovateEDU CEO Erin Mote &#8230; of the 150 common ed-<span class=\"match\">tech<\/span> tools examined by Instructure &#8230; meeting learning goals, ed-<span class=\"match\">tech<\/span> tools were also more &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118665\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}