Fostering Market Efficiency in K-12 Ed-tech Procurement A National Study I want to let you know about an exciting project SIIA is happy to be part of. Digital Promise, EIA, and Johns Hopkins University are conducting a national study of K-12 ed-tech procurement, focused on student-facing programs and content that facilitate personalized learning. We’ve been supporters of the project from the start. We hosted a focus group in December, there’s a session here tomorrow, and we’ve encouraged you all to be part of the study. I want to renew that encouragement today. The study’s purpose is to uncover challenges and best practices in ed-tech discovery and acquisition by gathering insights from both sides of the market through surveys and interviews. The end result will be recommendations and tools that make it easier for educators and students to get access to great products, and for ed-tech providers to navigate the procurement process. In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Ed-Tech Procurement Study Overview Now: Surveys & Interviews Superintendents, curriculum directors, ed-tech directors, purchasing directors, principals Ed-tech firm executives Summer: Draft Findings Available Fall: Results & Recommendations Right now, surveys and interviews are being conducted. Draft findings will be available for review in the beginning of the summer. And results and recommendations will be ready in the fall. In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Join the National Ed-tech Procurement Study Sign up here: http://goo.gl/Q3VcnP Contact marketplace@digitalpromise.org Talk to Steve Pines or Phil Martin this week spines@educationindustry.org phil@digitalpromise.org And lucky for you, it’s not too late to participate! If you’re a company that provides student-facing products to K-12 schools, you can -- sign up using this link send an email to marketplace@digitalpromise.org, or grab Steve Pines or Phil Martin who are here this week and have a session tomorrow. I hope you will, and we look forward to sharing the results of the study at our next conference. In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Hypothesis 1: Proxies used for market info Proliferation of products to choose from Educators can’t assess & compare Don’t trust and/or understand evidence Relationships & pilots as fall-back for informed decision-making (takes time) Pilots implemented unevenly Short term: improve pilots (guidelines for structured test) Long term: make it easier for districts to make informed market decisions In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Hypothesis 2: RFP protocols mean high cost, low competition and uncertain quality Purchasing policies mean onerous RFP development and response Firms don’t trust RFPs as unbiased and/or don’t have bandwidth to find and apply Districts: sole source or existing contract short term: improve RFP protocols (rubrics, templates) long term: reconsider policies that drive RFP protocols In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Select excerpts: Providers “RFP process makes it almost impossible for small companies to win.” “Our internal efficacy rigor is rarely an asset because few districts know how to assess or differentiate vendor efficacy claims.” In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Select excerpts: Principals “We pilot but we don’t have a process to guide our pilots and analysis.” “Disagreement between the instructional tech dept and the tech dept handicaps us from getting solutions to students.” In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Select excerpts: Curriculum Directors “Lack of rubric for evaluating current products and needs.” “Lack of research available about products.” In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Select excerpts: Purchasing Directors “The product decision is made before I become involved.” “Executing a contract for data security measures (newly developed in 2013).” In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Select excerpts: Ed Tech Directors “District staff are bombarded by sales calls from product vendors.” “State regulations and purchasing requirements.” In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Select excerpts: Superintendents “Once you purchase a product, if new products come out that could be better you are really stuck.” “Purchasing is archaic, not online, and the finance staff has no knowledge of [different approach].” In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Selected topics in initial survey results for discussion Pilots Evidence/research Funding/budget Internal alignment (within districts) Data privacy & security in procurement Other topics In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA

In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA Join the National Ed-tech Procurement Study Sign up here: http://goo.gl/Q3VcnP Contact marketplace@digitalpromise.org Talk to Steve Pines or Phil Martin this week spines@educationindustry.org phil@digitalpromise.org In collaboration with AASA, CoSN, and SIIA