In a brand new particular report, EdWeek Market Transient appears to be like at college districts’ greatest shopping for priorities over the approaching 12 months, and the forces which can be shaping these selections.
College District Buying Priorities, 2025-26 makes use of authentic survey knowledge and evaluation by EdWeek Market Transient’s editorial workforce to present our members insights on what’s across the nook available in the market.
Many faculty district leaders have advised our editorial workforce that they’re returning to one thing approaching pre-stimulus-era budgetary norms. However that doesn’t essentially imply that they see the subsequent few years as steady.
College District Buying Priorities 2025-26 is our 4th annual particular report analyzing Ok-12 spending priorities throughout product classes, in addition to ache factors, and components influencing shopping for selections.
Like previous studies, it’s based mostly on a nationally consultant on-line survey carried out by the EdWeek Analysis Heart. We additionally use different analysis collected over the previous 12 months to discover further questions that matter to firms Ok-12 leaders’ expectations for distributors, the most important skilled challenges district directors and academics face, and what sort of messaging from firms appeals to patrons in class techniques.
Moreover, the report appears to be like at how faculty district leaders assume distributors may help them handle significantly vexing issues—corresponding to staffing chaos, and chronic cultural battles enjoying out over curriculum.
Particularly, the report presents EdWeek Market Transient members intel on the next:
• Whether or not faculty district leaders anticipate spending extra, much less, or the identical quantities in fiscal 2025-26 as in the course of the present 12 months in numerous product classes – together with core and supplemental curriculum, evaluation, social-emotional studying, gadgets, and extra.
• The extent to which faculty districts anticipate to see their spending altered by components such because the lack of federal stimulus support; inflation; modifications in state funding; and shifts of their pupil enrollment.
• The largest skilled challenges district and college leaders and academics face, from challenges with staffing to retaining college students engaged to enhancing their skilled abilities.
• What steps Ok-12 officers consider distributors can take to assist them successfully handle staffing turnover.
• How faculty districts’ total appetites for particular sorts of ed-tech merchandise are altering.
• The options that directors anticipate to see in merchandise utilizing synthetic intelligence – centered on college students’ studying experiences, help for educators, and extra.
• What sorts of messaging about merchandise – round pricing, using knowledge, adherence to state or native requirements – appeals most to directors and educators?
• How a lot time per week faculty district leaders spend researching merchandise, and the way lengthy it takes them from figuring out a have to committing to buying a product.
It’s value noting that regardless of the prevailing uncertainty they face in navigating the expectations of college districts amid altering market situations, many schooling firms are comparatively optimistic about what lies forward.
Separate EdWeek Market Transient surveys taken of schooling firms have indicated that whereas companies anticipate powerful situations for gross sales over the subsequent 12 months, they foresee a rebound in years two and three.
When you’ve had the possibility to undergo our findings, tell us how they align with what your group is listening to from faculty techniques, and what questions you might have about what’s forward.
Obtain the Report
