Show Me the Impact: Measuring EdTech ROI When Every Dollar Matters

When budgets shrink and expectations grow, districts need better ways to evaluate technology investments. Usage data alone does not tell the full story: a tool may be widely used but poorly aligned, lightly used but mission-critical, inexpensive but high-risk, or costly but essential to access, safety, efficiency or instruction. This session helps district and technology leaders rethink ROI as both return on investment and return on instruction. Explore a practical decision-making framework that evaluates edtech through multiple lenses, including instructional value, operational efficiency, adoption, accessibility, privacy, cybersecurity, staff workload, student impact and strategic alignment. You will leave with an adaptable scorecard for software renewals, budget planning, cabinet discussions, board presentations, app approvals and technology audits, along with a more transparent and defensible process for deciding what to keep, cut, scale or reconsider. Most importantly, you will be ready to make stronger decisions and communicate them with clarity and confidence.