Schools Need Ways to Assess What’s “Good” in Ed Tech Few unbiased evaluations have been available for schools purchasing tech-based tools and curricula. That may change, but the challenge remains in getting these resources used effectively in classrooms. May 13, 2021 • Catalyst/Kristina D.C. Hoeppner Due to pandemic-induced remote learning, K-12 educational technology use by teachers has accelerated at a significant rate over the past year. But questions remain about whether this pace will continue once schools are fully reopened, and if these ed-tech resources teachers have adopted are effective in advancing student learning. Defining what’s “good” has long been a challenge for technology-based curricula. And given the large sums of money schools have spent on ed tech — estimated at between $26 billion and $41 billion a year — there’s a serious need to know what works and what doesn’t. With the additional one-time money coming to schools via the American Rescue Plan that can be spent on ed tech, the stakes for schools to make well-informed purchasing decisions have never been higher.