Sogolytics partnered with the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) to release the 2026 State of EdTech District Leadership Report. The report draws on 607 responses from education technology leaders across 44 states, collected January 14 through March 1, 2026.
With the prior technology concern of 1:1 device access now near universal in middle and high schools, district technology leaders are weighing how to keep networks safe, govern AI responsibly, address community concerns about screen time, and choose technology that is accessible, secure, and conducive to teaching and learning. This research partnership between CoSN and Sogolytics provides K–12 leaders with credible, data-driven insights to address these questions with greater clarity, confidence, and strategic direction.
The data revealed several key patterns that highlight how technology is changing in K- 12 schools. First, in a single year, districts that implemented AI use guidelines expanded from 57% in 2025 to 79% in 2026. However, staffing capacity did not move at the same pace. Cybersecurity staffing, instructional support for teachers, off-campus connectivity, and accessibility requirements in purchasing all had relatively the same rates as last year, or lower. This may suggest the technology landscape and policies are being put in place faster than the supports needed to ensure they are implemented effectively.
AI: Adoption is Rapidly Growing
- 79% of districts now have AI guidelines in place, up from 57% in 2025. The share with no guidelines for generative AI fell from 43% to 21%.
- 96% of education technology leaders see AI as having potential to positively affect education. The perceived positive impact it can have on productivity leads at 74%, up from 43%; personalized education reached 67% from 30% last year; and student tutoring rose from 7% to 46%.
- 70% are training instructional staff on instruction-focused generative AI tools, up from 51%.
- 64% reported using AI in operations, up from 37% a year ago. Cameras led at 41%, followed by student safety-monitoring tools at 38%.
- In terms of state oversight on AI use, districts want direction, not orders. 67% want non-binding guidance on AI tools for teacher instruction, while only 18% want formal mandates even on student safety.
Cybersecurity: The Number 1 priority since 2018
- When asked about the barriers districts face in addressing cybersecurity, 65% report insufficient cybersecurity staffing, and 65% name the lack of a dedicated budget as their top barrier. Another 52% point to gaps in staff skills and expertise.
- 51% have seen cyber insurance premiums increase, and 18% have absorbed higher deductibles. Rising premiums pull money away from the staffing and systems that would reduce claims in the first place.
- 98% are at least moderately concerned about AI enabling new forms of cyberattacks, with 75% very concerned. It is the single highest-rated concern in the report.
- Investment is not the gap. 72% invest in monitoring, detection, and response, 66% in endpoint protection, and 58% in identity protection. Only 7% report no cybersecurity investment at all. The gap is people and predictable funding.
Screen Time: Communities Separate Phones From Instruction
- 77% of districts report moderate to high community concern about students’ personal device use during the school day, with 53% rating that concern high.
- 64% report moderate to high concern about the technology used for teaching and learning, but only 23% rate it high.
- 99% have practices to help students make healthy technology choices. 77% ban social media on school-issued devices, 72% run age-appropriate online safety programs, and 58% ban personal devices during the school day.
Procurement: Accessibility is the Most Overlooked Requirement
- 11% have formal procurement policies requiring WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. Another 31% do not know what their district’s policy is, and 15% rarely or never consider accessibility.
- 29% require vendors to provide information about a product’s accessibility for all learners, compared with 55% who require safety information and 46% who require interoperability information.
- Federal accessibility deadlines were extended to April 2027 for districts serving large communities and 2028 for smaller ones.
Off-campus connectivity: Moving Backward
- 41% provide no off-campus connectivity services, up from 26% in 2023. District-owned hot spots fell from 58% to 47%.
- 22-30% do not know whether their students have devices, broadband, or broadband sufficient for video conferencing at home. 30% lack data on bandwidth adequacy.
- The federal Affordable Connectivity Program ended in June 2024, and the decline tracks with it.
What District Leaders Can Do with This
District technology leaders are being asked to manage growing complexity with limited time, staffing, and resources. Districts may consider examining the perceptions and support around technology among their community.
The districts best positioned to maintain trust are the ones listening to students, families, teachers, and staff throughout the process rather than after decisions are made. In environments shaped by rapid change and competing priorities, meaningful feedback provides the clarity leaders need to make informed, credible decisions.
The survey design, administration, and data visualization for this report was developed in partnership between CoSN and Sogolytics Managed Research team. Sogolytics works with K-12 districts to gather and act on feedback from across the school community. Managed Research handles end-to-end execution of annual climate, safety, and engagement studies. We handle the data-heavy work, sorting data, surfacing themes, and prioritizing action, so district leaders can focus on building trust and making meaningful change.
According to the 2026 State of EdTech District Leadership Report, 79% of districts now have AI guidelines in place, up from 57% in 2025. The share of districts with no generative AI guidelines fell from 43% to 21% over the same year.
The report found 65% of leaders name insufficient cybersecurity staffing and 65% name the lack of a dedicated budget as their top barriers, with 52% pointing to gaps in staff skills and expertise. Investment is largely in place, so the gap is people and predictable funding rather than technology.
77% of districts report moderate to high community concern about students’ personal device use during the school day, and 53% rate that concern high. In response, 77% ban social media on school-issued devices and 58% ban personal devices during the school day.
Only 11% of districts have formal procurement policies requiring WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, and just 29% require vendors to provide accessibility information, compared with 55% who require safety information. Federal accessibility deadlines were extended to April 2027 for districts serving larger communities and 2028 for smaller ones.
The 2026 report draws on 607 responses from education technology leaders across 44 states, collected between January 14 and March 1, 2026. The Sogolytics Managed Research team handled the survey design, administration, and data visualization in partnership with CoSN.
The report points district leaders toward examining community perceptions and support around technology before decisions are made rather than after. Districts that gather feedback from students, families, teachers, and staff throughout the process are better positioned to maintain trust as technology and policy shift.
