How School Districts Are Saving Smarter
Analyzing EdTech Usage Data to Make Confident, Cost-Efficient Decisions
2022-2023 school year.
The Implications of Edtech Software License Waste
Underutilization isn’t just a budget problem, it’s a missed opportunity for impact. Edtech tools that are misaligned, redundant, or poorly adopted fragment the learning experience while drawing funding from more effective initiatives. In fact:
Alarming Rates of Edtech Software License Underutilization
Despite rising access, a significant portion of digital tools purchased or licensed by school districts goes unused or is used so infrequently that it provides minimal instructional value. According to multiple studies:
With tighter budgets and growing pressure to optimize investments,
school districts across the country are rethinking their edtech stacks. Leaders in IT, curriculum, and administration need a quick way to reduce waste. Use this checklist to make smarter, faster decisions, without adding more work to already stretched teams.
Leading School Districts Are Taking Action
Forward-thinking school systems are responding to this challenge by adopting usage-based evaluation models and centralized edtech intelligence platforms. These districts are:
Lightspeed customers using Insight have reported uncovering dozens of edtech tools with zero meaningful usage—and reinvesting that budget into instructional coaching, device management, and SEL supports. In fact, one district in Texas recently uncovered over $900k in edtech savings by quickly identifying underutilized apps.
Ready to join them?
How to Start Saving Smarter
Even small changes can lead to significant savings and clarity.
Here’s how to begin:
1. Run an app usage audit before finalizing renewals.
2. Centralize decision-making with data visibility across departments.
3. Utilize your own usage data to guide vendor conversations and negotiations.
4. Invest in fewer, better-aligned tools—and monitor them for effectiveness year-round.
Request your App Audit Today
SOURCES:
1. Lightspeed Systems, “2024 EdTech App Report,” 2024.
2. Overdeck Family Foundation, “Evidence-Based EdTech Purchasing,” 2023.
3. EdWeek Market Brief, “K–12 Districts Wasting Millions on Unused Software,” 2019.
4. The Hechinger Report, “School EdTech Money Mostly Gets Wasted,” 2021.
5. K–12 Dive, “ESSER Deadline Nears. Are Schools Ready?” May 2024.
