The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Governance
      • Lynch Education Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • The Tech Edvocate Awards
      • The Awards Process
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Award Seals
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Edupedia

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Governance
      • Lynch Education Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • The Tech Edvocate Awards
      • The Awards Process
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Award Seals
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Edupedia
  • Calculating math success

  • Create a culture of learning in your classroom

  • Real-world strategies to make math relevant

  • Arts integration for any classroom

  • Insight ADVANCE Launches Live Video Tools for Instructional Coaching at NCE 2019

  • Want to Improve Students’ Reading Skills?

  • How college and career ready is your child?

  • Teaching literary analysis

  • Keeping the arts in the curriculum

  • 3 ways poverty influences learning

EdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & Businesses
Home›EdTech Policy & Reform›How Education Policy Shapes the Edtech Market

How Education Policy Shapes the Edtech Market

By Matthew Lynch
September 13, 2017
0
Spread the love

Even during lean times, school districts have been eager to invest in technology in the classroom, opening up all kinds of opportunity for edtech companies. But this market is unpredictable and influenced by many unseen factors.

A major factor in the rise and fall of edtech companies is shifting educational policies. On a national and regional level, such policies have influenced the edtech market profoundly.

Here are a few examples which demonstrate this influence.

NCLB and ESSA

The “Every Student Succeeds” Act of 2015 (as well as its predecessor, the “No Child Left Behind” act of 2002) was a game-changer for schools and for the companies that served them. The emphasis on standards-based assessment has created a deluge of potential opportunities for savvy edtech startups. Pearson experienced a meteoric rise in edtech products. “Drill-and-kill” tools like Study Island have been consumed by teachers and students in massive quantities. High-stakes testing created a voracious market for digital materials in the service of assessment and test prep. Today, edtech companies are still riding the wave of this legislation as they continue to evolve and promote new products for the measurement of testing benchmarks.

Changes in the Teacher Recertification Process

Students are not the only ones who are required to give evidence of their learning. The landscape of professional development for teachers has changed, too. Individual states are now implementing evidence-based portfolios as a requirement for teacher recertification. These policy changes have opened up a market for evaluation tools that facilitate things like collaboration and video coaching.

The Common Core

Similar to the testing requirements of Every Student Succeeds, the requirements of the “Common Core” demand online assessments aligned to specific learning goals. Many of the same companies that cashed in on ESSA have risen to even greater heights in response to these demands. But things may be poised to change once again. The Common Core has become increasingly controversial in individual districts, many of whom are working to develop local standards to replace them.

Privacy Concerns

Education policy can have a negative impact on the edtech market, too. In the last few years, parents have registered mounting concerns about the protection of student data. These concerns led to policies restricting access to student records, instantly making obsolete those companies that aimed to cash in on a need for large-scale storage of data. One such company was inBloom. Promoting tools for storing and aggregating student data, inBloom was forced to close when 36 states introduced new bills to protect student privacy.

As with any other kind of market, the changes in edtech can be difficult to predict. It takes a truly savvy entrepreneur to sense the way is wind is blowing and deliver products that meet the demand.

 

 

 


Spread the love
TagsEdtechedtechchatelearningmakerspaceSTEM
Previous Article

Black Boys in Crisis: Counteracting Racial Stereotypes

Next Article

Pass or Fail: Effective Education Policies to ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyTrending Topics

    What cyber charter schools are and why their growth should worry us

    June 7, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • The Tech Edvocate

    Does our EdTech Obsession Get in the Way of Teaching and Learning?

    March 10, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Product Reviews

    Technology and Multisensory Learning: A New Twist to an Old Application

    November 28, 2015
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Best of Best ListsSTEMTrending Topics

    What Are the Benefits of Learning to Code as a Child?

    June 17, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & Innovation

    Educational Technologies and Concepts that Every Teacher Should Know: Part III

    September 18, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    Is Your School Ready for the Future of Education?

    July 31, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial IntelligenceEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    The Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Education

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

on Apple Podcastson Androidon Google Podcastson Stitcheron TuneInon Spotifyvia RSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Calculating math success

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 19, 2019
  • Create a culture of learning in your classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 18, 2019
  • Real-world strategies to make math relevant

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 15, 2019
  • Arts integration for any classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 13, 2019
  • Insight ADVANCE Launches Live Video Tools for Instructional Coaching at NCE 2019

    By Chris Piehler
    February 12, 2019
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • Why Mobile Technology Enhances Instruction

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 8, 2016
  • Transformational vs. Contemporary Leadership Styles

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 28, 2016
  • The 4 biggest mistakes that teachers make when integrating technology

    By Matthew Lynch
    November 20, 2015
  • TigerNationNews 02.18.2019 – Tiger Nation News
    on
    February 17, 2019

    5 Learning Myths That May Be Stunting Your Intellectual Growth

    […] 5 Learning ...
  • Anbalagan v
    on
    February 16, 2019

    Why More Teachers Need a Leadership Mindset

    Really it is a ...
  • Stop Whitewashing Black History Month
    on
    February 16, 2019

    Black Boys in Crisis: Eliminating the School-to-Prison Pipeline

    […] they are while ...
  • While We're Stuck On Blackface, Black Faces Continue to Suffer in a Racist School System - ...
    on
    February 15, 2019

    7 Education Initiatives Led by Michelle Obama

    […] And of course ...
  • Augmented Reality | Pearltrees
    on
    February 15, 2019

    Augmented Reality: How to Use it in the Classroom

    […] Augmented Reality: How ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBest of Best ListsBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBest of Best ListsBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSpeakingSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

International Education

  • FeaturedFreshInternational Education

    Travel to these 10 international education conferences in 2019

    Spread the loveWhen you’re ready to explore educational ideas, trends, and strategies at an international level, you’re ready to include these conferences in your professional development portfolio. Education World Forum ...
  • Higher EducationInternational Education

    The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters F-H

    Spread the loveClick here to access all of the articles in this series. In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. ...
  • Higher EducationInternational Education

    What would The UK government’s plans to cut student immigration by 50% mean for education ...

    Spread the loveThe UK government is planning on slashing non-EU expat student numbers almost in half from 300,000 to 170,000 under tougher student visa rules. The threat is being greeted ...
  • International Education

    Why pushing undocumented children out of schools won’t help bring down net migration

    Spread the loveThis article was written by Nando Sigona Leaked cabinet papers seen by the BBC suggest that back when she was home secretary, Theresa May wanted schools to carry ...
  • Education NewsInternational Education

    Why it doesn’t help — and may harm — to fail pupils with poor math ...

    Spread the loveThis article was written by Elizabeth Walton Many South Africans were outraged by the recent announcement that for 2016, pupils in Grades 7 to 9 could progress to ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Child DevelopmentEarly Childhood

    15 Children’s Books That Teach Essential Life Lessons

    Spread the loveI have a son that is 2 years old and he is my pride and joy. I had a great father, and the dream of every father is ...
  • Early ChildhoodFeaturedFresh

    What to Expect: Age 5

    Spread the loveBy the time kindergarten is close, your child is a wellspring of imagination and conversation. This magical age brings about new skills and capabilities that expand their small ...
  • Early ChildhoodFeaturedFresh

    What to Expect: Age 4

    Spread the loveYour child’s early years are full of wonder and rapid growth in every area of their life. Parents want to ensure that their children are meeting all of ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBest of Best ListsBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Teaching the gifted student in general education

    Spread the loveLook around the average general education classroom, and you’ll see a variety of students with different learning abilities. Some of the most challenging students to teach, however, might ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Your Child is Talented and Gifted: Now What?

    Spread the loveFirstly, congratulations! The sky is the limit! It is the beginning of a fantastic journey. What does this mean for you and your family? Assuring your gifted and ...
  • FeaturedFreshGifted and Talented EducationTeachers

    How brain-based learning makes a difference

    Spread the loveBrain-based learning is the result of recent advances in modern neuroscience. A mere twenty years ago, scientists just had begun to explore the regions of the brain. Now ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • FeaturedFreshGifted and Talented EducationSpecial Education

    10 Special Education and Gifted and Talented Education Conferences You Don’t Want to Miss in ...

    Spread the loveSpecial populations require specialized instruction. To remain current in the most effective educational methods, strategies, and tools available, you’ve got to attend conferences that provide cutting-edge professional development ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBest of Best ListsBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBest of Best ListsBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSpeakingSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...
  • Adult EducationAsk An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech FuturesEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEducation NewsElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 3: Why Teacher Shortages Occur

    Spread the loveIt seems that every year around this time, school districts around the country report not being able to fill all of their open teacher vacancies. Why do these ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of American’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2019 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.