Ed Tech Wishes and Worries for 2025
How will evolutions in education technology impact schools and districts in the coming year? Here's what the experts told us.
In any time, the new year is both a time of hope and uncertainty. But in 2025, one might argue that uncertainty looms larger than usual: With ESSER funding set to expire, education budgets may be in peril, while advancements in AI are turning ed tech tools — and even the fundamentals of teaching and learning — on their head. We asked ed tech leaders for their predictions, opinions, and observations on education technology's impact in the coming year. Here's what they told us.
"As we look to 2025, the education technology landscape will undergo significant transformation driven by fiscal constraints and an increased demand for evidence-based solutions. With ESSER funding set to expire, districts will face the challenge of critically evaluating their technology investments. This period could foster healthy competition, prioritizing research-backed tools that genuinely address the needs of teachers, parents, and students. If managed effectively, this moment offers an opportunity to sharpen and strengthen the broader vision of the ed tech ecosystem, making the measurable impacts of these innovations clearer and more tangible."
— Katy Knight, president and executive director, Siegel Family Endowment
"If I had one wish for 2025, it would be to focus on the 'how' and the 'why' instead of such a large focus on acquisition of equipment. Over the past few years there has been a significant expansion of tools available and purchased for schools, quite often overwhelming teachers with too many tools to effectively implement at any one time and far too much focus on the 'sizzle' rather than the 'steak.' I hope in 2025 with the uncertain funding facing the schools, that educators are given the opportunity to really implement and engage with the tools they already have so methodical improvements in outcomes can be tracked and measured. This of course will mean more trainings and professional development, but will raise the overall bar of integration to new heights."
— Chris Klein, VP of Educational Services, Avantis Education
"Immersive learning will continue to emerge in the education space in 2025. Augmented reality and virtual reality are increasingly used to create immersive learning environments, providing hands-on experience in subjects ranging from science to history to art. Recent studies suggest that VR learners are four times faster to train than in traditional classrooms, and VR-based learning can improve learner confidence by 275%. It's estimated that VR training will contribute $294 billion to the global economy by 2030. AR/VR will revolutionize how complex subjects are taught, offering students experiential learning that textbooks and lectures can't match. By 2025, AR/VR could become mainstream in education, particularly in fields like medicine, engineering, and history, where simulations and virtual tours can enhance understanding."
— Gaspard Maldonado, head of SEO, Superprof
"K-12 districts are preparing for changes ahead, i.e. budget, in 2025. Significant reductions in federal funding will mean a sizable loss of financial support for a range of necessities, including ed tech tools integral to learning.
"School districts used an average of 2,739 different tools in 2023-24, but 65% of those went unused. IT leaders will start making consolidation decisions based on total cost of ownership, considering what will provide a lasting impact rather than what's cheapest right now.
"Ed tech tools designed with the end user in mind, and which ensure everyone can be seen and heard, will be key. K-12 IT leaders who choose versatile, long-lasting solutions that are easy to use out of the box will get the best bang for their buck, aid district resiliency and come out ahead."
— Madeleine Mortimore, global education innovation manager, Logitech
"In 2025, as ESSER funding sunsets, schools and districts will take a hard look at the ed tech solutions that were rapidly implemented under the urgent pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. The education sector is increasing its focus on evidence-based solutions, resulting in more districts asking for proof that these tools can create meaningful impact in the classroom, not just in research studies, ensuring effectiveness for all students. More districts will ask ed tech companies not only whether a solution works, but for whom and under what conditions. This collective push to raise the bar on ed tech evidence will help push companies to deliver more evidence-backed products and lead to more useful, impactful tools in our classrooms. "
— Auditi Chakravarty, CEO, AERDF
"2025 promises exciting developments in educational technology. One of the most significant trends will be the increased integration of artificial intelligence to personalize learning. AI will enable real-time data analysis to tailor content to individual students' needs, enhancing engagement and outcomes.
"Augmented reality and virtual reality continue to advance, offering immersive, hands-on experiences in science, engineering, and medical education. These experiences allow students to explore complex concepts in new and interactive ways.
"Hybrid and remote learning ('hyflex') pedagogical models continue to evolve, supported by enhanced wireless collaboration tools and AV-equipped classrooms that mimic in-person interactions. These advancements not only improve accessibility but also create more inclusive learning environments for diverse student populations.
"As educational technology advances, the focus remains on fostering deeper engagement and enhancing the learning experience for all students.
— Craig Park, FSMPS, associate AIA, director of digital experience design, Clark & Enersen
"Education technology priorities will be driven by the need for emerging leaders to make high-impact technology decisions. With accelerated pathways to leadership becoming more common, schools will need robust frameworks and evidence-based guidance to help these leaders evaluate and select technology solutions that demonstrably improve learning outcomes. Beyond security and privacy requirements, the focus will shift to measuring and validating the effectiveness of technology implementations in supporting transformational learning experiences."
— Joseph South, chief innovation officer, ISTE+ASCD.
"Project Tomorrow's latest Speak Up research revealed student need to prioritize active learning in 2025. Active learning is a dynamic approach where students engage directly in discovery, analysis, and application of knowledge rather than passively receiving information. While 61% of middle and high school teachers report weekly active learning with technology, most students experience passive uses, like online quizzes, rather than engaging in critical analysis. And, with 45% of secondary students using AI as study aides, there's growing demand for personalized learning tools that align with active learning principles. This shift, supported by the National Educational Technology Plan, underscores the importance of using technology to develop skills like teamwork and critical thinking, rather than simply delivering information. Moving forward, schools must focus on integrating technology that transforms education into an interactive and student-centered experience, preparing learners for a tech-driven world."
— Dr. Julie Evans, CEO, Project Tomorrow
"I see a future where high-impact instruction becomes increasingly dynamic, allowing teachers to adapt their teaching in real time to meet each student's needs. Leveraging new tools and data that seamlessly blend into the learning experience, educators will be able to act immediately on insights by more deeply understanding each student. This will not only enhance academic outcomes but strengthen teacher-student relationships, empowering educators to connect with students on a more personal level. I'm excited to see how these advances will enable our teachers to build truly supportive classrooms where every student can thrive."
— Shawn Young, SVP product & strategy, HMH
"In 2025, we will see a push to save teachers' time through better, more connected tools and systems. Currently, teachers are overwhelmed by navigating multiple, disconnected systems for assessments, curriculum, and student data. Today's educators are expected to access too many disconnected tools, with different logins, to see a specific piece of their students' academic health instead of a comprehensive picture. This extra administrative load takes away from time that could be spent on instruction and student engagement. Moving forward, education technology will increasingly focus on integration, with platforms designed to streamline assessments, provide real-time instructional insights, and eliminate unnecessary tasks. This approach will not only alleviate tech fatigue but also free up valuable time for teachers to focus on meaningful interactions with students, driving improved outcomes. The future of ed tech will empower educators by working for them — not against them — marking a new era where tools seamlessly support instruction and reduce burdens on teachers."
— Chris Minnich, president, NWEA
"With new research pointing to declining student engagement, in 2025 ed tech providers will be challenged by administrators and teachers to develop and field even more digital tools and assets designed to engage students and facilitate deeper learning. In school systems with robust high-quality instructional materials initiatives, school leaders and teachers will look to digital service providers to fill gaps in their core curriculum with supplemental services that offer flexible, immersive, and easy-to-use digital resources that provide more differentiated, relevant learning experiences for all students."
— Dr. Todd Wirt, head of K-12 education, Discovery Education