“I don't want to see a superintendent going out for a steak dinner and then coming away with a $2 million deal anymore,” Fallon, executive director of the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), said. “It's more than that. This impacts real kids. It impacts our communities, and I want to make sure that we are doing it right by all of them.”
PROCUREMENT WITH PURPOSE
Mendoza, who is director of the Instructional Technology Initiative in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) as well as an ISTE board member, said successful vendors do their homework. To be considered by LAUSD, she said, vendors should understand the schools and districts they’re approaching, not just the products they’re selling.
“Make sure you know their strategic plan, and make sure that you know what are their priorities, and how can your solution impact those priorities?” she said to vendors. “Really find out what is it that you're trying to solve and then map those solutions to your product. That always hits a home run.”
Gittisriboongul, assistant superintendent of technology and innovation at Lynwood Unified School District, said outcomes-based contracting can help ensure those conversations are more than just talk. In Lynwood USD, he said he has implemented contracts where only 40-50 percent of the funding is guaranteed up front. The rest is contingent upon outcomes such as student attendance, academic progress and parent satisfaction.
“We really want those indicators to be a common framework, and for the non-technologist to be able to ask those questions, and as ed-tech vendors, for you to be able to respond to them,” Fallon said.
It’s not just a goal — districts are starting to demand these baseline qualities in ed-tech tools. Mendoza said LAUSD has updated its guidance on supplemental digital tools to include the ISTE seal, rooted in the same principles Fallon discussed, as a minimum requirement.
THE WORK DOESN’T END WITH THE CONTRACT
Beyond frameworks and metrics, panelists agreed that successful contracts start long before negotiations and continue long after they conclude. Fallon emphasized that relationships start with curiosity and listening so vendors can learn about a district’s context, understanding that timing and budget issues can get in the way of an immediate contract opportunity.
“Sometimes it’s not going to pan out right away, but it will pan out down the line because you’re willing to have conversations,” Fallon said.
Conversely, Mendoza said, vendors who build rapport in early stages and stay actively involved post-sale stand out.
“It becomes a partnership when they’re really rolling up their sleeves and saying, ‘What do we need to do to make this successful?’” she said. “It’s really a mutual benefit. Those vendor partners who have not said, ‘How can we continue to scale this?’ they probably won't be renewed.”
Gittisriboongul, who has a background in software development, said transparency and the ability to take honest feedback make for a good partner as well. In addition to transparency on topics like data safety, as outlined in the five EdTech Quality Indicators, Gittisriboongul said he values up-front information on funding, stages of development and even venture capital backers before engaging in a deal.
Investing in building relationships will pay off in the long run, panelists said, because educators value word-of-mouth product endorsements from trusted peers.
For vendors looking to work with districts, beginning with smaller or rural districts can start that word-of-mouth network while helping students that are often overlooked.
“The K-12 ed-tech market, in particular, it's a small space,” Fallon said. “Your reputation is going to be important. Your integrity is going to be important. I think we're one of the most collaborative spaces as well. We’re willing to get in there with you, because we want technology to be something that amplifies good teaching and learning.”
