Loss of federal tech office creates challenges for US school districts

The US Department of Education has made a significant move that could shake up the way educational technology is managed in schools across the country. As part of a major reduction in force, the department has eliminated its Office of Educational Technology (OET). This office was crucial in setting national strategies for integrating technology into education and supporting states and districts with policy guidance.
The closure of OET means that states and districts will no longer have direct access to the same level of federal support when it comes to navigating emerging tech challenges in schools. As reported by EducationWeek, the department’s staff reduction, which will bring the agency down to about 2,200 employees by March 21, 2025, has left many educators and experts questioning how smaller districts will adapt without centralized guidance.
The loss of federal support
For years, OET served as a vital resource for districts trying to integrate new technologies like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and even basic devices like cellphones and laptops. The office’s efforts helped schools create evidence-based strategies to ensure that technology use was both effective and ethical. Joseph South, former OET director during the Obama administration, expressed concern that without the office, states and districts would be left to navigate these issues independently, which could lead to inefficient and redundant efforts across the country. As quoted by EducationWeek, he said, “There’s going to be a new technology—it’s inevitable. States and districts are going to be trying to figure it out, and there won’t be an entity that’s gathering research on effective pedagogy, best practices, and then responding back to states with guidance.”
The burden on smaller districts
Smaller school districts are expected to feel the brunt of the OET’s closure. Amelia Vance, president of the Public Interest Privacy Center, highlighted how these districts often lack the in-house expertise needed to implement new technologies safely. “You have thousands of school districts that aren’t able to provide resources when it comes to what is the best way to adopt new technology, how do we do it safely, how do it in a privacy protective way,” Vance noted, as quoted by EducationWeek. The OET’s role in providing clear, vetted guidance was especially valuable to smaller and rural districts that may not have dedicated staff for educational technology.
A shift in the tech landscape
Though some experts believe other organizations can help fill the gap left by OET, they acknowledge that no one group can replicate the office’s broad federal authority and standing. John Bailey, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that while various support organizations are emerging, they lack the power OET had to influence policy across the entire country. As reported by EducationWeek, Bailey remarked, “There is such an ecosystem of support organizations now… I think they are trying to make the case that that’s why this isn’t needed.”
The closure of OET could reshape the future of educational technology in the US, potentially leaving many school districts scrambling for resources and direction in an increasingly tech-driven educational environment.