Does my edtech product need to comply with FERPA?

FERPA applies to schools, but schools can only share student records with you under its rules, so contracts usually require you to limit data use and protect records. Expect a data privacy agreement in most deals.

What happened to ESSER funding for edtech?

ARP ESSER funds had to be obligated by September 30, 2024, and the late liquidation period was set to end March 28, 2026. Products bought with ESSER now need a new funding source to renew.

Can E-Rate pay for my product?

E-Rate discounts cover eligible broadband and network services and equipment, not most instructional software. Schools must run a competitive bid to use it.

Do I need to follow state student privacy laws too?

Yes. Many states have their own student data privacy laws that go beyond FERPA, and districts often require you to sign a state or consortium data privacy agreement.

How long does it take to sell edtech to schools?

It depends on the size of the purchase and how it's bought. Small purchases under an agency's threshold, or buys through an existing cooperative contract, can move quickly. Purchases that need a formal bid or a new budget line usually take longer, often a full budget cycle.

Can KSG help us sell edtech to schools?

Yes. Kensington Sales Group provides outsourced SDRs who research target agencies, reach the right program owners and purchasing contacts, and book qualified meetings for your sales team. Book a 30-minute call to talk it through.

Selling EdTech to Schools and Universities: A Guide

Key takeaways

The FCC set the E-Rate funding cap for funding year 2026 at $5,200,279,829.
Common ways agencies buy edtech: E&I Cooperative Services, E-Rate (Schools and Libraries Universal Service program), E&I higher ed technology category.
Rules to plan for: FERPA, COPPA (amended 2025), ESSER funds have ended.
A contract vehicle or vendor registration makes buying easier, but it doesn't create demand. The vendors that win reach program owners before budgets and bids are set.

Who buys edtech

School districts, charter networks, colleges and universities, and the state agencies that support them buy edtech. The people you'll deal with usually include:

K-12 school districts and charter schools
State education agencies
Community colleges and public universities
Education service agencies and regional consortia
Job titles: district CTO/technology director, chief academic officer, curriculum and instruction director, director of digital learning, CIO (higher ed), procurement/purchasing director, business manager, E-Rate coordinator, data privacy officer

The purchasing office runs the process, but the program owner who has the problem usually decides what gets bought. Reach both. See government buyer roles for how they work together.

The government edtech market

The FCC set the E-Rate funding cap for funding year 2026 at $5,200,279,829. (FCC Public Notice DA 26-291)
Three COVID-era laws appropriated $200.1 billion for state K-12 relief programs (ESSER, GEER, EANS and ARP-HCY combined); the ARP ESSER obligation deadline was September 30, 2024, and its late liquidation period was set to end March 28, 2026. (Congressional Research Service, IF12978, Late Liquidation Period for Elementary and Secondary Education Funds)
FTC's amended COPPA Rule took effect June 23, 2025, with most compliance required by April 22, 2026. (Federal Register, Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule, April 22, 2025)

How agencies buy edtech

Small purchases under an agency's threshold can often be made with a quote or a purchase card. Larger purchases need a formal bid or an existing contract. These are the contract vehicles schools commonly use for edtech:

Contract vehicle	What it is
E&I Cooperative Services - Technology contracts	Member-owned cooperative with competitively solicited technology contracts for higher education and K-12.
E-Rate (Schools and Libraries Universal Service program)	FCC program run by USAC that discounts broadband and internal network equipment for schools and libraries; districts must run a competitive bid before buying.
E&I higher ed technology category	E&I's technology category page lists contracts available to colleges and universities.

Thresholds differ by state and agency; see our state procurement thresholds. For which cooperatives cover which categories, see cooperative contracts by category.

Rules and requirements for selling edtech

Requirement	What it means for you
FERPA	Schools can share student records with a vendor only under conditions like the school official exception, so you must use data only for the school's purpose and stay under the school's direct control.
COPPA (amended 2025)	Online services collecting personal data from children under 13 must follow FTC rules; the amended rule's compliance date was April 22, 2026, and FTC kept its existing guidance on school consent for edtech.
ESSER funds have ended	Pandemic relief money that paid for many edtech licenses is gone (ARP ESSER obligation deadline was September 30, 2024), so renewals now must fit general fund, Title or other budgets.
E-Rate competitive bidding	To be paid with E-Rate discounts, schools must follow FCC bidding rules, and the program operates under a yearly funding cap.

Requirements vary by agency and contract. Read each solicitation's terms, and check with the buyer when in doubt. This isn't legal advice.

Buying signals to watch

These events often mean an agency will buy edtech soon:

A district's ESSER-funded licenses are coming up for renewal with no replacement funding
A district posts an E-Rate Form 470 or a technology RFP
New superintendent, CTO or curriculum adoption cycle
A state passes a new student data privacy law or a district joins a data privacy agreement consortium
Board approval of a technology plan, bond, or 1:1 device refresh

For more, see our guide to government buying signals and the contract expirations guide.

A sales process for selling edtech

Register. Get into SAM.gov for federal work and each state or local vendor portal you'll sell into. Use our vendor registration checklist.
Pick your path to purchase. Decide which contract vehicles above fit your target buyers, and whether a reseller or partner already holds one.
Build the target list. Identify the agencies with the need, the budget and the buying authority, and the people who own the problem.
Start conversations early. Reach program owners while budgets and requirements are still being written, not after an RFP is posted.
Follow through to purchase. Help the buyer pick the method, whether a cooperative purchase, quote or formal bid. When a bid comes, use our RFP response guide.

How KSG helps you sell edtech

Kensington Sales Group runs outbound sales development for companies selling to the public sector. Our SDRs research your target agencies, find the program owners and purchasing contacts, and book meetings for your sales team across Federal, SLED, K-12 and higher ed, healthcare, tribal, special district and utility markets. We also run bilingual English and Spanish outreach across the Western Hemisphere.

See how our outsourced SDR service works.

Sources

Checked November 2, 2026.

Selling edtech to schools and universities.