Using a Procurement Rubric for Effective EdTech Selection and Data Interoperability

In a world where education and technology are increasingly intertwined, it is vital to ensure your district’s data readiness and interoperability continue going forward. One of the most effective strategies for this is standardizing your edtech procurement process. But how can you determine what to look for in software that parses and stores school data? Do you have a standard purchasing protocol for edtech? Do your edtech vendors understand your district’s goals?

One way to solidify your efforts towards unifying school data is to make sure your vendors understand your data interoperability goals and your edtech purchases meet similar standards. To achieve this, we propose two best practices: creating an edtech procurement rubric and holding a vendor summit.

Creating an Procurement Rubric 

A procurement rubric acts as a standardized framework for evaluating various edtech platforms. It ensures a fair and consistent comparison, assessing all platforms based on the same criteria. This rubric can be customized to align with your institution’s specific educational goals, priorities, pedagogical approach, curriculum requirements, and cybersecurity standards.

By employing a procurement rubric, you can clearly define evaluation criteria that align with your institution’s needs and goals. It helps pinpoint the essential features, functionalities, and requirements you’re seeking in an edtech tool.

Use a procurement rubric to measure edtech platforms against the following criteria:

1. Alignment to District Curriculum & Initiatives
2. Ownership of Data
3. Compatibility with Learning Management System (LMS)
4. Single Sign-On
5. Professional Services
6. Compatibility with District Devices
7. Licensing/Cost
8. Student Data Privacy
9. Accessibility
10. Import/Export of Data
11. Data Backup
12. Import Frequency
13. Longevity of Vendor
14. Vendor References
15. End User (Ease of Use for Stakeholders)
16. Interoperability with District Platforms
17. Quality of Data
18. Purchasing
19. Contract Terms
20. Compatibility with Student Information System (SIS)
21. Industry Standard Certifications/Proof of Efficacy
22. Redundancy Plan
23. Uptime/Cybersecurity
24. Pilot Terms

Holding a Vendor Summit

A vendor summit is another highly effective approach. Invite all your current and potential edtech vendors and share an overview of your data readiness and interoperability goals, along with any district strategic goals and current challenges. Inform your vendor partners of your data interoperability goals: They might have specific features that need to be prioritized to achieve your district data goals and could also provide access to internal resources.

A Ready-to-Use Procurement Rubric

A well-crafted procurement rubric considers factors like scalability, data interoperability, compatibility with existing infrastructure, and the potential for future growth.

To assist you in implementing this procurement process, we’ve created a comprehensive procurement rubric you can tailor to your district’s unique needs. This ready-to-use template covers all the criteria we’ve discussed and provides a structured format for vendor evaluation.

You’re free to customize this rubric according to your district’s specific needs, adding or subtracting criteria as necessary. With this resource, you can facilitate and streamline your edtech procurement process, allowing you to make informed, goal-aligned decisions when purchasing new technology.

Remember, an effective procurement rubric and  well-informed vendor pool are your best allies in acquiring edtech platforms that truly serve your district’s needs. Happy evaluating!

Bring Edulastic to Your School Today 

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