The U.S. Department of Education’s recent Dear Colleague letter brings essential clarity to how we should approach ongoing debates around screen time and educational technology usage in schools. It validates the real, understandable concerns parents and teachers have about overall screen exposure, while drawing a crucial distinction between recreational technology and purposeful, high-value learning tools. The guidance urges school leaders and providers to make data-focused decisions based on educational value, intentional instructional design, and measurable, goal-based student outcomes.

As the letter highlighted, the fundamental question before education leaders is not whether technology is used, but whether the specific tools we place in front of teachers and students meet instructional goals and improve academic performance. At ExploreK12^TM, this outcome-driven standard is the foundation of our work. The Department’s call for providers to demonstrate rigorous evidence, collaborate closely on implementation, and commit to continuous improvement mirrors how we build and evaluate our tools every day.

Here is how our research-first approach directly operationalizes the Department’s key recommendations for responsible, high-impact edtech:

1. Grounding design in learning science and intentional mechanisms

Department of Education’s recommendation: Shift the focus from screen exposure to purposeful, instructionally sound digital experiences that support strong pedagogy.

Our approach and practice: We don't build features to maximize screen time; we build to maximize understanding. In collaboration with external educational experts and researchers, we construct explicit Logic Models grounded in learning science. These frameworks map out the specific design principles and pedagogical mechanisms required to drive meaningful student outcomes.

Read more about how our literacy solutions are grounded in the learning sciences, and how specific aspects of our solutions products are designed to support pedagogical best practices in action.

2. Prioritizing research throughout the development lifecycle

Department of Education’s recommendation: edtech providers must continuously improve solutions using evidence from real-world implementation.

Our approach and practice: Impact research at ExploreK12 isn't a post-launch audit; it is built into our core development process. Our internal team of PhD researchers and learning science experts work directly alongside solution designers and developers. Together, they use real-time implementation data to fuel iterative, continuous improvement, ensuring our tools constantly adapt to classroom realities.

Learn more about how we use performance data and user feedback to support continuous improvement of our solutions products to optimize student growth and engagement.

3. Partnering with users to iImprove impact

Department of Education’s recommendation: Providers should share implementation guidance grounded in effective classroom practice and design tools with direct teacher input.

Our approach and practice: Successful edtech requires deep partnership with the educators who use it daily. Through initiatives like our Collab Crew, we bring teachers into the design loop to co-create resources, gather feedback, and ensure educators are fully supported in integrating our tools into their daily instruction.

Discover more about how we partner with real classroom teachers through our Collab Crew to bring invaluable educator insights directly into our the design loop, ensuring our STEM Cases are built for actual classroom success.

4. Demonstrating rigorous, standard-aligned evidence

Department of Education’s recommendation: edtech providers should publish independent evaluations, conduct Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), and align with ESSA evidence frameworks.

Our approach and practice: Trust requires objective data. ExploreK12 regularly conducts independent evaluations of impact and rigorous efficacy studies designed to meet high ESSA evidence standards, ensuring that school leaders have clear, third-party validation of our tools' academic value.

Read more about McREL International's rigorous RCT study of the effects of Raz-Plus on reading skills and motivation to read, as well as other ESSA-aligned third-party studies across our suite of literacy solutions.

5. Evaluating for whom and under what conditions tools work best

Department of Education’s recommendation: Providers should go beyond general effectiveness to clarify why a tool works, for whom it works, and under what specific implementation conditions.

Our approach and practice: We evaluate our impact across diverse learning contexts (virtual, classroom, and summer learning), varied state standards, and core curricula. Crucially, our research tests efficacy across distinct student populations — including Multilingual Learners (MLLs), struggling learners, and students in under-resourced settings — across state, benchmark, and formative assessments. This rigorous context-testing proves ExploreK12 is a truly versatile supplemental tool that drives equitable gains for all learners.

Learn more about how we design with intent — like prioritizing interactive visual models before introducing complex math vocabulary in Frax — and prove it works through rigorous research showing MLLs achieving math gains equal to their English-proficient peers.

Technology will continue to evolve, but its highest purpose remains constant: strengthening teaching and expanding opportunity for every student. We welcome the Department’s guidance and look forward to continuing our work alongside school leaders, teachers, and researchers to keep student outcomes at the center of innovation.

Explore the evidence:

Math and Science Research

Literacy Research{blue}

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about educational technology

What is the U.S. Department of Education's guidance about technology use in schools?

The U.S. Department of Education encourages districts to focus less on screen time alone and more on whether technology is used intentionally to support teaching and learning. Schools should evaluate tools based on educational value, instructional design, and demonstrated student outcomes.

What is intentional edtech?

Intentional edtech refers to digital tools that are purposefully designed and used to support specific learning goals and evidence-based instructional practices. The focus is on improving learning, not increasing screen time.

How should schools evaluate educational technology?

Schools should evaluate edtech based on its alignment to instructional goals, the quality of its research evidence, and its impact on student outcomes. They should also consider how effectively the tool can be implemented in real classroom settings.

Does educational technology improve student outcomes?

Educational technology can improve student outcomes when it is grounded in learning science, implemented effectively, and supported by strong evidence of impact. Results are strongest when tools are designed to address specific learning needs and instructional objectives.

How does ESSA define evidence for educational technology?

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) outlines four tiers of evidence based on the strength of research supporting a program or intervention. Higher levels of evidence typically include rigorous studies, such as randomized controlled trials and well-designed quasi-experimental research.

What makes an edtech solution evidence-based?

An evidence-based edtech solution is supported by credible research demonstrating its effectiveness in improving student outcomes. Strong solutions also use ongoing data and feedback to continuously refine and strengthen their impact.

How does ExploreK12 connect design of their solutions to learning science?

ExploreK12 begins development of their literacy, math, and science solutions with learning science research and explicit logic models that identify the instructional mechanisms needed to support student success. These frameworks guide the design of features, content, and experiences that align with proven pedagogical practices.

What role do teachers play in ExploreK12 approach to edtech implementation?

Teachers are active partners in ExploreK12's design and improvement process, providing feedback on solutions, resources, and classroom implementation. Programs like the Collab Crew help ensure solutions are informed by real classroom experiences and educator expertise

How does ExploreK12 evaluate whether its tools work for different learners and settings?

ExploreK12 studies the effectiveness of our solutions across diverse learning environments, student populations, and instructional contexts. This research helps identify for whom, why, and under what conditions its solutions are most effective, supporting equitable outcomes for all learners.