Time for State Ed-Tech Leaders to Take Matters Into Our Own Hands

The layoffs of staff serving in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology are a profound loss for the nation’s education system. For over 30 years, OET provided essential leadership in shaping ed-tech policy, guiding practice and fostering innovation. States now face a critical moment—either step up or risk leaving students and educators without the necessary support. As the State Educational Technology Directors Association’s  executive director and former leader at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for 17.5 years, as well as former OET adviser and current SETDA staff, we have seen firsthand the impact of federal leadership on students, schools and states. OET’s work helped states build robust digital learning infrastructures, implement policies that protect student data, and prioritize efforts to advance digital equity. Its absence leaves a void, but it also presents an opportunity for states to take on a more pronounced role to ensure continued progress. For the time being, the future of ed-tech leadership now rests squarely in the hands of state education agencies, and they must act decisively.