The Learning Counsel has published the results of its sixth annual Survey of School and District Digital Curriculum Strategy and Transformation. This national survey gathered responses from 462 K–12 U.S. schools and districts to document how digital transitions are progressing across the country. The report evaluates software sophistication, device deployment, and network infrastructure, and serves as a practical self-assessment tool that helps school leaders clarify strategies and compare their progress against national trends in digital curriculum and technology adoption.
Key findings from the 2019 survey highlight the complex state of K–12 digital transformation and curriculum adoption:
- The K–12 ed‑tech market is seeing rapid spending growth without matching gains in outcomes, producing a period of trial-and-error as schools and vendors seek relevant, effective solutions. This transitional phase is common in markets being reshaped by technology.
- Spending on hardware and major systems software has rebounded, while investment in digital curriculum is rising steeply and changing how schools operate.
- Respondents identified students’ social and emotional needs as the top pressure point facing schools.
- Many districts are moving toward personalized learning models, but whole‑group instruction still dominates most classrooms.
- Administrators are becoming more knowledgeable and selective about digital curriculum and instructional content.
Survey data show that 58 percent of schools rate students’ social and emotional needs as their highest pressure. Another 45 percent reported significant pressure from “ever‑changing academic and technical standards” that must be continually addressed. Increasing technology complexity was rated a high pressure by 42 percent, while 35 percent of respondents expressed a strong sense of “growing educational disequilibrium” as they navigate rapid change.
Large districts disproportionately reported high concern over student attrition to homeschooling, charter, or private school options. Many of these districts rated such attrition concerns at the most intense levels on the survey scale.
In 2019, the U.S. K–12 market spent $18.9 billion on curriculum: $11 billion on digital curriculum and $7.9 billion on paper‑based materials. Seventy percent of responding schools and districts expect their purchases of digital curriculum to increase. Direct‑to‑consumer spending on K–12 digital curriculum rose to $21 billion, a 17 percent increase over the previous year. That growth outpaced school and district purchasing, which grew by about 3 percent. Contributing factors include the expanding homeschooling and learner‑directed “unschooling” movements and the broader trend of consumers shopping online for educational resources—sometimes described as the “Amazonization” of education.
When selecting digital curriculum, respondents ranked the quality of content and instructional design as the most important criteria. Privacy and security, along with technical readiness for integration (including single sign‑on capability), were also high priorities. Total cost ranked only fifth among selection factors, indicating that quality, security, and interoperability often outweigh price in purchasing decisions.
Notable changes and trends reported in this year’s national survey include:
- Widespread adoption of a large variety of digital curriculum brands, including many adaptive learning platforms aimed at personalized instruction.
- Growth in experiential and hands‑on solutions such as coding, robotics, and professional‑grade workforce skills software for career and technical education.
- An increasing number of respondents highlighting organizational resistance to change and a growing sense of urgency captured by the phrase “educational disequilibrium.”
- Recognition that many schools do not yet fully understand the operational and instructional redesign required for true personalization—such as analytics‑driven workflows, moving away from class‑based organization toward individualized learning paths, and leveraging advanced digital curriculum and algorithms to shift teacher workload while improving achievement outcomes.
“This is a very comprehensive survey,” said LeiLani Cauthen, Publisher and CEO of the Learning Counsel. “The depth and granularity of the annual survey offer insight into the attitudes and preferences of America’s school and district personnel at every level. Our survey team spent weeks analyzing the data, which will guide our focus and resources in the year ahead.”
Request the full report
To receive a copy of the full 2019 Survey, email Kristina at [email protected].
About the Learning Counsel
The Learning Counsel is a research institute and news media hub with a readership of more than 215,000. It provides context and guidance for K–12 institutions navigating digital transitions by combining deep understanding of technology user experience, systems, and organizational design. The organization was an early proponent of a technology‑based vision for education’s future and supports schools through systematic, mission‑driven programs. The Learning Counsel’s EduJedi Leadership Society is a membership community focused on change management and professional development, and it convenes focused Learning Groups and digital curriculum standards discussions within its social media community.
Take the 2020 Survey
The 2020 National Digital Curriculum Survey is now open. Participating helps schools and districts assess their progress in the digital transition and take inventory of their assets. Schools and district leaders are encouraged to complete the survey to contribute data that will inform national trends and help guide decision‑making in K–12 digital curriculum and technology strategy.