Striking a Balance in Evaluating Teacher Buying

Making teachers the primary decisionmakers in what technologies schools use isn't always as simple as it may sound.

School budgets are tight, technology funding comes from a wide variety of sources, and many schools have strict rules regarding the adoption of new products. District administrators must also consider technology bandwidth, relevance of the products to district and state standards, and the implications for professional development.

"There's a difficult balance to strike," said Keith Pomeroy, the director for technology for the 17,500-student Olentangy school district in Ohio. "You have to make sure you are considering all the direct policies, but you also have to respond to [the fact that] the tools you use today are different...