EdTech ROI

Schools need to ensure an educational return on their investment in edtech tools.

Apps in the average district

1/2

Of purchased software goes unused

With budgets tightening and scrutiny increasing, it’s time to ensure tools are used, vetted, and effective.

The need for accountability is high

Ensuring a strong return on EdTech investments is a top priority for schools. Organisations must demonstrate that technology improves educational outcomes, such as student performance and engagement, while maintaining financial accountability. This means ensuring tools are actively used, effective, and aligned with school goals.

Lightspeed Systems helps schools optimise EdTech ROI with tools to track and improve technology usage. From identifying underused apps to ensuring devices and connectivity meet student needs, Lightspeed empowers schools to make data-driven decisions. By delivering measurable outcomes, Lightspeed ensures every dollar invested enhances learning and efficiency.

Unmanaged ed-tech is a lost opportunity:

Wasted Resources: Underused or redundant applications drain budgets that could be invested in impactful tools.
Missed Educational Outcomes: Ineffective or misaligned technology fails to improve student performance or engagement.
Increased Costs: Unchecked spending on subscriptions, licenses, and maintenance strains already limited budgets.
Inequitable Access: Poorly managed investments can leave some students without the tools they need to succeed.
Eroded Trust: Parents and the public may question the school's financial accountability and commitment to student success.
IT Overload: Unnecessary tools and devices add complexity, increasing workloads for IT teams.

“Lightspeed Insight provides us with the chance to see what is really being used and how it is being used. Instead of continuing to renew contracts we have had in place for years, we are looking at our usage and determining if teachers are using the programs we are paying for. In some cases, they are electing to use other resources they find have a greater impact, are more user-friendly, or are free—saving us money as well as improving the teaching and learning experiences for our students and teachers.”

Sharon Shewbridge

Director of Instructional Technology, Virginia Beach City Schools

How Lightspeed Can Help

Lightspeed helps optimise edtech spending with comprehensive visibility into use of resources.

App ROI

Schools and multi-academy trusts often deploy thousands of apps, yet many go underused or fail to deliver results, wasting valuable funds. Tracking app usage and costs is critical to identifying which tools truly support student learning and align with school goals. By focusing investments on effective applications, schools can ensure every tool provides real value.

Lightspeed Systems helps districts optimize app ROI with detailed reporting on usage, costs, and impact. Administrators can quickly identify underused apps, reallocate budgets to high-performing tools, and make data-driven decisions tied to student outcomes. Lightspeed ensures every app investment enhances learning and supports success.

Device ROI

Schools make significant investments in devices, so ensuring their health and effective use is critical. Lost, underused, or poorly maintained devices waste resources and disrupt learning. Tracking device health, recovering lost assets, and managing refresh cycles are essential to protecting these investments.

Lightspeed Systems helps districts maximize device ROI with tools to monitor performance, locate lost devices, and plan refresh cycles. By addressing issues proactively and ensuring devices are fully functional, Lightspeed enables schools to optimize budgets and provide reliable tools for learning.

Accountability

Accountability is key to maximising EdTech ROI. Schools must prove that technology investments support educational outcomes and meet financial and compliance goals. Transparent reporting on app usage, device performance, and student impact is essential to build trust with school boards, parents, and policymakers.

Lightspeed Systems simplifies accountability with tools to track usage, monitor performance, and tie investments to outcomes. By providing clear, actionable insights, Lightspeed helps districts justify spending, ensure transparency, and maximize the impact of their technology initiatives.