Walk into any school district office today and you’ll find a dizzying number of apps, programs, and platforms that all promise to make delivering and managing education smoother. From fundraising software to compliance tools, payment processors to ticketing apps, districts often end up with overlapping or unused tech that drains precious resources.
The truth? Many school districts are quietly wasting thousands—even millions—on technology that isn’t delivering what they need. And according to a report in EdWeek Marketing Brief, “67 percent of education software product licenses go unused.”
School districts are under constant pressure to modernize. The result? Every year, new platforms get added. But here’s the catch:
Each of these scenarios represents wasted dollars that could be going directly toward classrooms, teachers, and students.
The problem isn’t just about money. Too many tech tools bring other headaches as well.
Teachers and administrators are often left juggling multiple logins, dashboards, and training sessions, which creates unnecessary confusion and frustration. On top of that, when each tool stores information separately, data becomes fragmented, making it nearly impossible to get a clear picture of what’s really happening across the district.
More products also mean more chances for something to fall through the cracks, whether it’s student privacy protections or critical financial reporting requirements. In short, a bloated tech stack makes things harder, not easier.
The quickest step to solving this problem is simple: run a tech audit. Think of it as spring cleaning for your district’s digital toolbox.
A tech audit helps you answer questions like:
By answering these questions, districts can finally see their tech landscape clearly—and start making smart choices.
Once a tech audit is complete, districts can act. Here are three powerful steps to consider:
This is where Givebacks shines. Instead of juggling multiple vendors, Givebacks provides a single, comprehensive solution designed for schools and districts. Imagine one platform that can:
That means fewer contracts, fewer headaches, and more savings. Best of all, staff and parents only need to learn one system!
At the end of the day, technology should make schools better, not break the budget. Cutting the clutter in your tech stack doesn’t just save money, it creates space for what really matters: supporting students, teachers, and families.
A streamlined tech stack means:
Too many districts are paying for tools they don’t use, don’t need, or don’t even remember buying. By running a tech audit, school districts can finally see where money is being wasted and take steps to fix it.
The solution isn’t to banish technology, it’s to be smarter about it. Remove what doesn’t work. Consolidate what overlaps. And invest in solutions, like Givebacks, that are built to handle multiple needs in one platform.
It’s not just about cutting costs. It’s about making technology truly work for schools, so every dollar stretches further and every student benefits.