What is Edtech Leadership in 2026

Don Ringelestein, Executive Director of Technology, Yorkville CUSD #115

Don Ringelestein, Executive Director of Technology, Yorkville CUSD #115

It wasn’t too long ago that educational technology was limited to film strip projectors, mimeograph machines, and movie projectors that were managed by student AV clubs. There weren’t any web browsers at that time. While there may have been a few Apple 2e and Commodore PET computers (I remember playing Lunar Lander in Mr. Stromen’s class back then), computers didn’t exist. At that time, of course, there was no reason to have district-level technology leaders. Savvy teachers and student clubs were the support system.

Over time, the modern internet started to grow. Digital projectors began finding their way into classrooms. Computer labs started popping up in schools. At the outset, these labs weren’t connected to anything. Each computer was its own workstation with no need for a network connection. That didn’t last for long. Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks and Internet connections were soon a requirement, with the increased complexity in managing the technology infrastructure.

At this point, it became essential to have a technology leader in the district who was to sit on the superintendent’s cabinet, as the technology needs of the school districts extended beyond computer labs. It wasn’t long before all the district’s services, such as transportation, school lunch, student information, building automation systems and security systems, were dependent on technology. And this doesn’t even include the primary reason that technology is required in school districts. Technology became essential for student learning and teacher pedagogy. Tech leaders had the opportunity to work with teachers and administrators to find innovative ways to make classrooms a place of digital learning. They helped teachers find resources and guided them on using them to empower students.

“IT services are expected to work with the same level of reliability as electricity. And this is an apt comparison.”

This required a strategic leader who could straddle the worlds between tech systems and classrooms. The CTO in a school district became a role that powered digital transformation in schools.

Fast forward to today. Tech in schools has become a given. It isn’t a big deal for students to have their own devices anymore. Network connections and the plethora of services they support are taken for granted. IT services are expected to work with the same level of reliability as electricity. And this is an apt comparison. Some districts are combining the IT leadership function with the operations leadership role. Instructional aspects of technology, in these cases, move to instructional leadership.

The question here, then, is whether IT has now become a utility for school districts? Do IT leaders in districts become operational leaders, and no longer a part of the district’s strategy? Are they here to “keep the lights on”? While consolidation of tech and operations has only occurred in a few cases, is it a harbinger of our future?