Platform Promises, District Realities: Examining How Organizational Capacity Shapes the Adoption of K-12 Educational Technology

Christopher Saldaña

Educational platforms promise to democratize access to powerful learning tools, yet their adoption may be generating new forms of inequality rooted not in financial resources alone, but in districts' organizational capacity to navigate complex technological ecosystems. Unlike traditional educational technology that districts purchased and owned, platforms such as Google Classroom, Canvas, and ClassDojo establish ongoing relationships in which providers shape pedagogical possibilities, administrative processes, and budgetary futures. This shift raises urgent questions about whether disparities in district capacity are producing a new kind of digital divide, one defined less by access to technology or its design than by the differential ability of districts to support leaders through the full lifecycle of platform adoption. This study investigates how organizational capacity shapes educational platform adoption across Wisconsin school districts. Drawing on a multi-method research design and a conceptual framework grounded in scholarship on district capacity and technology adoption, the project examines how leaders navigate platform decisions and how disparities in capacity may deepen inequities across districts serving different communities. Findings will advance theoretical understanding of platform-driven inequality in education and yield practical resources for district leaders and state policymakers working to support equitable technology adoption.

About Christopher Saldaña

Christopher Saldaña is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research examines K-12 school finance policy, resource allocation, and educational opportunity. Chris uses quantitative and qualitative methods in his research.