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EdTech vendors pitch AI, VR and assistive technology to Senate panel; privacy and teacher support top concerns
Summary
A string of education‑technology vendors told the Education Committee that AI, voice‑enabled tools, virtual‑reality STEM content and assistive technology can improve learning and reduce teacher workload — but speakers and other witnesses emphasized data privacy, interoperability and teacher professional development as prerequisites for adoption.
Multiple representatives from education‑technology companies told the Ohio Senate Education Committee that new tools — from voice‑enabled classroom orchestration to virtual reality and assistive AI — can expand student access and assist teachers, but that successful deployment requires data‑privacy safeguards and teacher support.
Curtis Barnes, CEO of 1EdTech (a standards and interoperability nonprofit), praised a House amendment that would require districts to track and publish vendor data‑privacy agreements and urged budget support for centralized compliance infrastructure so smaller districts can vet vendors efficiently. Barnes said his organization has vetted thousands of ed‑tech apps against a rubric aligned to FERPA and COPPA.
Why it matters: Vendors argued AI and assistive tech can accelerate access, literacy and differentiation for students with disabilities and English learners. But they repeatedly emphasized that districts need funding for compliance tools, staff training and interoperability to avoid “techno‑stress” for teachers and fragmentation across systems.
What committee heard: Kevin Veil (Merlin Mind) — an EdTech vice president who conducts classroom pilots — said plainly: "Technology cannot replace teachers." He and Glenna Wright Gallo (Everway) said thoughtfully deployed tools can free teachers for instruction. Anurupa Ganguly of PRISMS described an 11% increase in Algebra 1 benchmark scores in Ohio pilots using VR and kinesthetic learning.
Privacy and procurement: 1EdTech and other witnesses urged budget language requiring districts to document data‑privacy agreements and requested state support to create a shared vetting service so smaller districts are not left to do manual, inconsistent vendor reviews.
Ending: Committee members heard requests for modest budget amendments to support pilot projects, privacy infrastructure and professional learning but took no immediate action. Lawmakers asked clarifying questions about pilot scale, where costs would sit (K–12 budgets vs. state support) and how to measure effectiveness.
