Education budgets are tightening, screen-time debates are intensifying, and AI has dominated every industry headline. How can today’s education companies break through the noise?
One word: relationships. As in humans talking to humans. And listening to humans. In a crowded marketplace, the vendors who survive and thrive are those who stop pitching and start partnering.
This theme is at the heart of Tech & Learning’s EdExec Summit, taking place in Chicago September 10-11. While the agenda will focus on the key components of developing a strategic plan–including sales, marketing, research, and compliance–what makes this event different is the opportunity for education company executives to have deep conversations with their buyers and create meaningful relationships.
To offer a sneak peek into these conversations, Tech & Learning has partnered with the Ed-Tech Leadership Collective to present an Industry Briefing that will explore how current market pressures are fundamentally reshaping how districts choose—and stay with—their vendors.
Event Details
- Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
- Time: 2:00 PM ET
- Registration Link: Secure Your Virtual Seat Here
What You Will Learn
By attending this briefing, education executives will gain actionable insights on how to align their strategies with district realities:
- Understanding District Priorities: Discover how current district challenges directly shape their buying decisions and partnership expectations.
- The Relationship Pivot: Learn how to transition your sales approach from cold, transactional outreach to value-driven, relationship-focused engagement.
- Network Maximization: Strategies to leverage your current district successes to build organic exposure across peer networks.
- Pilot Programs with Purpose: How to structure pilots that deliver clear ROI and cultivate long-term partnerships rather than forcing a heavy, upfront investment.
- Flexible Commercial Models: Creative ways to think about pricing, packaging, and budget alignment in a tight economy.
- Proving Impact: Why vendors must demonstrate measurable, high-quality outcomes rather than superficial engagement metrics to retain district business.
Featured Speakers
Hear directly from the leaders who make the purchasing decisions:
- Joe Ayala | Director of Information Technology, Santa Clara Unified School District, CA
- Trina Reaves | Director of STEM and Innovation, Clayton County Schools, GA
Joe Ayala
Image credit: Joe Ayala
Trina Reaves
Image credit: Trina Reaves
Join us for this conversation on June 16 to learn how your company can become an indispensable district partner, and in Chicago on September 10-11 for the Tech & Learning’s EdExec Summit to meet one-on-one with buyers and put those relationship-building strategies into practice.
