CoSN Report: Cybersecurity Is Top Concern, AI Guardrails Needed

Source Domain: www.govtech.com

State education leaders last year ranked artificial intelligence as the top industry priority in an annual State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) survey, surpassing cybersecurity for the first time. But in 2026, security and governance concerns have returned to the forefront, according to a new report by the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN).

Based on responses from 607 K-12 leaders in 44 states, CoSN’s annual U.S. State of EdTech report revealed that school systems are transitioning from a period of rapid experimentation with AI toward a more mature phase, where they are increasingly focused on managing risk and building trust rather than deploying tech for the purpose of innovation.

David Schuler, executive director of the nonprofit School Superintendents Association (AASA), said that since technology is being embedded in every aspect of teaching, learning and operations, it’s incumbent upon administrators to communicate a coherent vision.

“Today’s superintendents and technology leaders must work in close partnership to align vision, strategy and implementation,” he said in a public statement about CoSN’s report. “This is not simply about managing devices or systems — it’s about building coherent, future-ready organizations that can adapt to change while staying focused on student outcomes.”

CYBERSECURITY AND DATA PRIVACY AT THE FOREFRONT

According to the report, cybersecurity and privacy now rank as primary concerns for ed-tech leaders, reflecting the essential role that secure digital systems play in modern education. To combat rising cyber threats, districts are prioritizing investments in monitoring and detection, identity protection, firewall technologies, and incident response partnerships.

Despite these efforts, CoSN said significant hurdles remain, namely around the tension between accelerated AI adoption and the lack of resources to fully…

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