Why Edtech Is Broken (and How Educators Can Fix It)

Written by Jenelle McClenahen

I didn’t start this work with a business plan or a pitch deck.

I started with a child.

Actually, many children. Some with IEPs, some without. Some whose behavior kept them from learning, some whose gifts were buried beneath the noise. I started with teachers who were burning out and systems more focused on checking boxes than supporting students.

Then I built what we needed. One tool at a time.

And that’s when I saw it: edtech is broken.

Not because we don’t have the technology—but because too many tools aren’t made for the people doing the real work.

They’re built to sell.

when tech leaves the classroom behind

I’ve seen platforms that track compliance but not mastery. Behavior logs that collect data but reveal nothing meaningful. IEP systems that generate graphs but guide no instruction.

Smart tools, maybe. But not built by educators. And it shows.

what educators actually need

We need tools that:

• Work in real classrooms

• Track what matters to student growth

• Help teachers reflect, not just report

• Show the full story of a student’s journey

Tools that see students as more than data points—and teachers as more than task managers.

building from the ground up

I didn’t plan to start a company. I planned to solve problems.

When the tools didn’t exist, I built them—from scratch, for the people who needed them most. Not because I had funding. Because I had a purpose.

how we fix it

We fix edtech by putting educators in the driver’s seat—as builders, not just users.

We fix it by asking:

• Does this help students grow?

• Can a teacher use it tomorrow?

• Does it build capacity, not just collect data?

Because the best tools don’t just track what happened—they help change what happens next.

for every teacher who’s felt this

If you’ve ever sat through another training for another system that didn’t meet your needs… If you’ve ever wished someone would just build what works—

You're not alone.

Let’s fix what’s broken. And let’s make something better.

Together.