
2026 HURDLES•ACCELERATORS• TECH ENABLERS CoSN is vendor neutral and does not endorse products or services. Any mention of a specific solution is for contextual purposes. ABOUT CoSN -THE CONSORTIUM FOR SCHOOL NETWORKING CoSN, the world-class professional association for K-12 EdTech leaders, stands at the forefront of educationinnovation. We are driven by a mission to equip current and aspiring K-12 education technology leaders, their teams,and school districts with the community, knowledge, and professional development they need to cultivate engaginglearning environments. Our vision is rooted in a future where every learner reaches their unique potential, guided by FOREWORD K-12 education is facing a pivotal moment. Around the world, educators and education technology professionalsare navigating rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), intensifying cybersecurity threats, shiftingworkforce expectations, and evolving understandings of how students learn and demonstrate knowledge. This While our 2026 Accelerators remain unchanged from those of 2025, the landscape around them has meaningfullyshifted.Critical Media Literacy enters the Hurdles list for the first time, highlighting the global imperative forstudents to navigate AI-generated content, misinformation, and the blurred lines between fact and fabrication.Data & Information Visualization joins the Tech Enablers, signaling a growing recognition that making data Designed to help schools around the world innovate with confidence into 2026 and beyond, this report offersgrounded insights from districts of varying sizes, instructional contexts, and global perspectives, showing how Most importantly, the report affirms a shared truth:Technology will keep accelerating, but intentionalinnovation in K-12 education depends on the strength, creativity, and humanity of educators and IT leaders. Keith Krueger CONTENTS About CoSN - The Consortium for School Networking.............................................................3Foreword..............................................................................................................................................3Introduction........................................................................................................................................5Methodology...................................................................................................................................................5Top Topics for Driving K-12 Innovation in 2026............................................................................6In Context............................................................................................................................................7Bridges (themes)...............................................................................................................................10Attracting & Retaining Educators and IT Professionals............................................................12Ensuring Cybersecurity & Safety Online......................................................................................15Critical Media Literacy.....................................................................................................................18Building the Human Capacity of Leaders...................................................................................20Changing Attitudes Toward Demonstrating Learning.............................................................22Learner Agency................................................................................................................................24Generative Artificial Intelligence..................................................................................................26Data & Information Visualization..................................................................................................29Tools for Privacy & Safety Online..................................................................................................31Taking a Holistic View.....................................................................................................................332026 Report Summary....................................................................................................................35Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................................372026 Driving K-12 Innovation Advisory Board Members.......................................................................38 INTRODUCTION CoSN’s Driving K-12 Innovation initiative proudly convenes an international Advisory Board of approximately 130+education and technology experts to select the most important Hurdles (challenges), Accelerators (mega-trends), The Advisory Board engages in discussion via CoSN’s online forum, synchronous virtual calls via Zoom, and alsoparticipates in two surveys to select the top them