The CTO’s Strategic Guide to Sustainability
As a Chief Technology Officer or IT Director, you are likely managing a large line item in the district budget. With the U.S. EdTech market valued at $30.4 billion in 2024 and expected to nearly double by 2033, technology procurement is no longer just about a hardware refresh. It is a critical lever for your district’s financial and operational resilience. Sustainability in the IT office isn’t just about being “green.” It is about buying smart. It means moving away from the “lowest upfront cost” mindset toward a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) strategy that accounts for the full lifecycle of every device. For example, San Diego Unified, for example, saved $90 million over 12 years simply by prioritizing long-term sustainable initiatives.
Breaking the Cycle of “Chromebook Churn”
The biggest hurdle to budget stability is the short replacement cycle of instructional tech. Many budget devices have built-in end dates tied to software support expiration 5. This “Chromebook Churn” forces IT teams to retire perfectly functional hardware, saddling the district with premature replacement costs and mountains of e-waste. Nationally, doubling the usable lifespan of K–12 devices could save an estimated $1.8 billion.
To help districts address this challenge, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), in partnership with SETDA and UDT, developed the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines 2. This framework offers a menu of options across six pillars to help you build a more durable fleet.
