August 20, 2026
In this press release, the U.S. Department of Education announces a new Dear Colleague Letter urging states and districts to prioritize instructional value over recreational engagement when selecting classroom technology. The letter highlights states exploring contracting models built on shared performance measures and shared accountability, the approach at the heart of outcomes based contracting, and cites WestEd’s research on outcomes based contracting as emerging evidence that these partnerships strengthen collaboration between districts and providers while reinforcing thoughtful contract design, clearly defined outcomes, and local implementation capacity.
