Helping Schools Make Safer, Smarter EdTech Connections--Now With Trusted Quality Indicators

Quality Indicators from the EdTech Index are now visible in Clever to support better decisions at the moment of data sharing

SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clever, the global identity platform powering secure digital learning for over 110,000 schools, today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the EdTech Index. The EdTech Index, powered by ISTE+ASCD's Learning Technology Directory, provides educators better visibility into high-quality edtech solutions. By embedding trusted, third-party quality certifications and standards for evaluating edtech quality where administrators decide how to share data with applications, Clever is giving school administrators the context they need, right where they approve applications and provision digital identity accounts.

School organizations today face a growing challenge: How can technology leaders confidently determine whether an edtech tool is safe, high-quality, and ready to integrate with school systems?

With cybersecurity threats on the rise and AI-powered tools flooding the market, administrators are under increasing pressure to ensure that every connected app meets high standards for student data privacy, interoperability, and responsible use. That pressure is reflected in the numbers: nearly half of administrators report challenges with protecting students from online threats (45%) and maintaining student data privacy (45%), while a full 61% cite broader cybersecurity concerns as their top identity management challenge, according to Clever's Cybersecure 2025 Report.

That's why Clever will now display quality indicators – trusted, third-party certifications and standards for evaluating edtech quality – directly in the platform where school administrators approve applications and provision digital identity accounts.

These quality indicators support administrators as they evaluate safety, usability, interoperability and more – allowing them to use the standards in conjunction with their school system's unique requirements during their review process.

"School organizations trust Clever to help them manage access in a secure and responsible way," said Jamie Reffell, Chief Product Officer at Clever. "We're helping raise the bar for what schools can rely on as they navigate a crowded and fast-evolving edtech landscape - particularly amid the rapid rise of AI tools and growing cybersecurity risks - by spotlighting trusted quality indicators from a framework developed by leading education organizations, including CoSN, SETDA, and ISTE."

This integration allows school administrators to view key quality signals at the exact point of provisioning accounts via identity data, bringing new transparency to a process that has historically relied on time-consuming manual reviews. It also gives edtech providers a meaningful way to highlight their verified practices and align with the priorities of school organizations.

Clever is committed to growing its relationship with industry leaders, including ISTE+ASCD, who have pledged to work together to support the data privacy, interoperability, and AI standards that education technology leaders care about most. This feature will be available on the Clever platform later this year, at no additional cost to schools or application partners.

To learn more about how Clever is supporting secure, high-quality digital learning, visit clever.com.

About Clever

Clever is on a mission to connect every student to a world of learning. More than 77% of U.S. K–12 schools use Clever, the global identity platform for education, to power secure digital learning experiences. And, with Clever's layered security solutions, K–12 schools can protect school access and identities for all staff, teachers, and students. With a secure platform for schools and a network of leading application providers, Clever is committed to advancing education with technology that works for students everywhere. Clever, a Kahoot! company, has an office in San Francisco, CA, but you can visit us at clever.com anytime.

SOURCE Clever