Vendor evaluation checklist

The 20-point checklist

Use this checklist when evaluating any AI or edtech tool for your school. A tool doesn't need to pass every item, but you should understand the implications of any gaps.

Privacy (5 points)

• Does the vendor have a clear, readable privacy policy?
• What student data is collected, and for what purpose?
• Is data shared with third parties? Under what conditions?
• How long is data retained, and what happens at contract end?
• Will the vendor sign a Student Data Privacy Agreement (DPA)?

Security (4 points)

• Does the vendor have SOC 2 certification or equivalent?
• Is data encrypted in transit and at rest?
• What access controls exist for student data?
• What is the vendor's incident response process?

Compliance (4 points)

• Is the tool explicitly FERPA-compliant?
• If serving under-13 students, is it COPPA-compliant?
• Can you demonstrate compliance to auditors if asked?
• Does the vendor provide compliance documentation?

Pedagogy (3 points)

• Does this tool serve a genuine educational purpose?
• How does it align with your curriculum and learning goals?
• What training/support does the vendor provide for educators?

Operations (2 points)

• How does the tool integrate with your existing systems (SSO, SIS, LMS)?
• What is the support model (response times, availability)?

Cost (2 points)

• What is the total cost of ownership (licensing, implementation, training)?
• Are there hidden costs (per-user fees, premium features, overages)?