Effective Technology Guidelines
The CALIE Effective Technology Guidelines give school and district teams a shared framework for evaluating how technology supports teaching and learning. Built by California educators, for California educators.
The Problem
Technology decisions shouldn’t happen in isolation
Teachers are expected to integrate an ever-growing mix of platforms and tools, often without the systems or support to know whether any of it is improving learning. Districts have no consistent way to see what’s working, where barriers exist, or where to focus next.
1,000+
Digital tools are used across the average California district each year
Teachers make daily decisions about which tools support learning and which don’t, but without shared criteria or a common language across their school.
Students encounter hundreds of tools in a school year. Not all of those interactions carry the same depth of engagement or instructional purpose.
At the district level, there’s no consistent way to surface patterns across schools or connect technology spending to instructional outcomes.
What’s Inside
A framework built for clarity, not complexity
The guidelines evaluate technology use across five connected domains, from student experience in the classroom through instructional design, evidence of impact, equitable access, and long-term sustainability. Each domain includes reflection prompts, indicators, and a growth-focused scoring scale.
Five domains, one system
Each domain addresses a distinct aspect of effective technology use, but they work together as a connected framework. The guidelines show how engagement, design, outcomes, access, and sustainability relate.
Reflection, not evaluation
The accompanying Gap Analysis tool helps teams surface strengths, gaps, and blind spots based on real practice. The goal is honest conversation about where you are, not a compliance score.
Built by California educators
Developed by a workgroup of educators, administrators, and technology leaders, grounded in the realities of California classrooms, and focused on helping schools make informed decisions about which technologies to keep, refine, and invest in based on their impact on learning.
Who It’s For
For teams working to strengthen how technology supports learning
These guidelines are designed for school and district teams who want to move beyond tool adoption and toward a clearer understanding of what’s working, what isn’t, and where to focus next.
School leadership teams
Instructional coaches
District technology directors
Curriculum coordinators
IT and instructional teams
Site administrators
Get the Guidelines
Download the full framework
Enter your email to receive the CALIE Effective Technology Guidelines (Version 1.0), including the five-domain framework, reflection guidance, and the growth-focused scoring scale.
✓ 14-page framework
✓ Five domains with indicators
✓ Gap Analysis overview
Looking for deeper implementation support? Districts in the CALIE Districts and Schools of Innovation (CDSI) program get early access to tools, research briefings, and hands-on guidance for putting the framework into practice.