A newly released report by EdWeek Market Brief, titled State of the Industry: Breaking Through Economic Barriers, provides an in-depth analysis of the financial pressures facing K–12 education companies and the strategies they are adopting to remain competitive. Now in its sixth annual edition, the publication offers a comprehensive overview of the sector’s evolving economic landscape over the past five years.\n\nDrawing from surveys conducted between March–April and July–August 2025 by the EdWeek Research Center, the findings reflect responses from 611 executives, including CEOs, directors, and managers from both nonprofit and for-profit organizations operating in the K–12 space. The data sheds light on revenue trends, investment priorities, and operational adjustments in response to shifting funding environments.\n\nThe report examines how declining revenues have impacted business models, comparing current performance with historical data to identify broader patterns. It also outlines where firms plan to allocate resources in the coming year and which areas may face budget reductions due to tightening fiscal conditions.\n\nParticular attention is given to the anticipated influence of policies associated with the Trump administration on federal funding and regulatory frameworks, prompting companies to reassess their strategic planning. Organizations are adapting sales tactics to shorten lengthy procurement cycles and improve engagement with school districts and educational leaders.\n\nAnother key focus is the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in shaping vendor selection processes, including participation in state adoptions and responses to requests for proposals (RFPs). The study evaluates how perceptions of a company’s DEI stance affect its competitiveness in public education contracts.\n\nAdditionally, the report explores workforce capabilities in artificial intelligence, identifying where AI adoption is delivering the most value and how companies are integrating emerging technologies into product development and customer service.\n\nComplemented by editorial insights from EdWeek Market Brief’s team, the report helps stakeholders interpret survey results within the context of building long-term trust with educational institutions. Readers gain a data-driven understanding of current challenges, future financial outlooks, and the impact of changing state and federal regulations on organizational strategy.\n— news from Education Week\n\n— News Original —\nSpecial Report: How K-12 Companies Are Breaking Through Economic Barriers\nA new special report from EdWeek Market Brief explores the financial challenges companies across the K-12 space are facing — and the strategies that are helping them succeed. n nThe sixth annual State of the Industry report offers a revealing, bird’s-eye view of the massive financial shift that has taken place in the K-12 industry over the past five years, as well as a deep dive into the biggest issues education organizations are grappling with today. n nThe findings also delve into the approaches that companies are using to retain existing customers and connect with district and school leaders. n nReaders of the report, State of the Industry: Breaking Through Economic Barriers, will walk away with a data-informed idea of the greatest headwinds organizations are up against, their financial forecasts for the years ahead, and how changing state and federal policies are affecting their operations. n nThe analysis draws from a variety of recent surveys conducted by the EdWeek Research Center for EdWeek Market Brief in March through April and July through August 2025. A total of 611 business officials, including CEOs, senior executives, directors, and managers of both for-profit and nonprofit organizations in the K-12 space, responded to the surveys. n nIt also includes insights from EdWeek Market Brief’s editorial team on how to interpret the findings and put the research into the context of building trusting relationships with K-12 officials. n nAmong the key topics covered in the report: n nWhat declines K-12 companies are seeing in actual revenue over the past year, and how those declines compare to recent years’ survey findings. n nThe spending areas K-12 companies are expecting to invest in most in the next 12 months, as well as the areas they’re looking to pull back on as they adjust to changing market conditions. n nWhich Trump administration policies are likely to have the largest impact on companies’ financial outlook, as well as the strategies companies are turning to in order to help them prepare for shifts in federal spending and regulations. n nHow education companies are working to land new K-12 customers despite difficult market conditions, including the sales strategies and approaches that have been most effective in speeding up slow sales cycles. n nThe way perceptions of organizations’ approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion are affecting their ability to sign contracts, participate in state adoptions, and respond to RFPs. n nThe skill level of K-12 companies’ employees with artificial intelligence technologies, and where they’re seeing the biggest return on their investment in AI. n nAnd much more.