Parents and teachers are pushing back against education software vetting practices, arguing that districts rely too heavily on vendor-provided claims about safety and effectiveness. Smartphone Free Childhood US co-lead Kim Whitman criticized the lack of independent confirmation, saying districts’ IT teams cannot reasonably certify legal and privacy compliance alone. The push is driving legislative proposals in Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont that would require education-technology providers to register and submit privacy terms and conditions for state review. Vermont’s bill, for example, would require annual provider registration, a $100 fee, and the state secretary of state would create a certification standard and review process before schools use the products. For higher education ecosystem partners—especially universities offering digital learning services to K-12, as well as colleges training future educators—these moves foreshadow procurement scrutiny that may extend to campus-facing student tools. The core issue is governance of student data and legal compliance verification. If adopted, state-by-state certification requirements could also change how vendors structure privacy policies, sell to districts, and demonstrate compliance for classroom and learning platforms.