About the Book
Why This Book Matters Now
Districts are making multi-million-dollar EdTech decisions without a systematic evaluation framework. The pandemic accelerated technology adoption, but most districts still lack the tools to determine whether those investments are producing results. The Connected District fills this gap.
360° ROI Framework
Evaluate technology investments across four critical dimensions: Financial sustainability, Achievement impact, Equity outcomes, and Operational integration.
Evidence-Based Decisions
Move beyond vendor claims with systematic evaluation methods that reveal what technology actually delivers versus what it promises.
Equity-Centered Evaluation
Move beyond vendor promises to evidence-based technology decisions that actually serve all students, not just some.
Practical Implementation
Workshop-format guidance with critical steps that help administrators successfully adopt technology while avoiding common pitfalls.
$100B+
Failed K-12 Tech Investments
25+
Years of Experience
4
ROI Dimensions
r ≈ .62
Leadership-Tech Correlation
The Connected District
The Problem Was Never the Technology—Lessons from the $100 Billion Graveyard of Failed K–12 Tech
Dr. Aubrey Escobar draws on over 25 years of experience spanning K–12 administration, higher education, and EdTech executive leadership to deliver the definitive guide for evaluating technology investments in education.
Introducing the 360° ROI Framework—a comprehensive methodology that evaluates technology across Financial, Achievement, Equity, and Operational dimensions. Move beyond vendor promises to evidence-based decisions that truly serve students.
Author
Dr. Aubrey Escobar, DBA, M.Ed.
Publisher
Solving Publishing
Formats
Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Category
Education / EdTech / Leadership
About the Author
Dr. Aubrey Escobar
DBA (Honors), M.Ed.
Dr. Aubrey Escobar is a scholar-practitioner with more than 25 years of experience spanning K-12 classroom teaching, school administration, EdTech executive leadership, and higher education.
She is the creator of the 360° ROI Framework, the Institutional Risk and Integrity Index™ (IRII), Constellation Mapping, and several other proprietary methodologies that help educational institutions make evidence-based decisions about technology, leadership, and organizational design.
Her career includes co-founding Mindsets Education and serving as Chief Academic Officer at one of the first online high schools. Her doctoral research demonstrated significant correlations (r ≈ .62) between transformational leadership dimensions and technology adoption success.
Dr. Escobar is a Spanish speaker with deep roots in Latin American intellectual traditions and cross-cultural expertise.
Current Roles
Upcoming Books (8-Book Series)
The 360° ROI Framework
Four Dimensions That Matter
Most districts evaluate technology on cost or test scores alone. The 360° ROI Framework adds equity and operational integration to the conversation, providing a comprehensive methodology for evidence-based technology decisions.
Financial Sustainability
Evaluate the total cost of ownership, including hidden costs like training, support, and infrastructure upgrades. Move beyond initial purchase price to true long-term value.
Achievement Impact
Measure actual learning outcomes, not just engagement metrics. Distinguish between what technology claims to deliver and what it actually produces in student achievement.
Equity Outcomes
Assess whether technology serves all students equitably or deepens existing gaps. A platform that raises scores for some while widening access gaps for others is not successful.
Operational Integration
Evaluate how technology fits into existing workflows, training requirements, and organizational capacity. Technology is only as effective as the structures that support it.
"The most important question is not whether a product works, but whether your institution has the structural capacity to make it work. Technology does not fix broken systems. It amplifies whatever is already there.
— Dr. Aubrey Escobar
For Media
Press & Media Resources
Dr. Escobar is available for interviews in English and Spanish. She brings a rare dual perspective as both an EdTech industry executive and a district-level practitioner.
Book Fact Sheet
- Title
- The Connected District
- Subtitle
- The Problem Was Never the Technology—Lessons from the $100 Billion Graveyard of Failed K–12 Tech
- Author
- Dr. Aubrey Escobar, DBA, M.Ed.
- Publication Date
- April 3, 2026
- Publisher
- Solving Publishing
- Formats
- Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle)
- Category
- Education / Educational Technology / Leadership
Interview Topics
- 1Why the ROI conversation in education is broken
- 2The 360° ROI Framework and its four dimensions
- 3The dual perspective of EdTech executive and district leader
- 4How The Connected District fits into an eight-book series
- 5Understanding the Institutional Risk and Integrity Index (IRII)
Advance Praise
"This book offers an honest and unique insider perspective. Dr. Aubrey Escobar provides critical steps in her workshop format that can help administrators successfully adopt technology while avoiding the most common pitfalls."— Dr. Stacey L. Duke, Associate Dean, Chesapeake Energy School of Business at Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Get in Touch
Contact & Pre-Order
For review copies, interview requests, speaking inquiries, and all media-related questions, please reach out to our team.
Media Contact
Halley McGee Garcia
Media Relations Director
Clairant | CLEAR | The Fulcra Institute
About Clairant
Clairant is a strategic consulting firm specializing in educational technology evaluation and institutional risk governance. Through proprietary frameworks including the 360° ROI Framework, IRII, and Constellation Mapping, Clairant helps educational institutions make evidence-based decisions about technology, leadership, and organizational design.
About CLEAR
The Center for Leadership, Equity, and Access (CLEAR) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educational equity and leadership development, with a focus on building pathways for underrepresented leaders in education.