When the Lock Isn’t Enough: The $1M Mistake EdTech Companies Can’t Afford

WWEDD? What Would Edify Software Consulting Do Differently?

Security can’t be considered a feature of any product. It needs to be a part of the foundation.

From the moment someone works with us, we’re building with security in mind. Our architecture is designed from the ground up to protect sensitive data. We’re SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, which is the equivalent of a report card for companies. When searching for your partners in software development, devops, project management, or quality assurance, look for this type of ‘grading’ system. SOC 2 Type 2 compliance means that the company is serious about keeping information safe and private. So when a company says they are SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, it means:

1. 1. They put strong rules and protections in place to safeguard data
   2. An outside auditor checked them over a long period of time
   3. They proved they stuck to their security promises

Our commitment to security is never one and done; it’s a workflow that’s embedded into how we operate, every single day.

Our Security Processes

Software development calls for security processes. We follow OWASP-aligned design principles to spot vulnerabilities early in the build process. Our internal protocols mean only the right people have access to the right systems. Credentials are never floating around on sticky notes or in email threads. We use encrypted, role-based access management that’s tightly controlled and regularly audited.

And because we know that humans, not just code, are part of the security equation, our team goes through ongoing security awareness training, including phishing simulations that keep everyone sharp.

We also take remote access seriously. When we’re granted access to a client’s system, we treat it with the same level of control and oversight as our own infrastructure.

Software consulting companies like Edify don’t wait for something to go wrong to care about security. We build for it by default.

Cheap code is expensive.
While budget matters, so does risk. Vendors should ask whether a lower price now is worth a breach, a lawsuit, or a lost contract later.

PowerSchool appears to still rely on offshore software development in some capacity, based on recent job postings. It’s tempting to cut costs by outsourcing to the lowest bidder. But when your product is managing student data, trust is also your product.

Offshore teams often come with timezone delays, fragmented communication, and limited oversight. When coordination breaks down, so does your ability to see what’s really happening.

It’s hard to say whether this could have been prevented, but at the very least, tighter DevOps integration, real-time collaboration, and shared compliance frameworks could have helped catch this sooner. What is certain is that sensitive data needs well-defined protocols to stay protected.

Scale Without Sacrificing Security
It’s easy to focus on features and growth until a security gap brings everything crashing down.

The real question isn’t “What security tools are you using?” but “What practices are in place?”

Recommendations for EdTech vendors and product leaders:

• Build in security from day one.
• Audit who has access to what and why.
• Require MFA and tightly controlled credentials.
• Adopt and communicate clear incident response protocols.
• Prioritize vendor oversight and secure DevOps practices.
• Invest in security training for your engineering and support teams.

Security can’t be treated as a backend concern anymore. It’s a brand asset, a sales differentiator, and a signal of readiness for scale.

Knowledge Elements scaled nationally without cutting corners on security because they built their foundation the right way from the start.

See how a security-first approach helped Knowledge Elements earn trust, grow rapidly, and avoid the pitfalls other EdTech companies are now facing