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How do Australian schools and services choose edtech and apps?

Who decides, the privacy and security checks involved (including Safer Technologies 4 Schools), and how to make a case for a tool.

By The Autism Kit teamUpdated Sep 27, 2026 · 1 min read
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A teacher helping a boy use a tablet at a classroom table
Photo: Mikhail Nilov on Pexels
The short answer

In Australia, app decisions are usually made by schools within the rules of their state, Catholic or independent system. Many systems use Safer Technologies 4 Schools (ST4S), a national privacy and security assessment run by Education Services Australia, to evaluate edtech. Government agencies may also buy through panels like BuyICT or buy.NSW. Privacy must meet the Australian Privacy Principles and state laws.

Key takeaways
  • Decisions usually sit with schools, within system rules.
  • ST4S is a national privacy and security assessment for edtech.
  • Privacy must meet the Australian Privacy Principles and state laws.
  • Government bodies may buy through panels like BuyICT or buy.NSW.

Who decides which apps schools use?

Usually the school, following policies set by its state education department, Catholic education office or independent school. Larger purchases may go through the system or a procurement panel.

What is Safer Technologies 4 Schools (ST4S)?

ST4S is a national initiative, administered by Education Services Australia and developed with state, territory, Catholic and independent school sectors, to help schools decide whether to adopt a technology. It assesses products against a nationally consistent privacy and security framework.1

What privacy questions should schools ask?

Try
  • What student information does the app collect, and where is it stored?
  • Can it be used without student accounts?
  • Does it work offline?
  • Has it completed ST4S or another assessment?
Skip
  • Uploading student photos to unknown services
  • Apps with ads on student-facing screens

How do government agencies buy digital tools?

Commonwealth agencies often use BuyICT, and NSW agencies use buy.NSW, among other state arrangements.23

What can I do next?

0 of 3 done

Talk to us about your school: For schools

Common questions

Safer Technologies 4 Schools is a national initiative, administered by Education Services Australia with school sectors across Australia, that assesses digital products against a consistent privacy and security framework.

Sources

  1. Safer Technologies 4 Schools (Education Services Australia). st4s.edu.au
  2. BuyICT (Australian Government Digital Transformation Agency). buyict.gov.au
  3. buy.NSW (NSW Government procurement). buy.nsw.gov.au

This guide shares general information and our team's perspective, based on the sources above. Rules and services differ by country, region and school, so always check your local guidance and your organisation's policies. How we write our guides.

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