The best product doesn’t always win. In fact, in K–12, it often doesn’t. You can have the cleanest UI, the sharpest onboarding flow, and the most impressive AI feature set in your category AND still get dropped in procurement. Not because of price. Not because of a competitor’s edge. But because the District couldn’t say yes with confidence. They couldn’t explain your AI use to their superintendent. They couldn’t get your DPA past legal in under six weeks. They couldn’t bet their district’s reputation on a product that might be compliant. And so, they passed. Not because they didn’t like you but because you didn’t feel safe enough to approve. In K–12, Trust Isn’t the Last Thing. It’s the First.