Funding, Grants & Awards

Top Digital Schools Recognized

• By Michael Hart
• 03/24/15

1-to-1 laptop initiatives, STEM curricula and flipped classrooms were the winning combinations in the past year, according to the 10^th annual Digital School Districts Survey.

The survey, conducted by the National School Boards Association and the Center for Digital Education, recognizes those school boards and districts who are making extraordinary use of technology to improve the learning environment and district operations.

Three first-place winners were recognized in different categories, based on student enrollment.

In the category for districts with 12,000 or more students, the Roanoke County Public Schools in Virginia was recognized because of the 1-to-1 laptop program it has had in place for the last 13 years. With the help of the initiative, high schools students, for example, are using advanced technology to learn about drones equipped with HD cameras, robotics, blueprint design tools and 3D printers.

For school districts with between 3,000 and 12,000 students, the Decatur City Schools in Alabama has made wide use of flipped classroom instruction and several grants it has received have allowed it to give most students their own laptops.

And of the districts with fewer than 3,000 students, Regional School Unit 21 in Maine was recognized for its extensive professional development program for teachers that has led to students taking courses in engineering and robotics, along with other science, technology and math programs.

"Students are using all kinds of cutting-edge tools that assist learning and help prepare them for the future," said Center for Digital Education Senior Vice President Alan Cox. "It's my privilege to congratulate these school districts who are leading the way toward modernizing education."

The full list of the schools honored is available.