Success Stories
We are building our collection of successful tales of implementation. Do you have best practices to share? Has your district seen positive outcomes as a result of a technology implementation?
TELL US YOUR STORY |  The Sunnyside One-to-One program began with the introduction of laptops for every fifth-grader in 13 elementary schools in the fall of 2010. Providing laptops to students quickly transformed the classroom from teacher-centered to student centered as students took advantage of the global resources that came with Internet access and the world of learning anytime anywhere. Today, through careful planning of expenditures and funding, the district has paired a laptop with every student district-wide grades 4 through 9.Aligning instruction and digital curriculum with the research of Project RED, Sunnyside saw immediate statistically verifiable results of the one-to-one computing program. Student attendance, engagement and achievement improved, resulting in the ultimate goal of keeping students in school and on the path to graduation. Student discipline instances decreased and overall student behavior improved. Parent engagement soared with laptops going home facilitating improved communication through online digital channels for collaboration. Open enrollment numbers skyrocketed with the promotion of the one-to-one program, providing a needed revenue source to continue staffing levels for the one-to-one program.  |
 | An ambitious online formative assessment program is replacing traditional paper and pencil testing at Irving ISD. Teachers use the new system three to seven times per year in English language arts, math, science, and social studies in Grades 3-12. This leads to a cost savings of $5 per student per year, over traditional paper and pencil assessment methods. |
 | Walled Lake High School, a high-achieving suburban school near Detroit, wanted to maintain academic excellence while saving money, in light of the state's economic downturn. Superintendent Dr. William Hamilton chose to address these two goals by integrating online coursework on a large scale within the traditional bricks and mortar district. His analysis showed that the cost per student per course went from $900 to $383, a savings of 57%. Instruction has become highly individualized, and students are progressing more rapidly because of the faster feedback process and the extended time for learning. |
 | In the 2006-2007 school year, Mooresville Graded School District initiated a review of district results in teaching and learning. A new superintendent, Dr. Mark Edwards, who had pioneered the use of a digital environment in Henrico County, Virginia, was on board. Dr. Edwards and his team set a goal meet all of their AYP targets, raise student achievement, and to transform the school district into one of national distinction. In August of 2007 the district's "Digital Conversion" began. By the fall of 2009 all students in grades 4-12 where working in 1:1 learning environment, with the ability to use the devices at home as well. The district methodically worked on transformational leadership, curriculum alignment, classroom pedagogy, and proper integration of technology. North Carolina State Performance and Academic Composite Data
These efforts paid off with greater student engagement and higher academic achievement. Mooresville's composite standardized test scores increased 16% since the inception of their 1:1 program. They were one of only six districts that made all of its AYP targets, with Mooresville achieving the greatest number of targets (54). All schools in the district are now recognized as Schools of Distinction, and Rocky River Elementary School is recognized as an Honor School of Excellence by the state. |
 | In 2001, Parks Middle School logged an average of three police actions a day. In 2002, the school launched a 1:1 laptop program supported by key implementation factors, such as intervention classes, online formative and summative assessments, games and simulations, teacher professional learning enabled by the principal, and change management led by the principal. In 2003, the number of police actions dropped to three for the entire year. In addition, the percentage of eighth-grade students passing the state GCRT math exam jumped from 19% to 43%, and the writing test gap closed by 19%, compared with the rest of the state. |
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