Implementing a course management system allowed for student-teacher interaction and ongoing teacher professional development, Donaldson said, and parent access to student grades and progress updates helped contribute to a 30 percent paper usage reduction in the first year after implementation.
The district uses a shared network drive, Google Docs, and Paperless Board.
Donaldson said that teachers locate digital content for classroom use online, as well as create their own content. They also have realized the benefits that come with collaborating and sharing resources.
The district’s high school used to run a one-to-one initiative before moving to a system where each classroom has its own set of laptops, which teachers and students acclimated to without complaint.
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In the next few months, Donaldson said he estimates that completed iPad classroom sets will begin to appear. Currently, classrooms have a few of the devices, with some offering as many as 10 iPads in one room for student and teacher use.
CCS implemented a “bring your own technology” initiative at the high school, and 83 percent of students have their own computers, said Superintendent Jan Harris. Harris is one of 10 2010 winners in the eSchool News Tech-Savvy Superintendent Awards program.
High school students are able to check laptops out from the library if the need arises. The city received a grant that provides internet access at strategic locations throughout the city, which expands internet access to students who may not have it at home. When that grant expired, the city elected to keep funding the internet access, Donaldson said.
In 2011, CCS students averaged an ACT score of 23.2, nearly three points above the state average and two points above the national average, Donaldson said.
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