Rock Hill Schools continues to invest in tools and professional development to better prepare its nearly 18,000 students for future generations and has earned a top 10 national ranking in the annual Digital School Districts Survey presented by the Center for Digital Education.
The transformation to digital learning through the use of personal computers and iPads for students and digital textbooks combined with engagement with internal and external audiences have been key components to propel Rock Hill Schools to being ranked sixth in the country on the survey. While leveraging available technologies to enhance the classroom experience and communication with stakeholders, Rock Hill Schools continues to improve the quality of education made available to its students.
The top 10 ranking on the Digital School Districts Survey reflects the ongoing effort of students, teachers, and administration in Rock Hill. Rankings are awarded to districts that most fully implement technology benchmarks in the evolution of digital education, as represented in the survey questions. All U.S. public school districts are eligible to participate. (See below for Top 10 list.)
Now in its 13th year, the Digital School Districts Survey Awards recognize exemplary use of technology by school boards and districts. Awards are presented to schools in three categories – 3,000 or less students, 3,000 – 12,000 students, and 12,000 or more students – and Rock Hill Schools is the only district in South Carolina to earn the recognition at any level.
“Technology is an essential tool for the transformation of education in our country,” said Dr. Kecia Ray, executive director for the Center for Digital Education. “The Digital School Districts Survey helps districts measure progress toward transformation and I’m proud to recognize these districts and the work that is represented in their award. Congratulations to all of the award winners and great thanks to all who participated in the survey.”
Board chairman Jim Vining and vice-chairman Mildred Douglas and assistant superintendent Dr. Harriet Jaworowski will join Pew in accepting the award Saturday, March 25 in Denver, Colo. at the National School Boards Association annual conference.
Without the support of locally elected school board members, the work reflected in the survey is not possible. In an effort model a digital transformation and increase transparency, the school board leads the pack in video streaming meetings and providing on-demand access to archive meetings on the district website.
“The school boards in these districts are recognized for utilizing technology solutions to make their work as a board more transparent and their district operations more efficient,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, Executive Director & CEO, National School Boards Association. “Their accomplishments demonstrate that innovative approaches can be embraced by any district, regardless of its size or location.”
2016-2017 Digital School Districts Survey – Top 10 Winners (12,000+ students)
1st Houston County School System, Ga.
2nd Wilson County School District, Tenn.
3rd Roanoke County Public Schools, Va.
4th Colorado Springs School District 11, Colo.
4th Richmond County Schools, Ga.
5th Fullerton School District, Calif.
5th Osceola County School District, Fla.
6th Rock Hill Schools, S.C.
7th Flagler County Public Schools, Fla.
7th Rowan-Salisbury Schools, N.C.
7th Township High School District 214, Ill.
8th Northwest Independent School District, Texas
8th Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Ga.
9th Clark County School District, Nev.
9th Fayette County Public Schools, Ga.
9th Pinellas County Schools, Fla.
10th Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, N.C.
10th Cherokee County School District, Ga.
10th Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Va.
Selected survey findings and trends identified in the 2017 Digital School Districts Survey
School Board transparency measures:
- 83% The school district’s board goals are posted online.
- 56% Annual progress on the school district’s board goals is posted online.
- 85% District academic gains (District Report Card) information is posted online.
- 79% District graduation rates are posted online.
- 86% The district’s budget information is published online.
- 68% The district’s technology plan is posted online and accessible by the public.
Governance:The district’s governance plan for student data includes the following:
- 86% The district tracks student data longitudinally.
- 75% The district has a data governance policy that ensures security and privacy of data.
- 63% The district integrates data from multiple sources to create teacher/management dashboards.
IT Priorities for the Coming Year:
- Personalized Learning
- Digital Content and Curriculum
- Professional Development / Skills Training for Integrating Technology in the Classroom
- Mobility (one-to-one and BYOD)
- Networking Infrastructure Upgrades
- Online Testing
- State Standards
- Student Data Privacy including Policies
- Cybersecurity Policy, including Acceptable Use of Technology
- Technology for Physical Security
Cybersecurity/ Data Security Tools
Districts’ social media platforms in place:
- Facebook – 93%
- Twitter – 92% (up 11 percent since last year)
- YouTube – 75% (up 12 percent since last year)
- Instagram – 43%
- LinkedIn – 30%
- Pinterest – 18%
- Snapchat – 9%
Mobility:
- 88% of districts have a mobile device policy in place.
- 56% of districts provide a mobile app