Today Irving Independent School District expands their collaboration with Verizon Innovative Learning, the education initiative of the Verizon Foundation. In partnership with Digital Promise, Verizon Innovative Learning equips every student and teacher at select middle schools across America with a device and up to a four-year data plan. In addition to free technology and access, schools receive extensive teacher training and support, along with the opportunity to engage in powerful teaching and learning that leverages technology in and out of the classroom.
The program, which launched in partnership with Digital Promise in 2012, has reached more than 86,000 students and nearly 6,000 teachers across 100 middle schools to date. At the start of the 2019-2020 school year, de Zavala Middle School, Johnson Middle School, and Travis Middle School are among the 50 new schools joining Verizon Innovative Learning, bringing the program to 150 middle schools nationwide, including Irving ISD’s remaining five middle schools. Austin, Bowie, Crockett, Houston and Lamar middle schools launched the initiative in the fall of 2017.
In addition to free mobile devices and accompanying 4G LTE data plans, participating schools will be assigned a full-time technology coach from Digital Promise to train teachers in effectively integrating technology into their lessons. Over the course of the initiative, Verizon Innovative Learning will also provide the opportunity for students to leverage emerging technology such as augmented & virtual reality, artificial intelligence, 3D design and internet of things.
“Irving ISD is thankful for this opportunity to enhance the learning process for our students and teachers and provide the highest quality of education,” said Magda Hernandez, Irving ISD superintendent. “This now expanded partnership with Verizon will prepare our students to be lifelong learners and responsible global citizens.”
According to data collected by Verizon, students are seeing marked academic improvement as a result of the initiative.* To date, Verizon has invested $400 million in education efforts, has impacted one million students and will reach two million more by 2021.
Verizon will be the first to bring 5G technology to the classroom in the third quarter of 2019. This commitment will help provide underserved middle school students with the skills needed to put them on the path to success in an increasingly technology-dependent economy.
