LWSD Joins League of Innovative Schools

From Lake Washington School District: Lake Washington School District (LWSD) was accepted today into the League of Innovative Schools, a national coalition of forward-thinking K-12 school districts organized by Digital Promise, a nonprofit organization with the mission to accelerate innovation in education and improve the opportunity to learn for all through technology and research.

LWSD was selected from a competitive national pool of applicants based on its leadership, evidence of results, innovative vision for learning, and commitment to equity and excellence.

“We are very excited to be selected as a member member of this National Network of Innovative School Districts,” said Dr. Jane Stavem, LWSD Superintendent. “Joining the League of Innovative Schools allows us to elevate our practice as we develop and expand opportunities for our students by collaborating with other great districts from across the nation.”

The League of Innovative Schools, launched in late 2011, and accepts new members through an open application process once per year. With their new members, the League now includes 114 school districts in 34 states. The full list of members can be found at digitalpromise.org/districts.

“The League of Innovative Schools works to advance equitable opportunities and outcomes for students, and solve challenges facing schools through powerful use of learning technologies and research,” said Kim Smith, executive director of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools. “We welcome our new League members and look forward to working with them to further catalyze positive change in public education.”

League members are represented by their superintendent, who commits to:

• Attend biannual League meetings, which feature classroom visits, collaborative problem-solving, and relationship-building with peers and partners;
• Participate in League challenge collaboratives on a broad range of topics relevant to the changing needs of school districts;
• Support Digital Promise research and provide feedback so it translates easily into classroom experiences and expands what we know about teaching and learning;
• Engage with entrepreneurs to advance edtech product development steeped in the latest learning science and meets district needs; and
• Participate in the League’s professional learning community by connecting with other members online, in person, and at each other’s school districts.

In addition to superintendents’ participation, there are also opportunities for other school administrators, principals, and teachers from member districts to participate in League and Digital Promise-related initiatives.

The League will officially welcome new members at its fall 2019 meeting on October 16 in Loudoun County, Virginia, where more than 250 superintendents, district leaders, partners, and researchers from across the country will convene.

For more information on the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, visit digitalpromise.org/league.

This press release was produced by Lake Washington School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.