In 2008, The Katy Independent School District (KISD) had reached an educational crossroads.
Its traditional method of instruction was no longer working. Student engagement had fallen and the district needed to improve its performance.
“We decided we had to fundamentally change the way we teach,” says Lenny Schad, chief information officer for KISD. “We made the decision to launch a three-year program that would transform instruction, improve engagement and breathe new life into the curriculum through technology.”
The district had already made significant investments in it’s technological infrastructure and spent much of the last five years retooling everything from its desktop and system engineering to the district’s networking system. However a night at home proved to be the most important step forward for Schad. As he observed his high school-aged daughter and pre-teen son do their homework while texting and listening to music Schad says he knew he was witnessing something profound. The rest of the KISD administration agreed.
“We needed to find a better way of connecting with our students. They’re way ahead of us in terms of their use of technology,” says Alton Frailey, KISD superintendent.
The Administration felt in order to re-engage students, the curriculum had to be modernized and it needed to reflect the 21st century student. A new education initiative emerged with three
