The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) today presented its 2012 TEAM Award to the Katy Independent School District, located in Katy, TX. Each year during its annual conference, CoSN recognizes a team of technology leaders in a U.S. K-12 school district for using technology in an impactful way to help reimagine the classroom. Katy ISD was selected as this year’s recipient for enhancing teaching and learning through its proven technology infrastructure and strong partnership with parents, teachers and school leaders.
In 2009, Katy ISD launched a Mobile Learning initiative, which provided 140 fifth-grade students with smart phones programmed with the Internet solely for school use. Coupled with cybersecurity training for students and district personnel, the initiative was a tremendous success – from increased student engagement to substantially improved test scores. Today, 18 elementary school campuses across the district have adopted the initiative. In addition, Katy ISD has played an active role in the community. Working with community groups represented in its Technology Long Range Planning committee, Katy ISD requested and received the insight and feedback needed to enhance its technology infrastructure. In 2011, Katy ISD was one of 20 districts nationwide – and the only district in Texas – to be awarded the Erate Learning On-the-Go grant by the Federal Communications Commission. The grant will primarily be used for monthly data costs incurred by the district’s growing mobile learning initiative.
