With 14 new members in the 2019-2020 cohort, the League of Innovative Schools supports more than three million students in 114 public school districts across 34 states by advancing excellence and equity for all learners. In fall 2019, we hosted a public showcase, “Equity and Excellence: Innovation in American Public Education,” at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., featuring Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson as keynote speaker and more than 100 League districts, to explore how public school districts are addressing the equity gap. Additionally in 2019, we launched Innovation Portfolios, a storytelling platform that offers models, strategies, and lessons learned that can inspire further advancements in education.
Since 2014, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative has impacted more than 180,000 students and nearly 9,000 teachers in 153 Title I middle schools in 48 districts across 23 states and Washington, D.C. In 2019, we welcomed 52 new schools as part of Cohort 6—the largest cohort to date. In addition to extensive teacher development, technical support, and a dedicated digital learning coach in each school, the technology and internet access provided to each student helps close the homework gap, ensuring all students have equitable access for powerful learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom.
Fairness and equity in emerging learning technologies such as artificial intelligence rose to the top of researchers’ priorities in the last year. In response, our National Science Foundation-funded Center for Innovative Research in Cyberlearning (CIRCL), a network of more than 400 of the world’s leading learning sciences researchers, led a two-day convening of researchers, educators, and industry experts. Participants shared and synthesized research, prioritized major challenges, and planned new collaborations to accelerate progress. With nonprofit partners, we continue to lead this prestigious network that focuses on the future of learning with technology. We communicate research broadly, seeking to drive next-generation, equitable, research-based innovations.
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