In the modern educational landscape, schools often separate device support and student usage into distinct categories. But what if these areas were integrated? What if students not only used technology but also learned how to support it? In Digital Promise’s reimagined Portrait of a Graduate, students develop vital digital skills and assume leadership roles, creating a sustainable system of device management and support within their schools. The team at Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) has taken this idea to heart by designing and supporting innovative student technology programs that are accessible by all students in the district.
CMSD’s journey began through a partnership with Verizon Innovative Learning Schools. This collaboration invited students to join student tech teams, where students provide essential support for technology to their school community. What CMSD discovered was transformative—students were not only eager to participate but were also highly engaged in their roles. They thrived when given the opportunity to take on leadership positions, collaborating with peers and faculty to address real-world technical challenges such as device connectivity issues and real-time troubleshooting support.
This work has also created pathways for career and college readiness through real-life experiences. For example, student tech team members from Almira Pre-K8 Academy presented at a school board meeting, while tech team members from Douglas MacArthur Girls Leadership Academy led a redesign of the school’s website to support better communication between the school and the community.
“We’ve created an amazing tech team over the past two years,” said Megan Kuosman, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools coach at Douglas MacArthur, where the student tech team is differentiated by grade level—a unique approach that promotes powerful learning propelled by technology, one of the five domains of Digital Promise’s Digital Equity Framework. “As we enter our third year in the program, my eighth-grade students are now leading their own independent projects. The success of our tech team even led to the creation of a competitive robotics team.”
This success inspired the Learning Technology and Training Services team at CMSD to create a Student Tech Team Playbook, which aims to help any school in the district build and support their own student-led technology team. By providing a structured, scalable framework, CMSD aims to ensure that all students in their district can benefit from these authentic, hands-on experiences with technology, demonstrating coherent systems, resources and policies, another Digital Equity Framework domain.
The initiative doesn’t stop when the school year ends. Recognizing that summer offers another opportunity for growth, CMSD offers paid internships for students to work alongside the district’s IT team. During these internships, students manage inventory and prepare devices for the upcoming school year, gaining invaluable job experience while keeping the district’s tech ecosystem running smoothly.
“If we’re trying to build that career ladder, we want to make sure that our students have the experience to work in our departments and see all of the ins and outs of what it means to run an IT organization,” said Shawn Braxton, executive director of CMSD’s Department of Learning Technology and Training Services.
Student tech teams and the CMSD’s IT internships not only foster creativity but also cultivate leadership and teamwork. By giving students real responsibilities, they become empowered to problem-solve, think critically, and collaborate—skills that will serve them in future careers.
CMSD’s approach to integrating student tech support and leadership is a model for districts nationwide. It provides a blueprint for how to unlock student potential through technology while building sustainable, student-centered practices for device support. By giving students the tools to succeed both inside and outside the classroom, CMSD is paving the way for a future where students are not just passive users of technology but active leaders in the digital world.
Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, the Digital Equity Framework, and the benefits of a student tech team.
