This 21st Century Schools Initiative in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi came about in response to the devastation on the United States’ Gulf Coast caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Backed by Cisco’s $40 million investment in technology and training programs, the initiative has created a replicable model for education reform by focusing on strategically aligned, visionary leadership, extensive professional development for teachers, accelerated learning and increased administrative efficiency using 21st century communications technology, and close connections between schools and communities.
After the first full year of operation in Mississippi, the Education Development Center (EDC), an independent evaluator, surveyed school administrators regarding the success of the initiative. The vast majority of the respondents believed the students are better prepared for college and future employment:
- 94 percent of the administrators think students will be more globally competitive.
- 92.6 percent felt that teachers will be more likely to stay with their district/schools.
- 93 percent thought the teachers will be performing more efficiently.
In fact, administrators consider the Cisco Connected Schools technology blueprint such an important enabler for creating a 21st century student learning environment that they have committed to expanding it from the original 50 sites to an additional 88 schools, with districts using their own funds for the implementation.
According to EDC’s lead evaluator, “The 21st Century Schools Initiative has had the greatest impact in the shortest time of any program we have ever evaluated.”
21st Century Schools Highlights
Highlights for this year include:
- The initiative deployed fully converged voice, video, and data technology infrastructure in the schools to facilitate interactive class activities, individualized online learning, and student assessment administration and reporting. During the second year of the initiative, video surveillance, IP intercoms and public address systems, IP phones, bells for student safety, and parent communications applications were installed in 45 schools. IP surveillance will now cover all 16 initiative schools, plus the rest of Jefferson Parish’s high schools.
- To date, 20 Cisco employees have worked on the initiative as part of the Cisco Fellows program, and are a key reason for its success.
- Nearly 3000 teachers have been trained in leading education practices, delivered in person or online. This, coupled with well-equipped classrooms, has helped fill teaching vacancies that went unfilled in prior years.
- The changes in teacher classroom practices have been widespread and profound, according to the EDC evaluation. The technology has also resulted in greater student participation.
- During the second year of the program, Cisco added a second round of grants to support teacher professional development, acquisition of classroom technology, educational programs and software, and the establishment of Professional Learning Communities.
- With NGO partner One Economy, Web portals were launched to make it easier for parents to communicate with schools and to provide online educational content and tutoring resources to underserved communities.
- The Digital Opportunity Trust trained 90 college seniors to be interns in schools. Two of the first 33 student interns have been hired as full-time technical support staff, and three have been retained as teachers.
- Cisco Networking Academy sites were reestablished in three Mississippi high schools after the storms, and 13 more academy sites will begin classes in the New Orleans area for the 2008 school year.
Beginning in late 2007, the 21st Century Schools Initiative will support Cisco TelePresence sites at Lamar County schools, connecting educators with universities and key teacher development partners, including Harvard University, Louisiana State University, Lesley University, Loyola University, Tulane University, the Universities of Mississippi and Southern Mississippi, November Learning, and the Schlechty Center.
