By Doug Cauthen
The Learning Counsel, a national education research institute and news media hub, announced the winners of its 2019 National Digital Transition Survey Awards at the organization’s National Gathering in Dallas, Texas. The awards recognize districts and schools that demonstrate meaningful progress in the digital transition, organized into four proficiency categories. Below is a summary of the event, the survey’s key findings, and the full list of award recipients organized by category.
This year’s most distinguished honor went to St. Vrain Valley Schools in Longmont, Colorado, which earned the EduJedi Knight distinction — the only district to reach that level to date. St. Vrain’s leadership has focused on addressing the primary pressures facing K–12 education: demand for consumer-level personalized digital experiences, evolving academic and technical standards, and increasing technology complexity. Rather than avoiding these challenges, the district has pursued them strategically and now models deep workflow support for personalized learning, including full digital coverage for core curriculum, substantial digital adoption in electives and special education, and complete digital professional development coverage. The district also introduced a new mobile Innovation Lab to extend its learning environments.
Kahle Charles, Assistant Superintendent of Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction for St. Vrain Valley Schools, described the district’s approach: “Innovation happens through intentional design. We provide, support, and sustain technology that aligns with our vision. As a result, we’ve seen measurable improvements across standardized test performance, AP participation and achievement, graduation rates for all demographics, attendance, engagement, and post-secondary enrollment. From student-facing tools like iPads and a modern digital library to district-supported professional learning, our core belief is that technology can catalyze deeper learning and help students become designers, communicators, and collaborators.”
More than 400 schools and districts responded to the 2019 national survey, including many first-time participants. LeiLani Cauthen, CEO of the Learning Counsel, emphasized the survey’s broader perspective: the instrument frames education’s digital transition within a multi-industry technology progression rather than only internal comparisons. Administrators report that the survey helps them better understand what it really means to transition digitally, clarifies key definitions, and provides practical guidance for evaluating digital curriculum and software for utility and efficiency.
Daric Aquinaga, Director of School Relations at the Learning Counsel, noted the award’s influence: “Winners of the Learning Counsel Survey Awards receive meaningful recognition. Thousands of school leaders use these distinctions as references when considering digital strategy and implementation. This honor reflects real, earned work.”
Key findings from the 2019 national survey include:
- The U.S. K–12 market has seen substantial growth in spending that has not always produced proportionate results, prompting districts to seek more sophisticated and strategic approaches to technology use.
- Spending on hardware and major systems software has stabilized, while investment in digital curriculum continues to accelerate, reshaping operations and instructional design in schools.
- Respondents now cite students’ social-emotional needs as the top pressure point, adding a new operational focus for districts and schools.
- Schools are moving toward personalized learning models at varying rates, but many remain heavily invested in whole-group instruction.
The survey participants who identify as EduJedi commit to a simple yet challenging pledge: to pursue transformative relevance by adopting effective digital learning technologies, organizing people and resources around student-centered and highly personalized experiences, and leveraging human empathy to best serve learners.
The five R’s summarize the Learning Counsel’s guidance for schools adopting this pact:
- Reset — Move beyond device deployment and random software use to adopt a mindset aligned with current social dynamics and economic drivers.
- Retool — Take practical steps so teachers and administrators can align with change and maintain instructional relevance.
- Redesign — Reimagine the learning experience to ensure deep understanding of core subjects while encouraging creativity, curiosity, and interaction.
- Reorganize — Adjust structures, schedules, and staffing to create environments that attract and support learners and families.
- Rehumanize — Use technology without losing focus on the human ingenuity and empathy that are central to learning.
The award categories recognize distinct levels of digital transition progress:
- EduJedi Knights — Districts or schools that intentionally refine ed-tech strategy, integrate systems and apps, enable administrative and personalized learning workflows, and embed technology into the learning experience.
- EduJedi Achievers — Organizations expanding blended learning and in-class redesign, integrating a variety of digital systems and curriculum, and showing points of proven growth.
- EduJedi Innovators — Programs using technology creatively to engage students and communities while progressing through change management and achievement improvements.
- EduJedi Gainers — Schools or districts executing intentional ed-tech tactics to stop declines in engagement and begin regaining academic traction.
2019 National Survey Award Winners (listed by category)
EduJedi Gainers — Honorable Mentions
- Academy for Urban Leadership Charter School, Perth Amboy, NJ — https://www.aulcs.org/
- Cabot Public Schools, Cabot, AR — http://www.cabotschools.org/
- Capital Christian High School, Sacramento, CA — https://www.ccscougars.org/
EduJedi Innovators — Commendations
- Peru Central School District, Peru, NY — http://www.perucsd.org/departments/instructional-technology/
- Katy ISD / Bear Creek Elementary, Katy, TX — http://www.katyisd.org/campus/BCE/Pages/default.aspx
- New Ulm Public Schools, New Ulm, MN — https://www.newulm.k12.mn.us/
- Leland School Park, Leland, MS — Leland School District site
- Dallas ISD, Dallas, TX — https://www.dallasisd.org/
- South Pittsburg Elementary School, South Pittsburg, TN — https://www.southpittsburgelementary.org/
EduJedi Achievers — Winners
- Meriden Public Schools, Meriden, CT — https://www.meridenk12.org/
- Buckeye Union High School District (Phoenix area), AZ — http://www.buhsd.org/
- ISD 690 — Warroad School District, MN — https://www.warroad.k12.mn.us/
- Pickerington Local School District, OH — https://www.pickerington.k12.oh.us/
- Tampa Preparatory School, Tampa, FL — https://tampaprep.org/
- Anaheim Elementary School District, Anaheim, CA — https://anaheimelementary.org/
- Pinellas County Schools, Largo, FL — https://www.pcsb.org/
- Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Annapolis, MD — https://www.aacps.org/
- Spring Branch ISD — https://www.springbranchisd.com/
- Buckeye Elementary School District — https://besd33.org/
- Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, San Antonio, TX — https://www.scuc.txed.net/
- Jackson County School System, Jefferson, GA — https://www.jacksonschoolsga.org/
- Meridian CUSD 223, Stillman Valley, IL — https://www.meridian223.org/
- Gwinnett County Public Schools — https://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/home/public
- North Union Middle School, Richwood, OH — http://www.n-union.k12.oh.us/northunionmiddleschool_home.aspx
- Treeside Charter School, Provo, UT — https://treesidecharter.org/
- President Abraham Lincoln Elementary, Honolulu, HI — http://les.lincoln.k12.hi.us/
EduJedi Knight — Winner
- St. Vrain Valley Schools, Denver area, CO — http://www.svvsd.org/
About the Learning Counsel
The Learning Counsel is a research institute and news media organization focused on the transition to digital curriculum and the broader shift in how education operates in a technology-driven world. Its membership includes superintendents, technology and instructional leaders, curriculum specialists, publishers, and professionals involved in teaching and learning. The Learning Counsel hosts regular Digital Curriculum Discussions across the U.S., and each year holds a Gathering and National Awards event to share research findings and recognize schools and districts leading the digital transition.
About the EduJedi Leadership Program
The EduJedi Leadership Program supports schools and districts committed to transformative relevance by adopting strengths-based digital learning strategies, organizing resources for student-centered personalized learning, and using human empathy to guide instructional decisions. The program offers events, training, and strategic support to educational leaders pursuing these goals.