EduJedi Leadership Society Celebrates Attainment Level Awards at the Learning Counsel’s 2021 National Gathering
Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, national survey data from the past two years demonstrates that teachers, school leaders, and district administrators have accelerated the digital transition in K–12 education. The Learning Counsel’s ninth annual Digital Transition Survey captured this movement, drawing responses from 21,098 educators and recognizing outstanding progress among schools, districts, and individual teachers.
The survey participation included 373 districts, 202 schools, and 819 teachers who qualified for recognition by the EduJedi Leadership Society. These recognitions highlight practical, measurable growth in technology integration, digital learning models, and organizational change focused on student-centered, data-informed instruction.
LeiLani Cauthen, CEO and Publisher at The Learning Counsel, commented on the results: “We are proud of the tangible progress made by so many in the education community. We see previous winners achieving new levels of excellence, as well as many new names on the excellence docket. We kept the responses open from March all the way through November 2nd before we started analyzing all the data, which had a real story to tell, and included more rural responses than we’ve ever seen before.”
Chris McMurray, VP of EduJedi Leadership, added, “We are proud of all the hard work of the winners, and especially pleased to recognize two districts that advanced to the Knight level in 2021: Pinellas County Schools, FL, and Volusia County Schools, FL. They joined previous Knights Lammersville Unified School District, CA; St. Vrain Valley Schools, CO; Meriden Public Schools, CT; and Pickerington Local School District, OH.”
2021 School and District Winners
Attainment level progression for schools and districts:
Member > Gainer > Innovator > Achiever > Knight > Master > Grandmaster
School Gainers — Intentional EdTech tactics
Burlington High School, Burlington Community School District, IA; Burrell High School, Burrell School District, PA; Lafayette Lower Elementary School, Lafayette County School District, MS; Liberty High School, Liberty Center Local Schools, OH; Lohn Independent School District, TX; Ridgedale Elementary School, Ridgedale Local School District, OH; Virtual School House, West Ada School District, ID.
School Innovators — Trend-aware and utilizing digital systems
Midtown High School, Atlanta Public Schools, GA; North Bergen High School, North Bergen School District, NJ.
District Gainers — Intentional ed-tech tactics
Albany County School District, WY; Atchison Public Schools, KS; Beaver County School District, UT; Belton School District, MO; Blue Valley Schools, KS; Brookings School District, SD; Butler School District 53, IL; Caldwell County Schools, NC; City School District of Albany, NY; Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; Dekalb County School District, GA; Ephrata School District, WA; Escambia County School District, FL; Espanola Public Schools, NM; Fessenden-Bowdon Public School District, ND; Garland Independent School District, TX; Gower School District 62, IL; Greenville County Schools, SC; Harrison School District 2, CO; Hilliard City Schools, OH; Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, AR; Kansas City Public Schools, MO; Logan County Schools, KY; Morgan Local Schools, OH; North Canton City Schools, OH; North Clackamas SD 12, OR; Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District, CA; Oregon Trail School District, OR; Piper Unified School District 203, KS; Powhatan County Schools, VA; Providence School District, RI; Rochester School District, NY; Rowan-Salisbury Schools, NC; San Diego County Office of Education, CA; San Juan Unified School District, CA; Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, GA; School District of Pickens County, SC; Shelby County Schools, TN; Susquehanna Township School District, PA; Sweet Home School District, OR; Terrell County Independent School District; Virginia Beach Schools, VA; West Tallahatchie School District, MS; Westminster Public Schools, CO; Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, NC.
District Innovators — Trend-aware and utilizing digital systems
Albuquerque Public Schools, NM; Cobb County School District, GA; Indianapolis Public Schools, IN; Medina Valley Independent School District, TX; Metro Nashville Public Schools, TN; Orange County Public Schools, FL; Pomona Unified School District, CA; Poway Unified School District; San Antonio Independent School District, TX; Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District, TX; Wilder School District, ID.
District Knights — Flexible tech-embedded model of student learning
Pinellas County Schools, FL; Volusia County Schools, FL.
2021 Teacher Winners
Teacher attainment level progression:
Ace > Adept > Guide > Padawan > Scholar > Maestro > Warrior
Teacher Aces — Digital learning leaders who use technology courageously
Angela Marshall; Annette Orlando; Bora Benford; Charles Battles; Christine Lellos; Cindy M. Garvin; Clarice Shirley; Dan Gant; Darla K. Ford; Debbie A. Knapp; Debra Morgan; Denise Griffin; Dyan Kincaid; Jennifer Bard (Franklyn Woods); Jim Crawford; Jo Ann Weigel; Judy Starke; Julia Simons; Kat Newcombe-Lang; Linda Howard; Margie Boumans; Marla Stringham; Michelle Badaraco Geaghan; Scott MacDonald; Shirley Del Rosso.
Teacher Adepts — Skilled at sequencing tech and apps across lessons
Aimee Copple; Aime Selamo; Amber Morgan; Boyd Clark; Carrie Scrivner; Danielle McConnell; Dolly Solis; Gretchen Murray; Heidi Hitter; Jayne Sheltra; Kimberly Lacher; Lauralee R. Milberger; Lisa Fisher; Loren Raimo; Richard Mark Stout; Susan Flory; Tracy Jean Tannoia; Trey Williams; Windi Foster.
Teacher Guides — Manage student experience through guided blends of technology and activities
Dana Shutters; Dianne Hill Derrick; Edyth K. Duff-Andrews; Karen Duff; Merie Candelario; Patricia A. Salpietro; Portia Wood.
Teacher Padawans — Blend technology with targeted human instruction to meet individual student needs
Ingrid Nathan; Joan M. Jackson, PhD; Megan S. O’Donnell.
About the EduJedi Leadership Society
The EduJedi Leadership Society recognizes educators and institutions that move beyond traditional school reform toward a tech-blended institution model. Membership and recognition focus on building a quality culture, aligning strategy, engaging stakeholders, and increasing effective professional learning for educators. The goal is to realign schools and instruction with contemporary expectations for data-driven, personalized learning.
The EduJedi Leadership Society partners with Learning Counsel News Media & Research to administer the national Digital Transition Survey and to present the annual awards. For more information on EduJedi attainment levels, membership, and past winners, consult the Learning Counsel website and the EduJedi pages maintained by the organization.