34 Schools Nationwide Join Verizon Innovative Learning

March 4, 2024 | Washington, D.C. – Digital Promise and Verizon today announced that 34 Title 1 middle and high schools from 13 districts across the country will join the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program in the fall. Through the continued partnership between Digital Promise and Verizon, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program works side-by-side with schools and districts to get internet-connected devices into the hands of students and to enhance how teachers use technology in the classroom with dedicated coaches, professional development, and community building with an ultimate goal of achieving sustainable digital equity throughout the school district.

The 11th cohort expands the program’s reach to 626 schools in 115 school districts across 39 states and Washington, D.C.

Title I schools with a 65 percent or higher free and reduced-price lunch population are eligible for the program; however, 78 percent of students in this cohort of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Verizon for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program,” said Jean-Claude Brizard, president and CEO of Digital Promise. “By bringing our combined strengths to this transformative program, Digital Promise and Verizon aim to advance digital equity and support students, teachers, and schools from historically and systematically excluded communities in unlocking the potential of technology to transform teaching and learning.”

Participating schools receive free mobile devices (either tablets or laptops) with up to a four-year Verizon data plan for every student and teacher. Teachers gain access to extensive professional development that supports powerful teaching and learning with technology in and out of the classroom. In addition, these schools receive a subsidy toward a full-time technology coach to support teachers with effectively integrating technology into learning.

“Verizon Innovative Learning Schools goes beyond providing devices and connectivity, with robust support to meaningfully integrate technology into student learning,”  said Alex Servello, senior director of corporate social responsibility at Verizon.  “We are grateful to extend our partnership with Digital Promise to include these 34 additional schools, and further expand upon Verizon’s work to help close the digital divide.”

As part of Verizon’s commitment to digital inclusion under Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental, and social advancement, Verizon Innovative Learning is driving academic improvements. Eighty-two percent of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools teachers reported that the program helped them explore new ways of teaching, and 77 percent said the program enhanced student engagement.^[1]

The 34 new Verizon Innovative Learning Schools comprising the program’s 11th cohort are:

• Albuquerque School of Excellence (NM): Albuquerque School of Excellence
• Duquesne City School District (PA): Duquesne Junior-Senior High School
• Englewood Public School District (NJ): Dwight Morrow High School; Janis Dismus Middle School
• Frontier Schools (MO): Frontier School of Excellence; Frontier School of Innovation; Frontier STEM High School
• Greenfield Union School District (CA): Vista Verde Middle School
• Helix Community Schools (LA): Helix Aviation Academy; Helix Legal Academy; Helix Mentorship STEAM Academy
• Hudson City School District (NY): Hudson Junior High School; Hudson Senior High School
• Kansas City Public Schools (MO): African-Centered College Preparatory Academy; East High School; Kansas City Virtual Academy; Lincoln College Preparatory Academy; Northeast High School; Northeast Middle School
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools (FL): Henry H. Filer Middle School; Horace Mann Middle School; Kinloch Park Middle School; Miami Springs Middle School; Palm Springs Middle School
• Napa County Office of Education (CA): Camille Creek Community School
• Norwalk Public Schools (CT): Brien McMahon High School; Center for Global Studies; Norwalk High School; P-Tech Norwalk; Roton Middle School
• Rahway Public Schools (NJ): Rahway 7th and 8th Grade Academy; Rahway High School
• Whitehall City School District (OH): Rosemore Middle School; Whitehall-Yearling High School

For more information, visit the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools website.

Press Contact:
Jessica Schuler
Digital Promise
410-598-9848
jschuler@digitalpromise.org

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About Digital Promise

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. We work with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale innovations that support learners, especially those who’ve been historically and systematically excluded. Our vision is that every person engages in powerful learning experiences that lead to a life of well-being, fulfillment, and economic mobility. For more information, visit the Digital Promise website and follow @digitalpromise for updates.

About Verizon Innovative Learning

Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon’s award-winning education initiative, is celebrating over a decade of commitment to addressing barriers to digital inclusion for students and teachers. Since 2012, the program has committed $1 billion in market value to support digital equity, reaching over 7 million students. Verizon Innovative Learning provides free technology, internet access and emerging technology-infused learning programs to students in under-resourced communities—enabling students to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to build an innovative workforce of the future. In 2021, Verizon launched Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a next-gen online education portal that provides free access to immersive extended reality (XR) educational experiences to all educators, including K–12 teachers, nationwide. A key program under Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement, Verizon Innovative Learning is helping to achieve the company’s goal to provide 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030. Learn more at citizenverizon.com.

^[1] Source: Westat (2022).Verizon Innovative Learning Teacher Survey June 2022

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