Closing the Homework Gap: Equity of Access for All Students Outside of School

Presented by Rhonda Schroeder, EdD, Principal, Arthur Elementary School, Oklahoma City, OK; Mike Cory, EdD, Principal, Gettys Middle School, SC; and Barbara J. Nesbitt, PhD, Executive Director of Technology, AITS, School District of Pickens County, SC
Hosted by Christine Fox, Deputy Executive Director, SETDA
Hosted by SETDA and Sponsored by AT&T

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This session is part of a series of edWebinars on SETDA’s 2016 report, The Broadband Imperative II: Equitable Access for Learning, which advocates for designing flexible networks for learning. The 2016 report expands on earlier recommendations from SETDA’s groundbreaking report, The Broadband Imperative: Recommendations to Address K-12 Education Infrastructure Needs, which advocates for seamless quality broadband access for students both in and outside of school.

In this edWebinar, school and district leaders share examples of effective leadership to help ensure the equity of out-of-school access for all students. The session covers closing the homework gap and providing equity of access for all students outside of school. All K-12 educators and administrators, IT leaders, and CIOs are invited to watch this recorded edWebinar.

About the Presenters

Dr. Rhonda Schroeder is the principal at Arthur Elementary School in Oklahoma City Public Schools, Oklahoma’s largest and most diverse school district with approximately 45,000 students and 2,700 teachers. She has spearheaded the district’s first 1:1 iPad program where more than 700 students are afforded 24/7 personalized learning opportunities. She holds firm to the belief that student access to technology is the great equalizer. As a result of that belief, Arthur Elementary achieved a 14-point gain on the state school report card given by the Oklahoma State Department of Education—the largest gain in the district. She holds a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Central Oklahoma, Master of Education from the University of Oklahoma, Master of Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a doctorate in educational administration from California Coast University.

Dr. Michael Cory is Principal of Richard H. Gettys Middle School in Easley, South Carolina in the School District of Pickens County. He is an experienced educator with a passion to progressively revitalize educational systems. Currently, he also serves as Principal Specialist for a turnaround school in another middle school in the School District of Pickens County. His school was the first school in their district to pilot the Bring Your Own Device initiative and was featured in Men’s Health Magazine as the magazine’s first FitSchool, and an award winning STEAM school. He earned a B.S. degree in accounting from Clemson University, a master’s degree of educational administration from the University of South Carolina, and a doctoral degree in educational administration from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. He serves on the Financial Literacy Committee of Pickens County United Way and is an advocate for his students and their community.

Dr. Barbara Nesbitt is an educator with 30 years of experience in public school education. Dr. Nesbitt has been a teacher, instructional coach, instructional technology coach, independent consultant, district-level coordinator, and director. Currently she is the executive director of technology for the School District of Pickens County in upstate South Carolina. She is also a visiting professor at Clemson University in the School of Educational Leadership. She earned a B.S. degree in early childhood and elementary education at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, a Master of Education degree in School Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Virginia, and a PhD in educational leadership at Clemson University. Dr. Nesbitt is on the K-12 Institutional Executive Board for IMS Global, a non-profit member collaborative committed to enabling plug & play architecture on digital ecosystems. Dr. Nesbitt is also one of ten members on the National Council on Digital Convergence. Dr. Nesbitt’s passion is to help teachers learn to engage students in critical thinking skills through the use of engaging technologies and 21st century pedagogy.

 About the Host

Christine Fox is the deputy executive director for SETDA. As deputy executive director, she collaborates with the executive director in charting strategic direction, administration, planning and financial decisions involving SETDA. She also facilitates the members’ professional learning opportunities including planning and implementing the content for SETDA’s virtual and in-person events and newsletters. In addition, she manages many of SETDA’s research and product development projects from conception to publication. She has worked as an educational consultant and curriculum developer for a national whole school reform model, ESOL coordinator and 3rd grade teacher.

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The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit membership association launched by state education agency leaders in 2001 to serve, support and represent their emerging interests and needs with respect to the use of technology for teaching, learning, and school operations. Our current work is guided by a strategic plan, Leading, Inspiring and Empowering: The 2013-16 SETDA Strategic Plan, adopted by the SETDA Board of Directors in October 2012 after extensive consultation with the membership. The SETDA mission is to build and increase the capacity of state and national leaders to improve education through technology policy and practice.

Our mission is to connect people with their world everywhere they live, work and play – and do it better than anyone else.

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