Dive Brief:

• North Carolina recently developed a digital learning plan to guide policymakers and education leaders on education and technology related issues.
• The plan is the result of a pair of state laws that pushed schools toward digital-first approaches and mandated teacher prep programs, leaving schools responsible for developing and teaching digital competencies to staff and students.
• The plan has drawn praise for its data-driven approach and comprehensiveness.

Dive Insight:

The plan is one of the first to take a holistic, statewide look at digital learning, assessment and needs. Most states have taken a more piecemeal approach, thanks in part to fewer digital mandates. North Carolina has been one of the most aggressive in pushing schools to switch to digital textbooks and tools. For example, the Friday Institute, which was contracted to develop the plan, conducted meetings with every district and held townhall meetings

“A lot of people tell us that these kinds of digital initiatives get written at the Capitol, when the focus should be on engaging stakeholders at every level,” Jenifer Corn, the director of evaluation programs at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, told eSchool News. The institute also developed an edtech rubric and measured how far along the digital progression each district was.