When schools began to close due to Covid-19, the need for distance learning pushed administrators and school IT teams into making critical edtech decisions, often without the infrastructure needed to support a full digital transformation strategy. Nearly three years later, it’s now essential that educational institutions develop robust plans that make technology implementation successful and support the best learning outcomes for every student.

Here are three steps that can go a long way in building a strong digital transformation strategy that can flex with your organization’s needs over time.

Step 1: Assess the needs of your school and students

Start by assessing your key pain points and areas where you may need the greatest support such as device deployment, security and software implementation. Next, conduct an audit of your current edtech solutions and identify any significant gaps in coverage. After all, a digital program is only as powerful, functional and reliable as the infrastructure on which it is built.

Step 2: Communicate your rollout plan with key stakeholders

Once the areas for improvement are recognized, you must communicate your rollout plan with key stakeholders. Digital transformation does not operate in a silo—it impacts students, parents, teachers, IT teams and administrators alike. It’s important to identify champions and decision makers who will help pinpoint any gaps in your strategy and facilitate the implementation processes as soon as possible. Clear communication and training will be crucial to the success of your digital transformation journey.

Step 3: Implement the best technology for your needs

After the foundation is laid, choosing and implementing the right technology that holistically solves for your unique needs will take your strategy from ideation to action.

Laptops and tablets are the most common devices found in schools due to their affordability, durability and connectivity capabilities. Tablets may be most suitable for younger students whose functionality needs are more limited, while laptops are typically the best choice for older students who need a keyboard and a more powerful device.

Additionally, the software that powers those devices and enhances learning should be an equally important aspect of the discussion. Prioritizing education software like classroom management and other online learning tools can help with many pain points to keep students focused and engaged while giving them a personalized learning experience.

When deciding on a classroom management software, specifically, you should consider the following:

• Feature-Rich – Does the solution offer a robust suite of features or is it limited in functionality? Can daily usage be tracked for schools to gain insight and enhance their ROI?
• Compatibility – Will the software work on any operating system or device across platforms?
• Flexibility – Can the classroom management solution transition from local use in the classroom to the cloud for virtual learning?
• Ease of Use – Does the provider offer hands-on technical support during the rollout process? How accessible is their customer service team when it comes to onboarding teachers and driving adoption?

Last, but not least, it is important to consider security as digital dangers like ransomware continue to affect K-12 education in high volumes and phishing attacks cost U.S. school districts a median of $2 million between 2016 to 2021.

Make sure you have security software with web filtering and keyword monitoring in place that offers:

• AI-driven threat detection to recognize and block malicious sites and files.    
• Customized filtering for who can access certain websites and when. 
• Compliance with regulations including CIPA, COPPA, the IWF, Friendly Wi-Fi and others.
• Remote capabilities and compatibility within a mixed environment. 
• Keyword monitoring for suicide, violence and cyberbullying.

Digital transformation is not a one-size-fits-all journey

Digital transformation is a journey that requires time and resources. It doesn’t happen overnight and can’t be successful without thoughtful planning, both from a process standpoint, but also budgetary. It’s paramount that schools go into it with a carefully thought-out strategy with achievable tactics and timelines in place. This will not only help to instill clarity when it comes to goal setting, but it will also help to ensure consistency around the process steps, manage expectations, and guide the ship when challenges are encountered.

No two digital transformation strategies will look the same and each district will have different needs over time. However, by educating yourself on the technology that is available, continually assessing your community’s needs and discussing changes with key stakeholders, you’ll be prepared for a smoother journey.