“Can a School’s Tech Program Take a Rural Town Out of Poverty?” That’s the eye-catching headline on a major news story at The Atlantic magazine website, describing the ongoing saga of Piedmont City Schools, where Superintendent Matt Akin and his school board continue their efforts to power up learning across the entire community via a fully integrated digital network.
The latest report on PCS’s multi-year “mPower Piedmont” program follows on the heels of a December 1 story at the nationally acclaimed Mind/Shift blog, a project of San Francisco PBS station KQED, titled “How Rural Schools Paid for Students’ Home Internet to Transform Learning.” Earlier this year, the federal non-profit group Digital Promise published an in-depth case study of the mPower initiative.
Over the past several years, the Piedmont City Schools’ story has appeared in numerous other national news outlets. In 2012, the National School Boards Association named Matt Akin as one of “20 to Watch” for his leadership of this ambitious technology project. Matt was also recognized by the Alabama State Board of Education for his 2011 selection as eSchool News’ Tech-Savvy Superintendent of the Year.
What may be most satisfying are the national school recognition awards, including Piedmont High’s selection as one of “America’s Best High Schools” by U.S. News & World Report for three consecutive years, as well as a USDOE Blue Ribbon award and designation as an Apple Distinguished School.
As the latest stories relate, Piedmont City’s quest continues to be a resources challenge. But the progress that Piedmont educators, community leaders and supportive parents have made is remarkable. They are building a model of what 21st century rural public education can be.
