| State: California | Number of Students: 4,237 |
| School Type: Public School District | Free and Reduced Lunch: 86.6% |
| Grade Level: K-Adult | English Language Learners: 49.9% |
School Context
Valuing the Learner: All LUSD students are referred to as learners. They progress through learning based onperformance and mastery instead of age or grade level. The district focuses on meeting the individual needs of allstudents, encouraging curiosity and providing consistent and specific feedback.
Inspiring Learning Facilitators: Strong educators, or “Learning Facilitators,” as Lindsay refers to them, are key to thedistrict. Learning Facilitators are empowered to create relevant and contextualized learning opportunities based on theneeds, interests and motivations of learners.
Culture and Community: The district values all community members and aims to create an inclusive culture thatvalues high expectations for all learners. Since the implementation of the new competency-based, student-centeredmodel, LUSD suspension rates have decreased by 41% and gang membership has decreased by 15%.
State of Technology
Performance-Based Education Model: In 2009, Lindsay Unifiedrevamped its model after thoughtful reflection about the district’sstruggling students. Over the past five years Lindsay has built a neweducational model, which they refer to as a “performance-basedsystem.” In this new student-centered model, students advance oncethey demonstrate mastery of a particular content standard, regardlessof their age or the time of the year.
A Gradual and Thoughtful Shift to Tech: Even though LUSD receiveda $10 million Race to the Top Grant in 2012 to support their work,their shift to a performance-based system did not initially focus ontechnology. At first, Lindsay classrooms used textbooks and paperposters, rather than tech tools and had only a handful of desktopcomputers. However, during the 2014-2015 school year, Lindsaystarted putting technology to work. Since then, the district has alsorolled out 1:1 devices for all students from grades 4-12. By 2016-2017LUSD will rollout 1:1 devices for all students in the district.
Cool Tools: All high school students received school-issued Acerlaptops. Learners use software such as Socrative, Khan Academy,Lexia, FASTT Math and more. The district is also in the midst ofworking with 3Shapes, an Alaska-based edtech company and creatorof Educate, to build a learning management system called Empower.It plans to create a platform that can be shared with other schools.
Citywide WiFi: In September 2014, LUSD initiated its Citywide WiFiproject to provide free wireless internet access to all students at all timesby creating a network of overlapping hot spots throughout the city. Thedistrict then contracted with a licensed third party to install satellites andwifi equipment at students’ homes and expects all installations to becomplete in Spring 2016. The project will allow for the full realization of24/7 learning as it coincides with the district’s current 1:1 device rollout.
Open Door Policy: Since their school model redesign, Lindsay Unifiedreceives regular requests from other districts that are interested invisiting to observe the performance-based system in action. Lindsay hascreated a schedule of dates during which other districts can visit, askquestions and meet with administrators to learn more about the model.
Initiatives
Learning Management System: LUSD is working with 3Shapes to create a learning management system calledEmpower that fits their needs.
