Oceanside CA— The U.S. Department of Education has selected OUSD Superintendent Dr. Duane Coleman as one of only 100 superintendents nationwide to take part in the first-ever National Connected Superintendents Summit at the White House in Washington, D.C. The summit will take place Wednesday, November 19, 2014.
As part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Future Ready Initiative, superintendents have been invited to the summit based on their efforts to help public schools transition to digital learning. Honorees will be recognized for helping their districts foster a culture of collaboration and digital citizenship, empowering educators with professional learning opportunities, and accelerating progress toward universal access to quality technological devices.
“School districts across the country are helping teachers harness the power of technology to create personal learning environments for all students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We want to make sure every child – whether he or she is in the inner-city, in a rural community or on a Native American reservation – has access to knowledge and the chance to learn 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
The White House summit will be followed by a series of 12-15 regional summits that will focus on the digital progress made by local school districts. The events will also include the unveiling of digital tools that facilitate incorporation of technology into short-term and long-range education planning.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the Future Ready Initiative highlights the critical role of district leaders in setting a vision and creating the environment where educators and students access the tools, content, and expertise necessary for thriving in a connected world. In June 2013, President Obama announced the ConnectED Initiative, with a goal of connecting 99 percent of students to next-generation connectivity within five years.
Now in his 30th year as an educator, Dr. Coleman was appointed OUSD Superintendent in July 2014. He previously served as the district’s Associate Superintendent of Educational Services for seven years, and has worked as a site administrator and classroom teacher.