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With a few public schools on Oahu and Hawaii Island well on their way with incorporating digital devices, the Hawaii State Department of Education is looking forward to expanding this exciting initiative to select pilot schools across the state. The DOE is grateful for the $8 million appropriated by the Legislature to grow this pilot program. Unfortunately, a recent report by writer Alia Wong, “Department of Education Risks Millions With Digital Classroom Program,” is filled with inaccuracies about the initiative. Here’s a fact check.

Wong writes: “the department appears to be off to a rocky – and rushed – start.”

Fact: Last year, the DOE began planning a three-year, phased-in implementation schedule to provide each child with a digital curriculum as part of the work to implement the Common Core State Standards. The initiative takes advantage of ongoing DOE efforts such as new technology for learning and the state’s broadband infrastructure while addressing some long-standing challenges facing our public schools.

Wong writes: “The initiative aims to hold every kid in the U.S. to the same benchmarks, to the point that one student can in theory travel from one state to another and always be on the same page as his or her peers. (Hawaii adopted Common Core as part of its $75 million Race to the Top grant application.)

Fact: This is not true. Race to the Top did not require states to adopt Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Hawaii State Board of Education independently chose to adopt the CCSS because they are high-quality standards that help prepare our students for college and careers. More information about the Common Core State Standards can be found at .

Wong writes: “Some school board members and district officials have said the program is key to “streamlining” new national standards that are being rolled out to all grade levels this year.”

Fact: First – there are no national standards. Second – this initiative is not about streamlining. It is about providing educators and students with tools to help them support mastery of the standards.

Wong writes: “The limited funding means the department can only give out laptops and tablets to select schools and that those schools will have to purchase rather than lease the devices.”

Fact: The DOE’s approach to this initiative has always been a phase-in. This initiative is a pilot. A pilot occurs in select schools and is an opportunity to collect data and feedback to inform larger scale implementation.

Wong writes: “But school starts in less than six weeks, and the department still has not decided which schools will be participating. State officials are giving schools just one week to apply; applications, which are due Friday, were distributed to school administrators just this week.”

Fact: Although schools had this week to apply for the digital devices, DOE Portfolio Manager Stephanie Shipton explained to Wong the DOE has been working with principals and complex area superintendents for the past year on this initiative.

Wong writes: “After the department selects its pilot schools next week, it plans to start working out project details, including what types of digital devices will be used and how much will be spent per student.”

Fact: The DOE is selecting schools and devices at the same time. The DOE has preliminary device options, but is asking schools about their preferences via the application. The data on school preferences will help inform the final selection. The DOE is rolling out this pilot in a two-step process by first giving the devices to teachers who will be trained on them this fall; then the students will receive them in spring 2014.

Wong writes: “Schools … need to demonstrate enthusiasm for the program.”

Fact: Ms. Shipton stated to Wong that schools need to affirm their readiness for implementing a large and complex project such as this one. Their application already shows interest in the initiative.

Wong writes, “Shipton said the phased approach will ensure that the implementation runs smoothly, especially since it could take time for teachers to master these new devices.”

Fact: Shipton stated that best practices show that device-training time for teachers is absolutely critical for success.

Wong writes, “Although the department still won’t have results from student testing, Shipton said she’s confident that the department will have sufficient data to show that the devices are improving student and teacher engagement.”

Fact: Shipton stated the DOE is hoping to collect data showing the impact; data that includes student and teacher use, formative assessments, and student engagement. Shipton also stated that a pilot is an opportunity to collect data on what works, but also on challenges and lessons learned.

Wong writes: “Lawmakers decided to set aside just a portion of the requested funding, sort of like a test, to see whether the department can successfully manage the digital materials pilot project.”

Fact: A pilot is a test run to inform larger-scale implementation.

Wong writes: “Capable teachers, Shipton said, should be able to use devices like digital whiteboards, even if they’re all on the same curriculum.”

Fact: Shipton did not state this. This initiative does not compare computers to whiteboards. Shipton described technology as a tool to support effective instruction and student engagement.

Lastly, the headline states the DOE “Risks Millions with Digital Classroom Program.”

Fact: The DOE believes Digital learning is worth the investment to prepare our children to be college and career ready. The headline is not only misleading but surprising coming from Civil Beat, which is a strictly digital medium. Failure to invest in digital devices and learning would be risking what’s best for a technological generation.

About the author: Donalyn Dela Cruz is the spokeswoman for the Hawaii State Department of Education.

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