Texas' Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) announced the selection of Discovery Education Experience to support both its current Virtual Summer School program and K-12 teaching and learning districtwide during the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. ECISD’s use of Discovery Education’s high-quality resources, instructional supports, and job-embedded professional development assists the district’s efforts to continue student learning now and in the future, either in a classroom setting or through distance learning. Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms.
ECISD is a rapidly growing school system serving approximately 34,000 students in the oil and gas rich region in and around Odessa, Texas. Believing OUR students are THE future, the mission of Ector County ISD is to inspire and challenge every student to be prepared for success and to be adaptable in an ever-changing society.
To support the district’s current Virtual Summer School program and prepare educators to maintain the continuity of education in the coming school year in the event of a second wave of COVID-19 infections, the district selected the award-winning Discovery Education Experience. A flexible K-12 learning platform, Experience provides compelling high-quality content, ready-to-use digital lessons, unique collaboration tools, and professional learning resources that gives educators everything they need to facilitate instruction and create lasting educational impact. Built for all learners, grade levels, subject areas, and interests, Experience brings new excitement and relevance to the topics educators teach and reaches and engages every student wherever learning is taking place.
Discovery Education will also support a new professional learning initiative ECISD is implementing districtwide. Through this initiative, district educators will learn new strategies for creating engaging learning experiences for students that blend both digital resources and face-to-face instruction though job-embedded professional development opportunities facilitated by Discovery Education staff. These strategies, which are applicable in both the classroom and remote learning environment, will prepare educators to provide all students high quality instruction wherever learning is taking place.
“Like school systems nationwide, Ector County ISD is working hard to prepare our students and teachers for the coming year school year by creating a ‘new and more effective normal’,” said Dr. Scott Muri, ECISD’s Superintendent. “Discovery Education’s combination of digital content and professional learning enhances not only our efforts to continue student learning this summer, but also our ability to improve the quality of learning in the event of future COVID outbreaks.”
ECISD’s partnership with Discovery Education continues district teachers’ access to the Discovery Education Community. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
“Through their innovative effort to create engaging blended learning experiences that help students continue their education no matter the location, Ector County Independent School District’s has staked out a leadership role in preparing for the world beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said Kevin Quinlan, Discovery Education’s Senior Director of Education Partnerships. “We look forward to working closely with Dr. Muri and educators across ECISD as they prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.”
For more information about the Ector County Independent Schools, visit the school system’s website here.
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education currently serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 140 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
