Two school districts in Tolleson, Arizona, are sharing a one-time $338,000 grant to purchase new educational technology that aids the development of reading skills for students, the Arizona Republic reports.
According to the news provider, Tolleson Elementary and Tolleson Union school districts collaborated to receive the grant from the U.S. Department of Education's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allowed them to pay for new laptops, iPods, cameras, recording devices and a reading intervention program, as well as training for teachers throughout the year.
Educators have found utilizing state-of-the-art technology in the classroom can enhance their ability to convey lessons to students. For example, a teacher can connect a computer to an LED monitor, an HD-TV or an HDMI computer to create a learning environment that encourages student participation.
According to the Arizona Republic, Tolleson Elementary had planned to expand its technology and training program to all elementary schools in the district, but the proposition was rejected by voters. One teacher told the news provider the school district intends to ask for another vote.
