Hero Awards Winner: San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) - 1:1 Computing

As the second-largest district in California, San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) has more than 121,000 students enrolled across its 181 schools. The district’s student population is extremely diverse. Nearly 6,000 teachers are in classrooms at the district’s various educational facilities, which include 117 traditional elementary schools, nine, K-8 schools, 24 traditional middle schools, 22 high schools, 49 charter schools, 13 alternative schools, and five additional program sites.

With so many students from a variety of backgrounds, equity is a critical issue for SDUSD. That’s why the district is transitioning from a 1:1 device cart model to a 1:1 device take-home model. Every student from pre-K through 12th grade has access to a device--a decision that served the district well when the coronavirus pandemic forced it to close its schools in March 2020. SDUSD’s Instructional Technology Department was nicknamed the “First Responders” due to its proactive approach to COVID-19. From showing teachers how innovative technology could help improve learning outcomes to ramping up workshops geared toward preparing educators to teach online, this small but mighty team of six went above and beyond to make an impact during unprecedented times.