Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) will mark the expansion of its partnership with Verizon Innovative Learning at a kickoff event on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Horace Mann Middle, where students will receive their own devices. The school is located at 8950 N.W. 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33150.
Horace Mann, along with Henry H. Filer, Kinloch Park, Miami Springs, and Palm Springs middle schools, are among 34 new additions to the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program for the 2024-2025 academic year. This brings the program’s reach to 626 schools nationwide. These five Miami-Dade schools will receive a total of 2,992 devices with data plans. Verizon’s investment, valued at over $2.3 million per school, adds to the 15 other schools in the district already part of the initiative.
Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, an award-winning program that addresses digital inclusion and equity for vulnerable populations, partners with Digital Promise to provide internet-connected devices to students and enhance the way technology is used in classrooms.
“The partnership between Digital Promise, Verizon Innovative Learning, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools has opened the doors for so many of our educators, families, and students,” said Olema Herrera, district supervisor for instructional technology at M-DCPS. “It is not just an initiative but an opportunity that has changed the mindset of how teaching and learning occurs; it has changed the trajectory of students’ educational journey.”
In addition to providing every student and teacher with reliable access, the program equips each school with a technology coach and offers extensive professional development for teachers to integrate technology effectively. Teachers have reported that the program fosters more individualized instruction, encourages new teaching methods, and boosts student engagement.
“Today’s announcement reinforces Verizon’s commitment to bridge the digital divide in Miami,” said Courtney Barnard, Verizon state and local government affairs. “We are proud to invest in the community and help students and teachers thrive with access to free training and devices.”
