Veteran Florida Educator Calls for Outcomes-Focused Conversation on Classroom Technology

As policymakers, parents, and educators continue to debate technology's role in schools, a veteran Florida educator is urging stakeholders to focus less on screen time and more on student outcomes.

In a new op-ed published today in the Tallahassee Democrat, Leigh Ann Norris, an educator with 29 years of classroom experience in Hamilton County, stresses that technology should be viewed as one tool among many that can help teachers support student learning. Drawing on her experience using i-Ready, Norris emphasizes that instructional tools are most effective when they are used intentionally by engaged teachers to identify learning gaps, track student progress, and complement instruction.

"The question should not be whether students are using technology," Norris writes. "The question should be whether it is helping them make progress."

Norris's op-ed serves as an important reminder that educational tools should ultimately be judged by whether they can effectively help students learn and succeed, and it reinforces that the most important voices are the ones that have seen the impact of edtech in the classroom firsthand.

What the Classroom Technology Debate Is Missing | Opinion

By Leigh Ann Norris

After 29 years in the classroom, I've learned there is no magic solution when it comes to helping students succeed. I work in Hamilton County. We are a small, incredibly rural district with about 1,500 K–12 students. It is my job to help my students unlock their full potential.

Every few years, a new program, initiative, or approach promises better results. But the truth is much simpler: students grow when great teachers have the right tools and use them well.

That is why I sometimes feel like the conversation around classroom technology misses the point. Not all screen time is the same.

As an educator, I understand why parents have questions about technology in schools. Conversations about screen time, distraction, and student wellbeing are important. Schools should be thoughtful about how technology is used and whether it is helping students learn.

But too often, the debate focuses on screens instead of outcomes.

The question should not be whether students are using technology. The question should be whether it is helping them make progress.

For the past eight years, I have used i-Ready learning curriculum in my classroom. One lesson has become clear: it works if you work it.

What does that mean?

It means technology is not a substitute for teaching. It is not a babysitter. It is not something students should use without purpose or guidance.

In my classroom, students track their progress, set goals, and take ownership of their learning. We talk about their data. We celebrate growth. We review areas where they need additional support. Students are expected to show their work, stay engaged, and put forth their best effort.

Teacher buy-in matters, too.

If a teacher is actively using the information a program provides, helping students understand their progress, and using that information to guide instruction, it can be incredibly valuable. If not, no program in the world is going to produce results on its own.

Every teacher knows what classrooms look like today. Students often arrive with very different academic needs. A teacher may have students in the same class performing at several different levels. Understanding where each student is and how best to support them can be challenging.

That is where instructional tools can help.

When used intentionally, programs like i-Ready can help identify learning gaps, highlight strengths, and provide information that helps teachers make better decisions about instruction. They can help educators intervene earlier and provide support where it is needed most.

Over the years, I have watched students gain confidence as they tracked their growth and reached goals they did not think were possible. I have seen struggling students make meaningful progress because we were able to identify challenges early and provide support before they fell further behind. We can chart their growth and measure how they will do on state tests all while keeping teachers at the forefront of their education.

Technology helped provide information. The growth came from what teachers and students did with it.

That is why I believe we need a more balanced conversation about classroom technology.

Schools should absolutely continue evaluating how technology is used in classrooms. Educators should welcome those conversations.

But we should judge any instructional tool the same way we judge any educational resource: by whether it helps students learn.

In my experience, when teachers buy in, students buy in. When students take ownership of their progress, they grow. And when technology is used thoughtfully and intentionally, it can be one more tool that helps students succeed.

After nearly three decades as an educator, that is the result that matters most.

Leigh Ann Norris is an educator with Hamilton County Florida, with nearly 30 years of experience and is a 2020 Florida Teacher of The Year Finalist.

About Curriculum Associates

Curriculum Associates is a mission-driven company dedicated to making Grades K–12 classrooms better for more than 17 million students and one million educators nationwide. The company's connected suite of i-Ready® solutions unites adaptive assessment, personalized instruction, and core curriculum in English language arts and mathematics—supported by expert professional learning and service teams—alongside Ellevation for multilingual learners and Stile Education® for middle school science. Through its innovation hub, AI Labs, Curriculum Associates designs forward-looking technologies educators can trust. The company measures success by the impact it makes on student outcomes and is honored to support the extraordinary work of teachers every day.

Media Contact: Jennifer Seabolt, jenn@teakmedia.com