U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will visit Williamsfield Community Unified School District on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 3:45 p.m. CT to highlight the great strides the rural school district has made in using digital resources to connect students there to the world.
During the event, Duncan will watch student presentations on the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition's STEM Learning Exchange Challenge and participate in a roundtable about Williamsfield's transition to openly licensed educational resources. A media availability will follow.
The 310-student Williamsfield school district has moved from print textbooks to high-quality, openly-licensed digital resources to cut costs and provide better materials for students and teachers. The availability of low-cost, high-quality learning resources in our schools is a priority for President Obama's ConnectED Initiative. Increasing the use of existing openly licensed educational materials in our nation's classrooms can help improve the quality of learning materials and free up financial resources to support the transition to digital learning.
Duncan's visit to the school district is part of "Ready for Success," a back-to-school bus tour also stopping in Champaign, Illinois; Kansas City, Missouri; Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and West Lafayette and Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Other senior Department officials will hold events highlighting the progress and achievements of educators, students, families and leaders in expanding opportunity for students throughout the nation.
Education is a lifelong path—from preschool through college and careers—where, at every point along the way, access to high-quality learning opportunities can ensure everyone is ready for success. This year's "Ready for Success" tour will celebrate how states and local communities are working to increase access and opportunity from early learning through college.
View a video trailer about the bus tour here.
Stay connected with this year's tour by signing up for bus tour email updates.