The Gooding School District was ranked as one of the best small districts in the country for integrating technology into the classroom, according to a survey and evaluation by the Center for Digital Education and the National School Boards Association.

Gooding was graded in the smallest of three divisions (for schools with fewer than 3,000 students). Ranking No. 1 in the small division was Geneseo Community Unit School District from Illinois. Gooding was ranked fifth. No other Idaho school was ranked in the three divisions.

Districts were evaluated based on survey questions and criteria that were examined on the following topics:

• Use of mobile devices and technology integration into curriculum.
• Leadership and transparency measures, including board policies and meetings.
• Strategic planning, data management and safety.
• Delivery models and professional development, including availability of technology tools and training for teachers and students.

Districts also were evaluated for handling the challenges they face in implementing online assessments aligned with Common Core state standards; technology priorities, shared services and cloud computing; infrastructure and networks; and status of “bring your own devices” (BYOD) policies in school.

For more information, go to the Center for Digital Education.