Goin’ Google: El Paso ISD’s partnership with Trafera in the journey to Google for Education
In the fall of 2023, El Paso ISD (EPISD) teamed up with Trafera to bring Google for Education into classrooms across the district. Rolling out Chromebooks and Google Workspace for 50,000 students was a big job, and it came with its own set of challenges–especially in ensuring that teachers felt ready to jump in with these new tools.
This project signified more than just a technology upgrade—it was an investment in the district’s future. With Chromebooks and Google Workspace, EPISD aimed to give students and teachers fresh ways to connect, create, and keep growing for years to come.
El Paso ISD’s Mission: Supporting 50,000 Students with Google for Education
With nearly 50,000 students across a wide region, El Paso ISD saw an opportunity to bridge learning gaps and make education more accessible for everyone. Serving a diverse student body—including many English as a Second Language (ESL) learners—EPISD’s shift to Chromebooks marked a big change. Moving from Apple and Windows devices, they chose Chromebooks for their affordability, user-friendliness, and seamless compatibility with Google Workspace, already familiar to staff and students.
With nearly 50,000 students across a wide region, El Paso ISD saw an opportunity to bridge learning gaps and make education more accessible for everyone. Serving a diverse student body—including many English as a Second Language (ESL) learners—EPISD’s shift to Chromebooks marked a big change. Moving from Apple and Windows devices, they chose Chromebooks for their affordability, user-friendliness, and seamless compatibility with Google Workspace, already familiar to staff and students.
Josh Ratliff saw it as “an opportunity to create a meaningful learning experience around tech integration and best practices with Google Tools.” By focusing on tech that supports collaboration and real-world skills, EPISD aimed to equip students and teachers with tools that would make a lasting impact and set them up with digital skills they can carry forward into the future.
Seamless Tech Integration
Sharo Dickerson, Director of Technology Integration (EPISD) and Trafera, worked together on a professional development plan that included three multi day training experiences for teachers and for technology staff. The teacher-focused days centered around practical, ready-to-use strategies for implementing Google Tools into their classroom practice. On the technical side, the training focused more on device management and the Google Admin Console.
To top it all off, Trafera brought in a very special guest–Matt Miller (Ditch That Textbook) to ramp up the energy and build even more excitement around Google tools.
“Our goal was to get districts ready to use [Google tools] in ways that make a difference”
Josh Ratliff, Director of Education Initiatives at Trafera
By the end of the sessions, teachers walked away with a fresh perspective and practical tools they could bring straight into their classrooms. In addition, they gained ongoing access to Trafera’s On-Demand Professional Development – an online library of training videos.
Google for Education - Ecosystem Of Tools Tailored To Modern Classrooms
Google for Education is quickly becoming the go-to standard in classrooms. As Matt Miller put it, “Google is everywhere—it’s like an industry standard. Using these tools in school gives students skills they’ll use throughout their lives.”
In today’s learning landscape, Google for Education provides an ecosystem of tools tailored to modern classrooms:
- Collaboration at Scale: With Google Workspace, students and teachers collaborate in real time, making group work accessible in both physical and virtual environments.
- Accessibility and Flexibility: Chromebooks’ accessibility features and Google Workspace’s diverse applications support various learning styles, empowering students to learn in ways that suit them best.
- Skills for the Future: Google for Education tools encourage creativity, critical thinking, and digital skills that students will need for future careers.
- Smooth Integration: Google Workspace and Chromebooks integrate seamlessly, allowing for transitions between tasks and subjects that keep students engaged.
Creating a Culture Shift with Google for Education
Transitioning to a tech-focused curriculum required a shift in mindset, more than just deploying devices. Trafera's team knows that full well - having supported hundreds of school districts across the country with similar implementations. El Paso ISD cultivates a very positive culture around technology focused on teachers adopting Google Workspace for Education and Chromebooks as essential learning tools rather than add-ons.
The ultimate goal is for teachers to seamlessly integrate these devices into the curriculum so that using Google for Education tools becomes second nature.
Timothy Holt, EPISD’s Director of Special Projects
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