In the next few weeks, 100,000 tablets and laptops will be handed out for free as a part of the district's expanding digital learning program.

  • Exciting introduction to middle school for incoming students
  • Program now in its 4th year
  • Hope to expand program to elementary schools

It's a milestone achievement for Orange County Public Schools.

"Our kids are digital natives, and so this is the way they want to learn," began Mariel Milano, who serves at the Director of Digital Curriculum and Instructional Design for Orange County Public Schools.

Hundreds of parents and students packed the cafeteria at Robinswood Middle School in Pine Hills Monday night to learn more about the initiative.

"They're going to go and have a laptop beginning in 6th, and keep using laptops for learning all the way through graduation," Milano explained.

OCPS's LaunchEd digital learning program serves as an exciting introduction to middle school for incoming students.

"I'm the most techie person in the house - I know how to get around things more," said Jordan Winston, who will be a 6th Grader at Robinswood Middle School in August.

"It will be best for Jordan, especially because he doesn't like to carry books, he may lose it," said Jordan's mother, Chennette Robinson. "Having a computer will be a very motivating opportunity because these kids are so into computers."

"The "backpack express" is no more -- everything will be organized in the cloud," Milano continued.

In the program's fourth year in existence, students at 10 more middle schools and one new high school will receive devices.

It's a way to tailor personalized learning with digital content.

"We know that kids want to be able to use technology to learn in real time," said Milano. "They don't want to power down when they come to school, they want to power up and so we're giving them the opportunity to do that, to learn at their speed, at the speed of information and not the speed of their teacher."

After all middle schools receive digital devices, district leaders are hoping to expand the program to elementary schools.

Last school year, OCPS became the first district in Central Florida to provide digital learning devices to all 19 of its traditional high schools.

Current Digital Schools:
Elementary

  • Audubon Park
  • Millennia
  • Millennia Gardens
  • Pinewood
  • Sunrise
  • Wetherbee
  • Windermere     

Middle/High

  • Corner Lake
  • Hunters Creek
  • Liberty
  • South Creek
  • Southwest
  • Wedgefield

High Schools

  • Apopka            
  • Jones
  • Boone              
  • Lake Nona
  • Colonial            
  • Oak Ridge
  • Cypress Creek  
  • Ocoee
  • Dr. Phillips        
  • Olympia
  • East River         
  • Timber Creek    
  • Edgewater      
  • University
  • Evans             
  • Wekiva
  • Freedom         
  • West Orange
  • Winter Park        

Schools added to LaunchED for 2017-18 School Year:
Middle Schools

  • Acceleration Academy East
  • Acceleration Academy West
  • Timber Springs
  • Innovation
  • Carver
  • Robinswood
  • Sunridge
  • Walker
  • Westridge
  • OCPS Academic Center for Excellence   

High School

  • Windermere HS