Superintendent of Schools, Alberto M. Carvalho, visited the White House on November 19, at the invitation of President Barack Obama to join other important education leaders to discuss the transition to digital learning as part of the President’s ConnectED Initiative.
He was selected to introduce the President due to his leadership and successful digital transformation in one of the nation’s largest school districts.
“Two years ago, we began our digital convergence to fundamentally transform the structure and environment of education in our district,” Carvalho said during the President’s introduction.
“To address our infrastructure needs, we raised $7 million in leveraged federal funds to outfit 350 schools with universal Wi-Fi access, which we completed this past August. That is 45 million square feet of space right now under a powerful umbrella of broadband access.”
“We knew that we had to find a way to get internet into children’s homes. Seventy-four percent of our children live at, or below the poverty level,” Carvalho said.
He spearheaded the $1.2 billion General Obligation Bond that was overwhelmingly approved by Miami-Dade voters. The bond is being used to provide technology upgrades at all schools and the installation of new wireless infrastructure. These upgrades are a full four years ahead of the President’s goal that all schools be digital by 2018. The bond is also being used to modernize and construct school buildings throughout the district, expand student capacity, and enhance facility safety.
“I am honored to have been invited back to the White House for a major policy announcement that will help reduce the digital divide, benefiting students across the nation,” said Carvalho.
The event included the leadership of other school districts from across the nation to share best practices and promote technology as an innovative educational tool.