Durango School District has been inducted into the global nonprofit Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, a national network of school districts that “connects and supports the most forward-thinking leaders in education,” according to the League's website.
As of September 2025, more than 150 school districts in 34 states were signed on as members of the coalition. Durango School District and Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Thornton are the only two districts representing Colorado in the league.
Membership in the league is contingent on superintendents and school districts meeting certain qualifications, according to the league’s site.
Durango School District Superintendent Karen Cheser said some bullet points that qualified Durango for membership include the district’s Portrait of a Graduate framework, which aims to integrate global competencies with a local impact, the presence of the district’s career and technical education programs and the district’s high expectations for students.
“DSD’s focus on career and technical education, career-connected learning, and preparing students for real-world impact through sustainability education and project-based learning made the League an ideal partnership,” Cheser said.
The League of Innovative Schools was founded in 2011, with a mission to “work with educators, researchers, technology leaders and communities to design, investigate and scale up innovations that empower learners, especially those who have been historically and systematically excluded,” according to the league’s site.
Some initiatives from the league include building an ecosystem of competency-based micro-credentials and digital credentialing technology for learners, efforts to responsibly integrate artificial intelligence into education, partnering with Verizon to bring technology to underserved areas, and creating a Challenge Map outlining the most prominent challenges experienced by educational leaders.
These key initiatives by the league will come into play in improving the operations and programming of the district, Cheser said.
According to Cheser, the district plans to utilize the partnership and the league’s resources to provide opportunities for teachers to pilot new programs, enhance the district’s use of AI, expand upon career-based learning and global study opportunities, and follow the research-based solutions included in the league’s Challenge Map to respond to areas of need throughout the district’s schools.
“This partnership will amplify our students’ voices and impact,” Cheser said. “Through League collaborations, our students working on sustainability projects and UN Sustainable Development Goals will connect with peers nationwide, expanding their reach and influence. Our career and technical education students will access opportunities and partnerships that extend far beyond our mountain community while remaining grounded in our local values and priorities.”
epond@durangoherald.com
