The Goliad school board's support of a 1:1 laptop program helped to earn top honors from the Texas Rural Education Association (TREA) this year. The board was named TREA's 2009 Outstanding School Board of the Year.

The scope of the program – which involved a four-year lease/purchase of 862 Apple laptops with carrying cases or back packs in order to provide K-12 staff members and students in grades 7-12 with a MacBook or MacBook Pro – was a first for the region. Students can take laptops home, and the board is working with local businesses to facilitate home Internet access. The school has wireless access. Additionally, some textbooks are available in digital format.

Jerry Stout, TREA immediate past president and chair of the nominating committee, explained why the committee was so impressed with the Goliad school board. "They seem to be a very cohesive board and work toward what's best for all children. It's refreshing to see," he said. Other recent projects initiated by the board include school building improvements, increasing employee salaries to be competitive with other school districts in the region, and a Master's Degree Incentive Plan.

Source: University of Houston-Victoria Newswire, UHV administrator leads school board to state recognition