TEXARKANA, Ark. - The Texarkana, Arkansas School District plans to boost learning at four of their campuses by implementing brand new smart labs.
The district recently purchased them for Arkansas High School, Harmony Leadership Academy, North Heights Community School, and Fairview Elementary.
Each week students work on a unique project in the smart lab.
The labs were developed by Creative Learning System.
Fairview Elementary Principal Bryan McDonald says the company also provides curriculum for the project-based learning.
He says through a collection of kits, students are working collaboratively to accomplish a goal through each of the projects, and then present their findings to the class.
"It's been a significant increase in student engagement. The students are driving their own learning," said McDonald.
McDonald says the labs are meant to provide more science, technology, engineering and math opportunities to students in the district to address learning loss due to COVID-19.
The smart labs on all four campuses cost about $725,000.
It was funded through a federal grant.
