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January 2012
As superintendent of McAllen ISD, James Ponce is working to transform his district into a 21st century powerhouse, eventually putting mobile technology in the hands of all 25,000 K-12 students. Ponce learned early in his life the value of public education and dreaming big. His father was an educator, and his mother offered instruction at home.
Ponce says. “They gave me the understanding that whatever aspirations I had, education would get me there.” He laughs, recalling how he used to tell his fellow kindergartners that he intended to get his doctorate someday. “What kid says that? It just shows you the solid foundation that my parents put in place,” he says. After high school, Ponce attended The University of Texas at Austin, earning a bachelor of business administration-finance degree in 1990, followed by a master’s degree in educational administration in 1998 and a doctorate of educational administration in 2009. Starting out as a bilingual education teacher in 1993 in Dallas ISD, Ponce eventually became interested in taking on administrative roles as a way to influence more students. Over the course of 16 years at Dallas ISD, he served as a high school assistant principal, elementary principal and deputy chief of staff. He also served as the Area VI superintendent, overseeing 36 campuses. When Ponce heard about a superintendent opening in McAllen ISD, he was drawn by the district’s reputation, strength and history. He says he thought about where he wanted to raise his family and where he could make a difference, and McAllen fit the bill. “I saw so much opportunity,” he says. In May 2009, Ponce became McAllen ISD’s superintendent. Not one to waste time, he kicked off his service by assessing the district’s strategies for preparing students for colleges and careers. The district also implemented a five-year strategic plan that takes a critical look at educational, operational and business goals. “We were ready for some quantum leaps,” says Ponce. “It’s all about transformation; we wanted to revolutionize what we do.” For instance, the district had been using technology mainly for remedial education; Ponce wanted to shift to a more proactive stance. According to Ponce, a significant amount of technology purchases for school districts revolves around intervention and remediation strategies. He points to credit recovery as an example. “There is still a need for this use of technology,” he says. “However, we must significantly increase the opportunity for staff and students to create and innovate with technology.” To foster that approach, McAllen ISD launched TLC3, or Teaching Learning in the Classroom, Campus and Community. The initiative involves integrating mobile technology throughout the district in an effort to foster higher levels of student engagement, innovation and creativity. Ponce says classroom technology isn’t about teaching kids how to be savvy with mobile devices. It’s about enhancing the way students interact with teachers and with content. The first phase of TLC3 will involve about 5,000 students receiving iPads or iPod Touches. The district ultimately plans to provide iPads for all 25,000 students as well as for teachers. Especially exciting, Ponce notes, is the buzz around content creation. Students and teachers are developing mobile applications to enhance classroom learning. One educator has developed a popular app that centers on parental involvement. It allows parents to use their mobile devices to access school Web resources. With a few clicks, a parent can log on to check grades, classroom schedules, athletic events or school performances. Students also are working on apps. For example, a few high school students are perfecting an app for their history class that will allow all students to see the teacher’s lecture notes, assignments and test dates. “This is an area that’s going to explode,” Ponce says. “I can’t wait to see all the learning and teaching tools that will be developed as part of this.” Although he’s a fierce technology advocate, Ponce unplugs when it comes to his free time. With their three sons of elementary school age, he and his wife, Katherine, go camping and to the beach whenever they can. Just as his parents influenced his decision to go into education, Ponce hopes that he has a positive effect on his children — both the ones at home and the ones in his district. “I just want to have an impact,” he says. “I want to make a contribution.”
ELIZABETH MILLARD is a freelance writer who also has written for District Administration.
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“My grandparents on both sides weren’t formally educated, and my mom and dad wanted better for their children,”