Increasing Family Visibility in a Diverse Community
Plano ISD Uses Seesaw to Support Student & Family Engagement
District Snapshot
42 Elementary Schools
Students
Students receive English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services
Engagement and Visibility in a Diverse Learning Community
Plano Independent School District (PISD), a large and diverse suburban district in Texas, serves approximately 47,000 students across a wide spectrum of backgrounds. With nearly 40% of students qualifying for Title funding and 30% classified as Emergent Bilingual, the district is committed to delivering equitable, engaging, and high-quality learning opportunities for all.
That commitment is reflected in its strategic plan, which emphasizes academic growth, student engagement, safety and wellness, and strong family and community partnerships.
To support these goals PISD turned to Seesaw—a platform that enhances instruction, empowers students, and enables schools to build meaningful connections with families Pre-K through 5th grade.
A Tool for Visibility and Voice in a Station-Based Classroom
For elementary educators, Seesaw offers a solution to a common challenge: how to see what students are learning during independent or small-group stations.
“Without tools like Seesaw, students are often limited to recording their learning on paper, if they’re recording it at all,” said Dr. Ashley Davis, Director of Elementary Academic Services. “Seesaw is a quick way for teachers to see what students are learning.”
Seesaw allows students to demonstrate their learning through multimodal tools—recorded voice, drawings, written reflections—which not only bring their thinking to life but also allow teachers to better support and differentiate instruction.
Geralyn Hendrick, a Mathematics Instructional Specialist, emphasized how the platform supports both learning and efficiency in the classroom: “The use of the multimodal tools provide valuable insight into students’ thinking and understanding for the teacher. It can save teachers instructional time to work directly with students while others are working independently on Seesaw.”
Creating a Connected Learning Experience for Families
In a district where 30% of students are Emergent Bilinguals and families speak many languages, creating strong home-school connections is essential. Plano ISD staff consistently share that Seesaw’s communication tools are one of its most transformative features.
“It’s just such a great way for families to be involved in a way that we don’t see with any other programs,” said Dr. Davis. “If students use the voice tool, family members can hear their kid’s voice. They can comment on student work. Seesaw brings families into the classroom.”
Lilly Jensby, a Digital Learning Specialist and second language learner herself, highlighted the platform’s impact on parent relationships: “To me, I think it’s the language part that really brings in the parents. That seamless
communication between families and teachers is powerful. And we know that has a high impact on student success.”
Empowering Teachers and Elevating Instruction
Teachers in PISD benefit from both the flexibility and the structure that Seesaw offers. They can create custom lessons, choose from an extensive content library, or access lessons pushed out centrally from the curriculum team—ensuring alignment to TEKS and instructional consistency across classrooms. “I like that we can create lessons at the curriculum level and push it out across the district,” said Dr. Davis. “We can assure that it’s aligned to the TEKS and the style that we want.”
Kristen Meharra, Elementary Social Studies Coordinator, noted how Seesaw simplifies lesson creation while keeping communication at the forefront.
There are other products out there that can do parts of what Seesaw can do, but not all in one platform.
Supporting Diverse Learners Through Choice and Creation
Plano ISD educators emphasized how Seesaw supports student agency, creativity, and differentiation—all essential for a diverse student population. Students can choose how to show what they know—whether through writing, drawing, voice recordings, or video—giving them autonomy in how they express their learning. “It’s a two-way thing,” said Jensby. “Teachers gain insight into student learning, and students gain flexibility in how they share that learning.”
Starting Strong with Purpose and Support
As with any successful district-wide initiative, implementation mattered. Dr. Davis stressed the importance of setting clear expectations and ensuring stakeholders understood the “why” behind the tool. “If we’re investing funds into this product, everyone involved needs to know what it can do,” she said. Jensby added, “You’ve got to have the support of the stakeholders before you get the momentum for the feet-on-the-ground action that has to take place to roll this out district-wide.”
A Platform That Reflects the District’s Mission
Today, Seesaw aligns with Plano ISD’s strategic priorities by:
• Enhancing visibility into student thinking and growth across elementary classrooms
• Supporting multilingual family engagement and strong home-school relationships
• Providing equitable learning opportunities for diverse student populations
• Offering flexible tools for teacher-created, curriculum-aligned instruction
As PISD educators put it, Seesaw brought a “Trifecta” of Impact: through engaging lessons, student thinking, and family visibility. Seesaw is more than a tool—it’s a bridge between students, teachers, and families, helping bring learning to life in every classroom.
