Transforming Elementary Education (South Washington County Schools)
Transforming Elementary Education
Fostering Student Agency, Family Connection, and Personalized Learning in South Washington County Schools
25 Schools
1,500+
Students receive English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services
18%
Qualify for Title Funding Students receive special
services
20,000
The Seesaw Lighthouse District Program recognizes districts for outstanding implementation, feedback, and usage of Seesaw.
Supporting the Evolving Demographics of South Washington County Schools
South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo Schools) is the sixth-largest district in Minnesota, encompassing seven cities and 84 square miles. Over the past 20 years, SoWashCo has seen a profound demographic shift. Today, over one-third of students identify as a race other than white, and many come from multilingual or economically disadvantaged households.
This evolving population brings opportunities and challenges: how to connect every family, honor diverse learning needs, and create engaging, student-centered instruction .
As the district continues to grow, both in numbers and complexity, it remains grounded in its Strategic Plan , built on five core pillars:
1. Meaningful Connections
2. Integrity
3. Equity
4. Excellence
5. Educational Innovation
Since 2015, Seesaw has been a big part of how SoWashCo brings these values to life across its elementary schools. What began as a way to improve communication and engagement has grown into a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that supports instruction, assessment, accessibility, and innovation .
South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo Schools) is dedicated to delivering an inclusive, highquality educational experience where every learner can thrive. To meet the needs of their diverse student population and increasingly complex classroom environments, the district sought a digital learning platform that would unify elementary classrooms, promote student agency, support differentiated learning, and strengthen family engagement. They found that solution in Seesaw.
We needed a platform that could simplify communication with families, support standards-based learning, accommodate diverse learners, and enhance student engagement through multimedia tools. Seesaw met all those needs—and more.”
Ali Flaata, Technology Integration Coordinator
The Challenges: Bridging Gaps in Growth, Equity, and Communication
Before Seesaw, SoWashCo Schools faced persistent challenges common to large, diverse districts.
SoWashCo School’s key challenges included:
• Consistently engaging families, with special emphasis on supporting English Learners
• Providing differentiated and authentic opportunities for diverse modes of student expression
• Supporting English Learners (ELL) and special needs students through purposeful, flexible accommodations
• Managing multiple, inconsistent technology tools to reduce teacher fatigue and improve workflow
• Accurately communicating student mastery in alignment with academic standards
• Ensuring responsible and safe integration of AI tools within instructional practices
Ms. Flaata inidicated that on top of supporting all of these challenges, Seesaw offered more than a platform, “Seesaw gave us a way to make student learning visible and meaningful—to teachers, families, and students themselves.”
A Unified Platform for Standards-Aligned Learning and Family Connection
Seesaw offered SoWashCo Schools a unified, all-in-one platform, elementary LMS that centralizes curriculum, formative assessments, and family communication within a single, user-friendly system. The platform’s standards-aligned tagging and rubrics simplify grading, while multimodal tools empower students to demonstrate learning in their own unique ways. Its robust accessibility features ensure all students—including ELL and special education learners—can fully engage. Advanced AI tools provide personalized lesson suggestions and formative feedback, freeing teachers to focus on instruction without compromising privacy.
Eliminating Tech Fatigue and Unifying the Elementary LMS Experience
Enhancing academic growth through clarity and engagement, teachers use Seesaw to gather formative evidence—from audio reflections to videos—that provide richer insights into student thinking beyond traditional tests. Differentiated assignments meet students at all levels, fostering ownership and motivation.
First grade teacher Neerja Suri-Kumra points out how Seesaw empowers student voice: “Seesaw allows me to be the best educator I can be, as I now have deeper insights into my students’ strengths and challenges.”
Other educators also champion the platform’s creativity and independence benefits, noting how students gain immediate feedback and express themselves in multiple ways.
I am able to hear my students explain their thinking. This is an invaluable tool that allows me to hear them all individually. It helps me pinpoint where they are with their learning.”
Betsy Hoel, Kindergarten Teacher
Driving Family Engagement With Seamless Connections
Seesaw’s app bridges classroom and home by providing real-time student work updates with automatic translations, inviting families into their child’s learning in ways that transcend language and time barriers. This two-way communication builds community and strengthens home-school partnerships.
Shannon Casey, a K–1 Multiage teacher, celebrates that “kindergartners can be independent sharers of their learning!” Meanwhile, music teacher Shelby F. remarks on how Seesaw opens windows beyond the traditional classroom: “Seesaw helps give families a chance to look into my music room and talk to their child about the things they are learning outside their regular classroom.”
When parents comment and celebrate their kids’ learning posts, it lights up the classroom and motivates every student.”
Ali Flaata confirms the motivational aspect that emerges when families engage: Supporting English Learners and Personalized Accommodations
Equity is more than a strategic priority for SoWashCo — it’s a necessity. With over 20% of students receiving special education services and thousands of Language Learners, instructional tools must support multiple pathways to success.
• Flexible grouping and differentiated assignments
• Visual and auditory supports
• Integration with IEPs and accommodations
• UDL- and WCAG-aligned accessibility features
Seesaw’s translation features and expressive multimodal tools enable English Language Learners and students with disabilities to fully participate, allowing teachers to personalize learning and efficiently document progress on IEP and 504 plans. Third grade teacher and technology coach Sara Bonine highlights how the platform “inspires students to share their voice in unique and creative ways” and supports authentic assessment.
Multilingual learners benefit from being able to record their thoughts in their home language, or use voice recordings to develop English fluency. Families benefit from built-in translation that helps them participate fully
Ali Flaata, Technology Integration Coordinator
in their child’s education — something that’s often missing from traditional LMS platforms.
Eliminating Tech Fatigue and Unifying Elementary LMS Use
Prior to Seesaw, inconsistency among platforms caused frustration and wasted time. With Seesaw as the district’s LMS, the digital experience became streamlined and consistent across grades. The staggered rollout, supported by ongoing professional development, booster teacher confidence and usage.
Seesaw’s LMS gives educators a secure platform for family communication and engagement, grading, assessments, progress monitoring, content customization for accomodations and accessibility, and user management tools.
“
Having one consistent platform for our elementary classrooms reduced retraining and tech headaches, so teachers could focus on teaching.”
Ali
Flaata, Technology Integration Coordinator
Empowering Teachers with Time-Saving, Responsible AI Tools to Personalize Instruction
SoWashCo is committed to safe, responsible, and transparent use of AI in education — and Seesaw is a partner in that journey.
With AI-powered features like:
• Immediate student feedback
• Suggested learning activities
• Audio response scaffolding
• Teacher assistance with commenting and insights
Seesaw’s AI enhancements help us deliver timely, personalized supports without compromising student data privacy—a real win for teachers and learners alike.”
Ali Flaata, Technology Integration Coordinator
… educators are able to reclaim time while ensuring students receive timely and relevant support.
Seesaw incorporates advanced AI tools that provide teachers with personalized formative feedback and lesson suggestions based on student work patterns. This capability enables targeted remediation or acceleration while maintaining high standards for student data privacy in alignment with district policies.
These tools are not replacing teachers — they’re amplifying their impact, and giving them back precious time for human connection and planning.
Meaningful Growth and Strategic Implementation District-Wide
Thanks to Seesaw, SoWashCo Schools have accelerated standards-based assessment clarity, increased family engagement with 96% connection, expanded student agency through multimodal expression, and streamlined personalized supports—all while reducing teacher technology burden. Backed by intentional funding through the technology department budget and comprehensive professional development, Seesaw has become a cornerstone of the district’s strategic commitment to equity, innovation, and learner agency.
Advice for Districts Considering Seesaw
A SoWashCo’s successful adoption of Seesaw didn’t happen overnight. The district implemented Seesaw in a phased approach, starting with grades K–2, then expanding to grades 3–5.
Throughout the rollout:
• Teacher teams met three times per year
• PD focused on classroom integration, differentiation, and assessment
• The tech department fully funded the platform to ensure access for all
Today, Seesaw is embedded in SoWashCo’s educational ecosystem.
Ali
Flaata offers this guidance:
Ali Flaata, Technology Integration Coordinator “
Choose tools that fit your community’s diverse learners, families, and teachers. Seesaw is user-friendly, equitable, and really listens to what classrooms need. It’s so much more than an LMS—it’s a partner in learning.”
Real-time updates, automatic translations, direct communication
Multimodal tools that foster authentic expression
Equity & Access Accommodations, UDL and accessibility features, translations
Want to Learn More?
South Washington County Schools’ journey exemplifies how embracing equity, accessibility, and connection through a unified digital platform can truly transform teaching and learning experiences. By prioritizing these core values, the district has created an environment where every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Whether your district serves diverse suburban communities, rural areas, or urban centers, Seesaw’s comprehensive tools and resources are designed to meet the unique needs of every learner, family, and educator. This powerful platform fosters collaboration, streamlines communication, and provides actionable insights that guide instructional decisions with clarity and confidence. Ultimately, Seesaw unlocks meaningful growth by promoting engagement, inclusivity, and purposeful learning—helping your district build a thriving educational community where all voices are heard and all learners succeed.
Award-Winning Instructional Platform
Grounded in Research and Designed by Experts
Validated as a designated Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Tier III and Tier IV evidence-based intervention by industry-leading third-party, Edtech insights organization, LearnPlatform
Awarded International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Seal of Alignment demonstrating powerful instructional tools that deliver a high-quality learning experience aligned to the leading digital age standards
Earned Digital Promise product certifications for Research-Based Design for Instructional Learning Products and Learner Variability
Structured and explicit literacy instruction based on the Science of Reading research from Dr. Louisa Moats and Wiley Blevins
Supports educators in applying the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines for their instruction
Equips schools and districts with evidence-based tools to implement Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
