BELTON, Texas (KXXV) — Belton ISD is looking to the future by approving $600,000 for new digital learning platforms that aim to ease both teachers' and students' way of learning.
- Belton ISD approved $600,000 for new digital learning platforms, aiming to better prepare students for a tech-driven future, with a small rollout expected for the 2025–26 school year.
- Third-grade teacher Christina Botha says the new tools are already helping students make deeper connections in their learning while freeing up teachers’ time.
- Botha emphasizes the importance of balancing technology use with traditional play and cooperation in the classroom to maintain a well-rounded educational experience.
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Christina Botha, a third-grade teacher at Tarver Elementary, says she has already noticed a change as Belton ISD moves toward enhancing digital learning in the classroom.
“There’s been a big difference,” Botha said.
Botha is one of 40 elementary school teachers in the district working to integrate more digital tools into everyday lessons. She said the goal is to better prepare students for a future where technology will play a significant role.
“One of the better things is that we are better prepped at helping students become stewards of their technology because we know that it’s going to be part of their everyday lives,” Botha said.
Last Monday, Belton ISD approved $600,000 for new digital learning platforms, including Texas MyView Literacy and Bluebonnet Learning. Both systems are designed to streamline lesson planning and enhance instruction.
Although the push toward technology aims to advance student learning, Botha emphasized that it remains important to allow children to simply be children.
“But you have to remember that these are still kids and there’s a lot of play and cooperation that’s still a part of the school day, exactly how it was when I first started,” she said.
Botha said her students are already benefiting from the new technology.
“They’re going to have connections between social studies and the folktale they’re studying, and it’s going to give them snippets of videos of the setting so they can analyze how it affects the plot,” she said.
Since the digital platforms were only recently approved, district officials expect a small rollout during the 2025–26 school year, with a larger transition planned for the following year.
Botha said she is hopeful the new tools will allow her to devote more direct attention to her students.
“It frees up my time so I’m reaching every single learner,” she said.
