Digital Teaching and Learning Technology

From Inventory to Innovation: How Iron County School District Powers Student Success through Technology and eSports

 

The Iron County School District (ICSD) has discovered an innovative way to spark students’ enthusiasm for learning by introducing a new extracurricular activity: eSports. But behind the excitement of competitive gaming and sleek tech setups lies an important foundation: a unique approach to technology planning, grounded in the Utah Education Network (UEN) K-12 Utah School Technology Inventory.

Beginning in 2015, UEN set out to understand how technology supports teaching and learning by tracking classroom usage of and access to digital resources. Now, 10 years later, in partnership with the nonprofit Connected Nation, UEN continues to conduct its technology inventory across all K-12 Utah public and charter schools.

Students Get Motivated by eSports

Iron County schools use technology in their classrooms every day. But what about after-school hours? That’s where eSports found its foothold, and where many students soon benefited from competitive online gaming. In 2018, ICSD first initiated eSports as an afterschool activity because district leaders wanted to find a way to include more students with non-athletic interests.

“Students who might not be physically capable of doing well in athletics might do well in eSports because of their gaming skills,” said Troy Lunt, Technology Director and Data Privacy Manager for the ICSD. “It gives those students an opportunity to learn how to be a team player and perform in events that put them on the same level as an athlete, or drill team member, or musician, or other competitive school performers.”

Lunt said the district initially experienced some resistance. However, as soon as parents witnessed renewed energy from their struggling students to raise their grades and attendance, a requirement for eSports participation, they were eager to get their students involved. With eSports, the minimum attendance was 90%, with a minimum 2.5 GPA. The students did even better, with some raising their GPA to as high as a 3.5. These capable students needed an opportunity, and their parents fully embraced the district's efforts to bring this into the ICSD schools.

“At the end of the school day, just like other sports, the eSports students have practice at 3 p.m.,” said Lunt. “These teams develop team strategies in our computer labs and practice on how to be team players as they approach these dozen or so games that are approved for their use.”

In 2025, up to 300 ICSD students, from elementary to high school, will participate in some variation of eSports. Participating schools include three high schools, three middle schools, and six out of the nine elementary schools. In 2024, eSports became a sanctioned sport through the Utah High Schools Activities Association (UHSAA). Prior to the state's eSports inception, one of the ICSD high school teams became nationally ranked through a national league the district participated in.

“Now that we have eSports, inventoried devices and computers are just as important as anything else that we do,” said Lunt. “That didn't really become a big thing until late last school year, but with the UEN tech inventory this year, it made it evident that our attention needed to be on all technology inventory—even eSports.”

Keeping Tabs on Tech Improves District Decisions

With an opportunity like eSports comes more work behind the scenes for the district. The ICSD has made huge strides with its technology deployment in and out of the classroom, and one of the contributing factors is the UEN K-12 Technology Inventory.

“The most important thing for us is that this inventory creates awareness,” said Lunt. “There are so many times when Ken Munford (IT Systems Engineer for ICSD) and I get into the inventory, and we always seem to find something that makes us look at each other and say, ‘We didn't even consider that.’ But now, we can find our answers because the UEN survey reminds us of what we need to focus on.” The inventory gives the ICSD Technology Department an opportunity to explain to business administrators, the superintendent, and education directors that they need to give more attention to specific areas.

Building on the proven impact of UEN’s School Technology Inventory for students and teachers over the past decade, the Iron County School District eagerly participated in the 2025 initiative, ensuring every student, teacher, and staff member has the digital tools and support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

Other UEN K-12 Technology Inventory content:

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