Maine Township High School District 207 is one of just five school districts in Illinois designated a Google for Education Reference Institution, a status recognizing leadership in classroom use of Google technology tools.

The Park Ridge-based district's place in that group surfaced in a Nov. 2 announcement from Bunker Hill CUSD 8, a downstate district that became the newest Illinois school system to earn the designation. The Bunker Hill press release named District 207 alongside Evanston Township High School, Riverside Brookfield High School and Lemont School District as the four existing Illinois Reference Institutions.

The Google for Education Reference District program recognizes school districts that demonstrate commitment to technological innovation and digital instruction, according to the announcement. Bunker Hill Superintendent Dr. Todd Dugan said in the release that being "one of only five districts in Illinois to hold this recognition validates our commitment to educational transformation and digital equity."

A long Google partnership

District 207's Google ties run deep. The district reached out to Google during the 2007-2008 school year about using Google Apps for Education and became Google's first K-12 partner, according to the district's Chromebook program page. Students across the district have carried their own Chromebooks since the 2013-2014 school year.

In 2016, Google identified District 207 as one of 10 high-performing districts worldwide and brought in outside consultants to study the processes behind its success, according to a district news post from that year.

What families should know

District 207 serves approximately 6,200 students in grades 9-12 at Maine East, Maine South, Maine West and Frost Academy, according to the district's profile. Those schools draw students from Park Ridge, Niles, Des Plaines, Glenview, Morton Grove, Norridge, Harwood Heights, the Norwood Park township and Rosemont.

The district uses its 1-to-1 Chromebook program and Google Workspace for Education across all its schools.