Austin Public Schools has hired several technology integration coaches to work with teachers and students in the 2014-2015 school year.

Six of the Austin Public Schools have taken on a new technology integration coach, including Southgate Elementary School, Neveln Elementary School, Sumner Elementary School, I.J. Holton Intermediate School and Ellis Middle School, according to Educational Services Director John Alberts. Banfield Elementary School and Woodson Kindergarten Center didn’t need technology integration coaches at the time.

The technology integration coaches will focus on helping teachers and students adapt to new technology. The coaching positions were filled by teachers that already worked in the district.

“Those were building decisions, based upon staff that they had and knowledge that they had about the staff, and in particular their engagement with technology in their own instruction,” Alberts said. “Also, it would also be a teacher that would be willing and wanting to move outside of the classroom to help support teachers.”

The district has already hired coaches and assigned them to schools for this coming school year. The schools already have instructional coaches in place to help with the integration of reading programs, who will be switching their focus from pure literacy to other areas of need.

Alberts said the new positions should not have major cost effects.