Despite the technological advancements in the EdTech sector in recent years, ensuring equitable access to this tech remains a significant challenge—especially in underserved communities. Educators also need to be equipped with the necessary skills to leverage EdTech for the better future of students.
Today, Iron County School District is setting a new standard in educational technology thanks to a dedicated team of innovators. Led by Troy Lunt (Technology Director) and supported by Randy Yardley (IT Manager), Ken Munford (Network and Security Manager), and Logan Staheli (Data Systems Manager), the team is transforming traditional classrooms into dynamic, digital learning environments.
The team is working continually to ensure that the district’s infrastructure, systems, and strategies remain at the cutting edge. As a result of their consistent efforts, Iron County School District has successfully cultivated a supportive environment where educators can innovate to help students thrive—making it one of The Most Trusted CIO Application Companies in 2024–2025.
A Commitment to Quality Education
Iron County School District is dedicated to setting students up for success by equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary for college and career readiness. To create a supportive learning environment, the district fosters a strong relationship among students, teachers, and families. The district’s vision is to empower all learners to reach their full potential.
Through innovative teaching methods and cutting-edge technology, Iron County School District strives to provide high-quality education for every student. The district holds itself accountable, ensuring that all programs and technology solutions align with its goals and meet the specific needs of its students.
Leading the Way in Educational Technology
Iron County School District’s motivation to lead in CIO applications for education stems from its responsibility to support its stakeholders—school board members, the Superintendent, staff, principals, teachers, parents, and the community. The company focuses on exceeding expectations in technology and education through effective support for end-users like teachers and students. Led by the freedom to make key technology decisions, the district prioritizes innovative, practical solutions tailored to its unique needs—reciprocating the trust and support it receives from its leadership teams and stakeholders.
At the helm of Iron County School District, Troy Lunt plays a crucial role in enhancing the learning experience. Beyond serving as a district resource, he actively participates in regional and state consortiums to influence policy decisions. Ensuring that innovative solutions are carefully vetted and implemented, Troy builds strategic partnerships with top-tier vendors to optimize educational outcomes—making him a key driver of the district’s growth and development.
A Unique Partnership Approach
What separates Iron County School District from the rest is its willingness to give back its time, knowledge, and expertise to its vendors. This helps it improve its ability to work with and provide solutions to its customers—through white papers, webinars, event participation, presentations, content for annual vendor conferences, and more.
The majority of K-12 school districts will not do this because of the time and effort needed to make a difference. Troy spends a significant amount of time working with vendors because it is often the most valuable input and contribution they can receive in making better products and improving their relationships with the Iron County School District.
This is a major distinction between Iron County School District’s tech department when compared with others–Troy goes the extra mile to establish “partnerships” with the Iron County School District’s vendors and technology providers rather than treating them as “just users” of the technology.
Streamlining Operations with Scale Computing
In terms of technology, the Iron County School District has taken a substantial leap forward by implementing Scale Computing hyper-converged infrastructure (HC3). This innovative solution has streamlined virtual machine management and significantly reduced the time and effort required previously. With the adoption of this technology, the district has freed up valuable IT resources—enabling staff to focus on critical priorities. This advancement showcases that the district is committed to leveraging innovative tools with the goal of improving operational efficiency and supporting broader educational goals.
Prioritizing Security and Student Success
The Iron County School District wants to ensure that technology serves as a tool to enhance learning, not hinder it. To meet the required quality standard, it carefully evaluates all technology solutions and prioritizes student data privacy and compatibility with existing infrastructure. Moreover, teachers’ requests for resources are carefully considered to align with curriculum needs.
A recent initiative, the implementation of standards-based grading through PowerSchool significantly improved the transparency for parents and provided teachers with valuable insights into student performance. This system helped teachers identify specific areas of student strength and weakness—allowing them to tailor instruction to meet individual needs. The district ensures consistency and equity in assessment practices by aligning with national grading standards—showcasing a strong commitment to both technological security and the enhancement of student learning outcomes.
Overcoming Tech Obstacles
It was a massive challenge to integrate new technology, led by the complexity of managing devices, infrastructure, and security for a medium-to-large district. It included deploying devices efficiently, ensuring network compatibility, and maintaining compliance with the CIS Controls security framework. The district overcame these difficulties by adopting tools like Mosyle MDM (Mobile Device Manager) for student and staff devices, Google management for student devices, and One to One Plus for asset management and tracking. The district tech department prioritized collaboration, proactive planning with schools, and continuous follow-ups to optimize equipment usage and streamline deployment processes.
The Iron County School District is actively preparing for future technological advancements by focusing on several key strategies to enable scalability, efficiency, and innovation readiness:
- Robust Infrastructure: Prioritizing investment in high-quality network systems to support evolving applications and ensuring strong foundational technology.
- Collaboration: Regular coordination among teams to align on goals and solutions.
- Cloud Transition: Gradually moving suitable applications to the cloud for cost efficiency and scalability.
- Research & Training: Continuous exploration of emerging technologies and investing in staff development.
- Outsourcing: Leveraging third-party services for large-scale projects to optimize resources and focus on critical tasks.
Success Driven by Key Partnerships
The success of the Iron County School District in technology and innovation can be attributed to strategic partnerships with leading organizations. The Utah Education Network (UEN) provides a robust network backbone that supports schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities across the state.
The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) ensures the district’s compliance with data privacy laws and state legislation, while key vendors such as Palo Alto (firewall and filtering), Virtru (email and file encryption), Scale Computing (hyper-converged infrastructure), and 1Password (password and system access security) contribute to security, data encryption, virtual machine management, and password management. Specialized site resources like the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) and Learn Platform further safeguard student data privacy by ensuring the use of secure, vetted classroom applications—enabling efficient and secure operations.
A Culture of Trust and Innovation
As an IT manager, Randy emphasizes the Iron County School District’s commitment to cultivating trust and innovation in educational technology. With robust infrastructure, up-to-date systems, and a responsive technology team, the district is dedicated to supporting educators and students. This collaborative culture prioritizes student success, builds trust through transparency, and aligns decisions with the shared goal of continuous improvement. Its focus on innovation has led to improved student outcomes to ensure the company remains at the forefront of educational technology.
A Strong Foundation for the Bright Future
The Iron County School District is committed to preparing students for a bright future. By fostering critical thinking, embracing innovative technologies, and empowering educators, it is creating a thriving learning environment that inspires and challenges students. Through a combination of rigorous academics, engaging extracurricular activities, and a strong focus on character development, the district is equipping students with the tools they need to succeed in college, career, and life.
Company Overview:
| Name: Iron County School District |
| Founded: 1851 |
| Website: https://irondistrict.org |
| Headquarters: Cedar City, Utah |
| LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iron-county-school-district |
Iron County School District: Achievements
- E-sports Program: Launched in 2018-2019, it attracted over 200 parents at each participating school, and now features nationally ranked teams.
- Cyber Camps: Organized for local and statewide students, these week-long camps inspired future tech professionals.
- Paid Student Internship Program: Offers hands-on experience, fostering loyalty among students who often remain in the district.
- Proactive Stakeholder Support: Ensures teachers are empowered, parents are reassured, and students are safeguarded.
