ACPS Chief Technology Officer Announces Retirement

By Albemarle County Public Schools

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — After eight years with Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS), Chief Technology Officer Christine Diggs announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

During her tenure with ACPS, Diggs led the Department of Technology through the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently several large technology initiatives to strengthen student access to digital tools that support learning.

“Equitable access to technology and opportunity to learn that technology has been a major priority during my time with ACPS,” Diggs said. “I am very proud of the strides that the Department of Technology has made to ensure that every ACPS student has that access, opportunity and support, and I have no doubt that they will continue to exceed expectations for this work in the years to come.”

Diggs helped lead a transformation in how ACPS approaches technology, shifting the focus from access alone to true digital equity. Building on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, the division enhanced its 1:1 device program and strengthened connectivity efforts throughout the county so that all students could participate in learning both in and out of the classroom via the ACPS@Home program.

As access expanded beyond the classroom, so did the need to support students and families in navigating technology responsibly. In response, the Department of Technology developed a family guide, “Keeping Our Kids Safe and Healthy in a Digital World,” to provide practical resources for supporting safe and healthy technology use at home.

“This work was grounded in the belief that access to technology isn’t just about having devices, but about being able to create opportunities for students to engage, learn and create with those devices in a healthy way,” Diggs said.

At the same time, the division made significant investments in modernizing classroom technology, including the introduction of interactive displays and tools that support dynamic, student-centered instruction. In addition to these improvements, ACPS embedded Learning Technology Integrators (LTIs) in each school to support teachers with the purposeful and healthy use of instructional technology.

“Dr. Diggs’ efforts to ensure that each student has an equitable opportunity to engage meaningfully with technology will have a lasting impact on our division,” Haas said. “Beyond her work in driving innovation and critical technology improvements, she has been a strong and dynamic leader of the Department of Technology. As a valued member of the Cabinet, Chris has been a leader for our entire school system, and her influence has been instrumental in our progress toward creating a more connected, innovative, and equitable learning environment for all students.”

With the announcement, the Department of Human Resources has begun the search for ACPS’ next Chief Technology Officer. As part of this process, ACPS employees, students and families are invited to complete a brief survey to share their input on the qualities they value most in the next leader. This feedback will help shape interview questions and ensure candidates are evaluated based on how well they can meet the needs of the division. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese.

Haas is expected to present his recommendation for the next Chief Technology Officer to the Albemarle County School Board in mid-May, with a July 1, 2026, start date.