Megan Hanley, executive director of school design at ASU Preparatory Academy, is the 2025 recipient of the Digital Learning Collaborative’s Individual Excellence in Digital Learning Award. 

The award was presented during the recent Digital Learning Annual Conference presented by DLC, a press release explained. 

The Individual Excellence in Digital Learning Award is presented to an academic leader who has contributed in extraordinary ways to change or move K-12 digital learning forward over the past year, making a meaningful impact on the field, according to the release.

Hanley, a native of Tempe, was nominated by Jill Rogier, head of schools for ASU Prep Digital, a tuition-free online school serving kids in grades K-12 across Arizona. Hanley was a driving force in launching ASU Prep Digital+, a new learning format introduced in 2022.

Rogier reported in her nomination that through her work, Hanley showed that education can be adaptive, empowering and connected to the world outside the classroom, according to the release.

“Megan’s vision offers a promising path forward for digital learning, one that other schools can look to as they seek to create engaging and impactful learning experiences for their students,” Rogier stated.

Recognizing that many families appreciate the flexibility of online learning but also value personal engagement with peers and instructors, Hanley led a team of academic leaders at ASU Prep in creating ASU Prep Digital+ as a hybrid learning experience that offers at-home learning combined with in-person collaboration, discussions and project-based learning in a small group setting.

Digital students in grades 9-12 meet at a local ASU campus — ASU West Valley, ASU Tempe or the ASU Media and Immersive eXperience center in Mesa — to participate in collaborative learning projects and/or take ASU courses for college credit, the release explained.

Students choose a pathway (College Exploratory, Learning Lab and Experience) with the flexibility to enroll for in-person programming one to three days per week. 

Dr. Allison Powell, chief academic officer for DLAC and program chair of DLAC 2025, said in the release that Hanley’s leadership in developing the ASU Prep Digital+ micro school program really impressed the DLC.

“Her commitment to student-centered learning, the program's innovative project-based approach and the remarkable outcomes students have achieved — including high college placement rates and personal transformations — are impressive,” Powell said.

Under Hanley’s leadership, ASU Prep Digital+ has grown from an experimental 19-student program to serving more than 200 students in just three years. 

Student surveys reflect just how meaningful this program is to them, the release stated. Many students join ASU Prep Digital+ because they felt limited in traditional schools, while the micro school offers a space where they can thrive. 

They report a sense of community and belonging within the program. Beyond feeling connected, students develop vital skills like critical thinking, collaboration and self-management, which give them renewed confidence about their learning and futures.

What’s more, 89% of last year’s graduating class moved on to college, with many pursuing fields introduced through the program. For example, some students who initially had little interest in cinematography enrolled in media-related college courses after gaining hands-on experience through ASU Prep Digital+ at the MIX Center, the release noted.

Hanley joined the ASU Prep team in 2021 as academies and student initiatives director and later served as director of strategic initiatives before stepping into her current role leading school design in May 2023. 

She previously held assistant principal and administrative leadership positions in the Washington, D.C., area. She earned a master’s in early childhood education from George Mason University and is certified in leadership and innovation by Georgetown University.