District committee recommends Carnegie Learning for 6–12 math adoption after pilot; estimated 8‑year contract and $1M budget impact discussed

A district committee recommended adopting Carnegie Learning for the West Allis‑West Milwaukee School District’s 6–12 math curriculum after piloting Carnegie and McGraw Hill Reveal; the recommendation and a budget estimate were presented to the board on May 12.

The committee enrolled teachers from across secondary sites to pilot both vendors. Committee members and pilot teachers reported that Carnegie’s materials emphasize math discourse, collaborative tasks and real‑world applications; teachers said those features produced richer class discussion and alignment with standards. Independent reviews (EdReports) rated both programs as meeting expectations, committee members said.

Teachers and pilot coaches reported positive results with Carnegie’s student materials and online platform (Mathia), though students initially rated McGraw Hill Reveal as more familiar and more immediately comfortable. Presenters said the shift to Carnegie will require a learning curve for students and additional teacher onboarding because the platform’s interactions differ from prior materials; pilots included coaching visits and on-site support that teachers found valuable.

The proposed adoption package from Carnegie Learning included teacher guides, student materials (print consumables), online access, launch professional learning, and on-site coaching support (26 coaching days noted for the initial implementation window). The illustrated budget estimate covered an eight‑year adoption and included launch professional learning and leadership training; presenters said costs were comparable to typical district adoptions for core ELA and math and that the district budget cycle accounts for such adoptions.

Board members asked about budget planning and supplementary supports (ALEKS/Alex currently used for intervention), platform features (acceleration and intervention reporting) and coaching continuity after year two. Carnegie representatives said the platform allows student acceleration up to algebra 2 if teachers open advanced modules, provides teacher reports to monitor student mastery, and that long‑term discounts are possible for longer contracts. The committee will return with a formal recommendation for the board’s next meeting.

No final board vote occurred on May 12; the committee presentation and questions were informational and slated for further board consideration.