Cherokee County board to consider Savvas, Cengage adoptions after teacher-led review; district unveils literacy pilot

The Cherokee County School Board heard a detailed report March 20 on proposed local teaching standards, a multi-tiered instructional‑resource selection process and a pilot to expand early reading intervention.

District staff presented drafts of customized Cherokee County teaching standards and recommended the board adopt Savvas as the core English language arts resource for elementary through high school and Savvas (K–8) plus Cengage Learning (high school) for math. The board was also told the district will pilot an Orton‑Gillingham reading intervention in kindergarten through second grade and expand reading screeners into ninth and tenth grades.

The adoption recommendation follows a structured review: an RFP process that winnowed roughly 15 submissions to four finalists in each subject, then an instructional‑resource showcase that drew more than 800 in‑person participants over two and a half days. Teachers, principals, district staff and parents scored materials on criteria derived from teacher feedback: alignment to standards, assessment quality, differentiation, implementation supports, pricing and references. "If you look at the CCSD criteria... that CCSD criteria was made from our teams in math and ELA going out into every school and listening to our teachers," Doctor Heath said during his presentation.

In explaining the standards work, staff described an effort to convert Georgia’s Standards of Excellence into a local, sequenced set of expectations to make daily planning clearer for teachers. Heath gave an example from first grade spelling standards that grouped nine patterns into a sequenced scope so concepts are taught in a clearer order across quarters.

On instructional resources, staff recommended Savvas for kindergarten through eighth grade math and for ELA across grade levels, and Cengage Learning for high‑school math courses. A teacher who evaluated the Savvas math package told reviewers, "There are so many options to choose from to help you teach a lesson, but everything's right there in front of you. You wouldn't have to search several resources to find what you need." A high‑school teacher who reviewed Cengage said it aligned to the Georgia standards and provided remediation resources and Canvas integration, adding: "I highly recommend this resource based on their alignment with the Georgia standards of excellence."

Staff emphasized that no single resource is a complete solution and that implementation, teacher development and local leadership will determine outcomes. The district intends to place physical materials in teachers' hands before summer break and begin professional development at that time. "Our intent is to provide physical resources to our teachers before they leave for summer break and to begin professional development at that time," Josh (staff member) said when asked about timing.

Separately, staff proposed expanding reading screeners to ninth and tenth grades and launching a pilot intervention using Orton‑Gillingham in K–2 with one teacher per elementary school in a pilot school per zone and an additional one to three trained intervention teachers at the pilot sites.

The board will receive the formal adoption proposal during its evening business meeting. No adoption vote appears in the March work session transcript; staff characterized the March 20 presentation as the culmination of the RFP and review process and recommended board consideration during the regular meeting.

Implementation steps outlined by staff include cross‑walking the new local standards to adopted resources, a comprehensive review of existing materials for possible customization, and beginning professional learning and distribution before the summer planning window.

If approved, the changes would combine the district’s locally customized standards with the new core resources and the Orton‑Gillingham pilot as part of the district’s "cohesive system of teaching and learning." Staff said the district will continue an annual cycle of teacher and content team review to refine local standards and supports.

Board members thanked staff and teachers for the vendor showcase and the collaborative process that prioritized teacher input.

The board meeting packet and staff presentation list the draft customized standards and the instructional‑resource scoring materials; staff said the drafts will be posted to the district website for public review following the meeting.