Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Teaching Learning Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elementary curriculum audit shows literacy gains; district rolls out anti‑bias training and family‑engagement roadmap
Summary
At the March 25 board meeting, Chief Academic Officer Bridal Fox and curriculum staff reported district‑level gains from a second annual GVC audit—literacy implementation up about 15% and math up about 7.8%—and Dr. Jamila Singleton outlined a two‑year anti‑bias and family‑engagement rollout.
At the March 25 Evergreen School District board meeting, Chief Academic Officer Bridal Fox, directors and curriculum specialists reported measurable improvements in elementary instruction and outlined district plans to expand anti‑bias training and family engagement.
Bridal Fox said the Teaching, Learning and Equity update centers on implementing an equity‑based multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS). The presentation included results from the district’s second annual Elementary Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) audit and related work in anti‑bias education and family engagement.
Bobby Hite, executive director of instruction and leadership, and Tilly Meyer, director of curriculum and instruction, described the GVC audit. The audit team visited more than 660 elementary classrooms, said Hite, spending roughly 280 observation hours and another 130 hours analyzing and compiling school‑level data. That work was shared in debriefs with school administrators.
Meyer presented comparative results: literacy implementation improved on average about 15% districtwide from the prior audit, and math showed average gains of about 7.8%. Meyer said more classrooms are now in the “solidifying” category—district language for the desired implementation level in Tier 1 instruction. “It’s really exciting to see more green on the chart, meaning more classrooms are solidifying their practices,” she said.
The presentation emphasized pacing, alignment to scope and sequence, and teacher actions that produce evidence of student progress over time. District leaders said the audit results will inform coaching, professional development and the 2025–26 implementation plan.
During the meeting, Fox and staff also highlighted student music programs. The new Mariachi Ensemble at Mountain View High School qualified for state competition after strong regional solo and ensemble results, and Evergreen students won 31 of 43 categories at a regional contest that will send representatives to the WIAA State Solo & Ensemble Contest in Ellensburg.
Dr. Jamila Singleton, director of student equity and family engagement, outlined a two‑year roadmap to expand anti‑bias education and strengthen family engagement standards. Singleton said the district will train administrators in “Speak Up at School” strategies and restorative conversations, add anti‑bias lessons K–12, expand staff certification in Courageous Conversations About Race, and build a cohort trained in restorative practices.
Singleton described the district’s four‑strategy approach to interrupting bias—interrupt, question, educate and echo—and said those strategies will be embedded in staff training and reinforced on a district professional development day in August 2025. She explained family‑engagement work will align with Title I requirements to build capacity, coordinate programs and provide meaningful, accessible opportunities for families. The family‑engagement advisory includes more than 40 participants at each meeting, including an estimated 18–20 multilingual families, she said.
Singleton emphasized culturally responsive two‑way communication and accountability measures to identify engagement gaps. She said the district is working with the Washington Family Engagement Center for technical assistance and will develop walk‑through tools, checklists and a catalog of workshops and resources for families and staff.
As one counselor TOSA quoted during the presentation, Jessica Greenwell told the board, “Without repair, these issues don't get better,” describing the role of restorative practices in addressing harm and encouraging reporting.
Board members asked for copies of the slides and expressed appreciation for the audit work, the curriculum gains, and the family‑engagement outreach. The board was briefed that a future meeting will focus on Tier 3 intensive supports, with Director of Special Services Dr. Matt Bennett joining the update.
—
The presentation provided data and a district plan but did not include formal board actions on curriculum adoption or anti‑bias policy changes at this meeting.
