Lawndale board hears recommendation to adopt Amplify elementary science materials

Director Lehi Varela, presenting for the district, told the Lawndale Elementary School District Board of Education that a year-and-a-half committee process yielded a recommendation to adopt Amplify Science for elementary classrooms.

Varela said the committee centered teacher and student experience when evaluating four curricula, narrowed the list to two for pilot and ultimately recommended Amplify based on criteria that included standards alignment, inclusion of science and engineering practices, accessibility for English learners and students with IEPs, and teacher usability. "The committee is bringing the recommendation of Amplify Science to the board tonight," Varela said.

The pilot included publisher presentations, office hours, professional planning sessions, student focus groups and two parent meetings, Varela said. She summarized two key takeaways from the District pilot: "strong student engagement through hands-on and interactive elements" and "high quality and accessible teaching materials."

Trustees praised the committee work but pressed for concrete supports during rollout. Trustee Chester Morales asked the district to "support and monitor the implementation of this material," citing other districts where adoption did not translate to classroom use. "Please support and monitor the implementation of this material," Morales said.

Varela responded that for year one the district will adopt the publisher's pacing guide and collect feedback all year to adjust pacing in subsequent years. She also described an alignment plan to pair science units with language-arts units so teachers can teach complementary content concurrently. Trustee Phillips and others emphasized the risk that new materials can "sit on the shelf" without training and monitoring, and urged the district to provide ongoing teacher support.

Board members and staff also noted logistical concerns for classrooms: the curriculum bundle includes hands-on materials (jars, bags, aluminum foil and other kit items) that require storage and handling. Varela said the district's TOSA and support teams would help with material distribution and teacher support.

The board did not take a formal vote on adoption at this item; the presentation and the district's year-one support plan were entered on the record for future action.