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Board adopts new ELA and math textbooks; district cites nearly $500,000 in negotiated savings
Summary
The board approved a multi-year set of textbook adoptions including Amplify for K–8 ELA and Reveal Math for middle-school math, plus continued CommonLit use at the high school; the administration said teachers participated in selection and that the district negotiated substantial savings and built PD into implementation plans.
Elkhart Community Schools' board voted Tuesday to adopt a package of curricular materials after a districtwide review and teacher feedback, including Amplify ELA for K–8 and Reveal Math for middle-school math; the high school will continue with CommonLit for ELA.
Dr. Rausch, who led the adoption process, told the board that the district had not recently completed a comprehensive textbook cycle and that teachers and content-area specialists reviewed samples in every building. The district used the Indiana Department of Education’s vetted list to narrow choices for reading and STEM materials and solicited vendor presentations for middle- and high-school courses.
Elementary ELA teachers and coaches recommended Amplify — an IDOE-approved curriculum — for K–8 reading instruction; the administration said that Amplify ranked highly on independent reviews and would provide consistent curriculum across buildings. Middle-school math teachers recommended Reveal Math to align pacing and provide remediation tools (district staff cited Reveal’s ALEKS-style supports). High-school ELA teachers recommended continuing CommonLit, and high-school social studies teachers selected materials appropriate to Indiana standards.
The district said professional development will accompany the adoptions and that administrators negotiated pricing reductions across adoptions, saving the district nearly $500,000 compared with initial vendor pricing. Parents were given an opportunity to review materials on May 22, the administration said.
Board members thanked curriculum staff for a yearlong process and noted the importance of fidelity and PD for successful implementation. The motion to approve the recommended adoptions passed unanimously in open session.
