Peninsula board staff launches multi-year math curriculum review after Minnetonka visit; elementary adoption targeted for 2026

District staff told the board on June 3 that Peninsula School District is beginning a systemic review of mathematics curriculum and instruction after spring assessment data and a study visit to Minnetonka Public Schools.

James Kentonwein, director of research and assessment, presented i‑Ready spring data and said "All grade levels, our students are performing at higher levels than the national norm," while also noting math growth lagged reading in several grades and that sixth‑grade math growth was particularly low in the district.

Staff described a multi-tiered adoption process. Natalie Boyle and other elementary leaders said the district’s current elementary math curriculum, Envisions (adopted in 2015), is outdated and that the elementary adoption team—two teachers from each of the district’s 10 elementary schools—has convened and begun screening materials. Boyle said elementary teams will use parent, student and educator surveys collected in May and early June to develop “look‑fors” and that curriculum review, rubric scoring and piloting will follow the district’s public adoption flowchart.

John Yellowlees and Natalie Boyle presented a timeline that calls for curriculum review in September–October 2025, a pilot period around November–February, and a potential board adoption in spring 2026 so implementation could begin fall 2026. Staff emphasized that professional development and multi‑year implementation supports will be provided if new materials are adopted.

Superintendent Barr described a district visit to Minnetonka, Minn., where staff observed a system that requires algebra for eighth graders and offers acceleration on structured "on‑ramps" beginning in fourth grade. John Yellowlees summarized takeaways: common pacing, formative assessments, a strong data culture, articulated pathways for remediation and acceleration, and consistent instructional blocks that allow students to "walk to" targeted instruction.

Board members and staff discussed family engagement and resources parents can use at home. Boyle said elementary surveys included questions about the family experience and requests for videos or materials to help parents support homework. James Kentonwein said the district will expand family and student surveys through a partnership with the Center for Education Effectiveness (CEE) to gather climate and implementation feedback once a pilot is complete.

Middle- and high-school review teams are assessing current materials (Illustrative Mathematics at middle school; CPM at high school) and will decide by September whether to keep those curricula or move them into formal adoption processes with pilot options. Staff said the review will be anchored by district math guiding principles developed by a K–12 teacher group and by the district’s curriculum adoption rubric.

Staff framed the work as a multi-year implementation effort, emphasizing that adoption alone is insufficient without strong initial and ongoing professional development, consistent pacing, common assessments and defined "on‑ramps" and interventions to make math pathways equitable across schools.

Board members urged family inclusion in the process, comparing the outreach model used by the literacy task force and urging a similar approach for math. Staff responded that family surveys, student focus groups and transparent publication of committee work are planned and available on the district’s curriculum adoption website.

The board did not vote on any curriculum adoption at this meeting; staff established timelines and next steps for review, piloting and public feedback.