Albert Lea educators say Wit & Wisdom rollout has energized students but faces pacing and differentiation challenges

Albert Lea Public School District staff and Halverson Elementary teachers presented a midyear review of the district’s first-year rollout of the Wit & Wisdom K–5 English language arts curriculum, saying the program has raised student engagement but created pacing and differentiation challenges that the district is addressing with coaching and targeted supports.

District staff said the knowledge‑building curriculum pairs grade‑level texts with cross‑content units—linking ELA to Minnesota social studies and science standards—and that the district remains on track to complete modules 1–3 in year one, which the curriculum publisher counts as covering state standards for K–5.

Kim, district staff member, told the board the curriculum is “immersing students in rich content” and that foundational skills instruction continues through the district’s Really Great Reading program for K–2. She said the district is combining Wit & Wisdom for knowledge building with Really Great Reading for phonics, and training teachers in LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) to support the science of reading.

Principal Larson described classroom examples at Halverson Elementary that, she said, show increased student curiosity and writing. “They’re asking for it when it’s not even their time to have it,” Larson said of students requesting Wit & Wisdom lessons during indoor recess. Larson cited kindergarten tap‑dance projects, first‑grade vocabulary and topic writing, and fifth‑grade projects such as dioramas and a “royal banquet” word‑play unit as evidence of engagement.

Teachers’ written testimonials shared with the board said multilingual learners and students below grade level were able to access grade‑level content during discussions and writing. One teacher wrote, “Students are excited for reading time to begin. They ask me to keep going when we’re reading.” Students quoted in the presentation said the materials made them want to read more and helped them write summaries and longer pieces.

Staff also outlined the program’s implementation challenges. Lessons intended to take a single 90‑minute block sometimes required two or three days early in the year while teachers and students adapted to new lesson structures such as gallery walks and Socratic seminars. The district reported that Wit & Wisdom core materials do not include leveled versions of the same texts; to address differentiation the district is using GEODES (small‑group materials) in K–2 and piloting a tool called DIFIT in intervention and ELL classrooms to provide grade‑level vocabulary with text at students’ reading levels.

To support teachers, the district has invested in coaching and professional learning: a 10‑session Wit & Wisdom professional learning network for coaches across Minnesota and Wisconsin, guided observation days for building leaders, and district‑wide grade‑level collaboration focused on lesson study. Staff said the district’s K–3 team expects to complete LETRS cohorts for teachers by May 2026, and that bridging LETRS (teacher knowledge) with predesigned Really Great Reading lesson sequences remains an ongoing work item.

District staff listed next steps as continued coaching, targeted planning time for teachers, expanded small‑group supports for differentiated reading, and further integration of LETRS concepts into classroom practice. No formal board action was taken at the study session; staff asked the board to note the update and committed to regular progress reports.