Cherokee County board moves to centralize instructional materials after third‑party audit

The Cherokee County Board of Education heard findings from a third‑party instructional resource audit and advanced a first reading of a revised instructional materials policy that tasks staff with launching solicitations and prioritizing core materials for ELA (and potentially math) for the coming school year.

The audit, presented by Mr. Owen and discussed by Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis and Dr. Heath, looked at six years of instructional‑resource expenditures, tested alignment against Georgia performance standards, surveyed teachers (more than 50% response rate), and matched usage data from digital platforms against teacher responses. It concluded the district has an abundance of supplemental materials, weak core resource alignment in key subjects, inconsistent formative assessments, and a heavy tilt toward digital materials over print.

Why it matters: Board members and staff said fragmented resources force teachers to spend excessive time curating materials, impede consistent monitoring of student progress and limit students' ability to extend learning at home when resources are digital‑only.

Key findings and next steps reported to the board include: the district inventory lists roughly 36,827 devices for about 41,371 students, but device fleets are mixed by operating system and funding source, and about 20,000 devices are under three years old; 75% of science materials are digital only; teachers reported both heavy daily use of some supplemental tools (Lexia cited as used almost daily by 68% of teachers) and a need for more core, standards‑aligned materials (60% of respondents reported needing more core materials). The audit found many purchased items were partially or not aligned to standards and identified opportunities to shed redundant or obsolete purchases.

Board action and timeline: The board took a first reading of a revised instructional materials policy (board policy IFAA is the governing policy referenced in materials) that emphasizes teacher input, a balance of print and digital resources and a more centralized procurement role for procurement staff. Superintendent Davis and staff said they would launch an RFP process as early as next week, beginning with ELA and aiming for core materials in place for the next school year. Training for teachers on selected materials is planned for summer and preplanning, and the board requested monthly updates. Staff also said they will revise the board policy (BAB) expectations and bring a final instructional materials policy back for adoption in February.

Quotes: "Teachers should have core materials in their classroom, period," said Erin, a board member. Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis said the district aims to "build a floorboard that everybody gets to stand on" while preserving teacher creativity.

Implementation details: Staff listed procurement changes (procurement professionals to lead processes with subject matter experts as consultants), a standardized device strategy, comprehensive repair protocols and additional personnel to manage a larger device fleet. The audit recommended creating a consistent formative assessment program; staff said screeners exist K–8 for ELA and math but that comprehensive, districtwide formative assessments are lacking.

What the board directed: monthly progress briefings on selection, procurement and training; an RFP launch for ELA (and math if timing permits) with teacher review panels; and updating the instructional materials policy to codify the new process. The policy first reading was deemed eligible for the consent agenda but was pulled for further review at the upcoming board meeting.

The board emphasized the work is intended to reduce teacher time spent curating fragmented materials and to provide consistent tools for monitoring student progress across schools.