District curriculum leaders reviewed instructional initiatives intended to raise literacy and tighten instructional practice across grades.

Presenters described a district focus on “teacher clarity” and the Data Wise eight‑step improvement cycle (prepare, inquire, act) to help administrators and teacher teams identify priority questions, define learner‑centered problems of practice, develop action plans, and monitor progress in short cycles. Staff said the district will aim for fuller Data Wise implementation in 2025–26 while building administrator and teacher capacities during 2024–25.

District leaders also summarized the science of reading work: the district has trained teachers in Orton‑Gillingham/IMSE approaches, with 122 currently certified and another cohort of 22 in training. The district used ESSER funds to purchase phonemic‑awareness materials (Heggerty) and sent staff to vendor cohorts on morphology and fluency for upper‑elementary grades. Staff said Tammy Nutsal (district literacy coach) is the district’s point person and trainer for IMSE certification.

The board was told the Indiana Department of Education awarded Greater Clark $56,969.22 in an early literacy incentive grant to provide teacher stipends; staff said stipends would be prorated by minutes of literacy instruction and effectiveness rating and proposed distribution on the February 14 payroll with board approval.

Presenters emphasized that newly published state frameworks, item specifications and performance‑level descriptors give clearer guidance on standards and that the district intends to move from “what” to the “how” by using common planning, instructional observation protocols and collaborative cycles.