MPS committee opens grades 9–12 English curriculum for textbook study, approves recommendation 5-0

The Committee on Student Achievement and School Innovation of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors voted 5–0 to approve opening English Language Arts (ELA) grades 9–12 for textbook study for texts to be used in the 2026–27 school year.

The vote implements the administration’s recommendation under Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Administrative Policy and Procedure 7.26 and begins the formal textbook review process for high school ELA materials. The committee’s action clears the way for staff to solicit and study candidate texts and return with adoption recommendations.

Superintendent Brenda Casellius presented the item and said the review will follow Policy 7.26 criteria, including availability of high‑quality bilingual materials, alignment with literacy and language development goals, and consistency with state standards and graduation requirements. Casellius noted one further step: a future adoption for an HMH product will be brought back “at another time” to align with Act 20 requirements.

Jay Bullock, a high school English department chair who spoke during public comment, urged the committee to approve the move. “I do believe that this adoption, long overdue,” Bullock said, adding that much of the district’s 10th‑ and 11th‑grade curriculum is more than 15 years out of date and that a districtwide adoption for grades 9–12 would be an improvement over annually selecting materials from different publishers.

Director Benoit moved to approve the administration’s recommendation. The roll call recorded aye votes from Directors Ferguson, Fonds, Herndon, Venoy and Chair Simpson, and the motion passed 5–0. The committee did not record a second on the motion in the minutes provided. The motion’s text directs administration to open ELA grades 9–12 for textbook study under Policy 7.26 for texts to be used beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

The administration and presenters said they will return with further details on specific adoptions and noted that an HMH adoption will need an additional presentation to align to Act 20. No timeline for that follow‑up was specified at the meeting.

The item was presented and discussed during the committee meeting held at the Central Services Building and broadcast on the district’s YouTube stream.