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Board hears teacher concerns about rollout of new literacy plan, pacing guides and coaching assignments
Summary
Directors and administrators discussed teacher concerns about pacing guides released in shorter cycles, access to materials, professional learning and the reassignment of literacy coaches to classroom duties to cover vacancies.
Board members and district administrators discussed the rollout of a new district literacy plan, teacher access to pacing guides, and the district’s temporary reassignment of some central literacy coaches to classrooms to cover teacher vacancies.
Director Seemson returned an item on the FY 2026 academic plan to the board for further attention, citing staff concern about pacing guides and the inability to access beyond a short timeframe. “Staff finds that I think just really hard for long‑term planning, looking ahead a little bit to see what's coming,” she said.
Administration representatives, including Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Masao Howell and Dr. Gabby Bell Jimenez (district literacy lead), said the district intentionally released module guidance in smaller “grain sizes” so teachers can focus on explicit, integrated reading and writing instruction and master new instructional practices. Bell Jimenez described the approach as necessary to align professional learning with high‑quality instructional materials and the science of reading.
Administrators demonstrated how teachers can access the guides through the district’s M‑Connect system and said the guides exist for all grade bands K–12. Howell said the district will use upcoming professional development dates to unpack Module 2 and provide grade‑band and role‑level supports.
Board members raised concerns about literacy coaches being assigned to classroom teaching to cover vacancies. The superintendent said central office staff have been temporarily placed in classrooms to ensure students have permanent licensed teachers rather than unlicensed substitutes, and that hiring remains a top priority for human resources. “We have had a good start because these students have permanent teachers in their classrooms right now and we're not disrupting them,” she said, adding the district will return coaches to their roles as vacancies are filled.
Directors asked the administration to continue outreach and to provide charts and schedules showing pacing and rollout timelines; administration said it will share additional materials and provide in‑school supports for staff who request assistance.
