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Omaha Public Schools staff recommend new alternate-curriculum and K–12 music materials for 2025–26
Summary
Teaching-and-learning staff recommended Attainment Company and several supplementary programs for alternate curriculum (K–age 21) and proposed Quaver Ed and Sound Innovations products and equipment for K–12 music; board was briefed and told vendor agreements will be brought back for approval.
Omaha Public Schools staff recommended new instructional materials Monday for two significant curricular areas, saying the products would better align resources with student needs and expand hands-on and multilingual options.
At an informational presentation to the Board of Education, Chris Perera, special education teaching and learning consultant, and colleagues recommended adoption of Attainment Company as the core program for the district’s alternate curriculum (students K–age 21 who require modified standards). The proposal also includes supplementary vendors — Building Wings (Readtopia Go, Readtopia, News Currents), EPS Learning (Sound Sensible and SPIRE), and LINCS from the STAR autism support program — to expand literacy, multisensory reading instruction, and autism-specific supports, Perera said.
District leaders told the board the alternate curriculum serves roughly 850 students across multi-handicap and transition programs, and that the selection process began with requests for proposals in May 2024, included stakeholder and equity reviews, field testing in February, and teacher feedback in March. Perera said a key driver was moving away from an all-online resource toward “books in children’s hands” and more robust science and social studies content. He noted SPIRE and Sound Sensible align with decoding and phonics research and that Attainment is designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
Sarah Stratten Babb, K–12 teaching and learning consultant for music, and Holly Eberhardt, lead teacher for music, presented recommendations for K–12 music curriculum and equipment. For elementary vocal music the team recommended Quaver Ed (an online, Spanish‑available curriculum). For band, orchestra and choir at middle and high school levels the team recommended a suite of Sound Innovations products (method books, ensemble development, sight‑reading and percussion resources), Alfred’s adult piano series for piano classes, and Tonal Harmony (McGraw Hill) for high school music theory. The presenters said equipment purchases will accompany the adoption to standardize elementary instrument inventories and to support ensemble performance in schools across the district.
Board members asked about differences from current materials and about production/beat‑making options. Perera said the alternate‑curriculum change emphasizes physical texts and deeper content in science and social studies compared with the district’s prior Unique/News‑2‑U materials. On music, staff said Quaver replaces a 2006 adoption and will centralize resources teachers now supplement; the district also is researching a DJ‑oriented product for middle school. Presenters said teachers field‑tested vendor products and that negotiated agreements will be brought to the board for approval at a future meeting.
The presentation materials are available on the table by the superintendent’s office and, according to staff, will be available at the next board meeting when the board will be asked to vote on vendor contracts.
