Wayne-Westland Community School District staff presented three curriculum requests to the board during a special meeting: a paid pilot for a new middle‑school science program, a proposed K–5 elementary math adoption, and replacement novels for middle‑school English classrooms.

District staff said middle‑school science teachers want to pilot an updated version of a resource they previously used under a free pilot. The vendor will provide digital and teacher materials but asked the district to split the cost of class science kits; staff requested $41,446.08 to cover the district’s half of the kits for the pilot year. “They are still paying for half of the kits for all of our classrooms…we are asking to pay for the other half at a cost of $41,446.08,” district staff member Miss Grove said.

Board members pressed staff for outcome data. Several trustees said they want baseline and pilot‑period assessment results before approving a full adoption. Miss Grove and board members agreed the pilot would gather evaluative module data (two per grade) and that staff would return with results and a full cost estimate before asking the board to adopt the program permanently.

On elementary math, district staff requested approval to purchase a K–5 curriculum. The total multi‑year price presented was about $817,000; staff said available grant funding would reduce the net impact on the general fund to roughly $669,000. The district described a multi‑year adoption process that included a 45‑teacher review team, partner reviews with EdReports and other providers, and professional development bundled with the purchase. Staff said teachers had digital access for all pilot teachers during the evaluation.

For middle‑school English language arts, staff requested up to $28,000 to buy replacement novels and supplemental classroom copies, with the books housed in classrooms (not sent home) and extras budgeted for replacements. Presenters said titles were coordinated with high‑school staff to avoid duplication of high‑school reading lists and that some selections include graphic‑novel formats to meet varied reading levels.

Board members repeatedly asked for two things before approving adoptions: (1) clear, comparative total cost estimates that reflect recurring consumable costs (science kits vs. consumables) and likely multi‑year licensing/pricing, and (2) measurable student outcome data from the current and planned pilot units. Staff said they will return with the requested cost breakdowns and pilot data as part of any future adoption request.

The board did not take formal votes on the curriculum purchases at this meeting; presenters described the items as requests that will return for approval once staff provides the follow‑up information requested by trustees.