Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Ralston Public Schools staff recommend VISTA curriculum for English learners; board discussion precedes purchase request
Summary
Teachers and specialists presented March–June pilot results and asked the board to approve purchase of the VISTA English learner curriculum; staff said the curriculum integrates with Clever and Google Classroom and includes built‑in speaking practice and assessments. A formal vote on the purchase was discussed but not recorded in the transcript.
Ralston Public Schools English learner teachers recommended that the board approve the purchase of the VISTA English learner curriculum after a multi‑month review and pilot of two vendors.
The presentation, given by Bridal Barna (English learner specialist, middle school), Megan Bunn (EL teacher, Ralston High School) and Katie Raskershek (EL teacher, Ralston High School), described a pilot that began after a January selection process, expedited in March when district funding became available. The teachers said their secondary EL team sampled Cengage and VISTA materials in March–April, trained in Zoom sessions and then voted unanimously in May to adopt VISTA for use across newcomer and level 1–3 secondary classes.
Staff said VISTA was chosen because it was designed specifically for English learners, includes cultural relevance and scaffolds for students with limited or…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
