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Orono board approves K–5 literacy curriculum recommendations; funding still undecided
Summary
The Orono Public School District board approved recommendations to adopt Arts and Letters for knowledge-building and UFLI Foundations for foundational skills, while noting final purchases and implementation timing depend on available READ Act and other funds.
The Orono Public School District Board of Education on May 13 approved a district recommendation to adopt a new K–5 English language arts curriculum and a foundational-skills program, while making clear purchases will proceed only if and when funding is secured.
Board members voted, by voice, to approve the curriculum recommendations after a multi-year study and extensive staff review. The district recommended Arts and Letters (the vendor described to the board as the updated successor to Wit & Wisdom) for K–5 knowledge-building modules and the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Foundations for primary-grade foundational skills. The board also approved a phased implementation approach and continuation of the district’s current foundational resource for grades 3–5 if necessary.
District leaders said the recommendation responds to the state READ Act’s emphasis on grade-level reading and to local curriculum review criteria developed by teachers and literacy specialists. “We believe these curricular resources will help us get to that end,” said Dr. Erin Ruhland, executive director of learning and accountability. Beth Pearson, district literacy specialist, told the board the committee reached “overwhelming consensus” on the two resources after reviewing rubrics, national evidence repositories and local “Orono look‑fors.”
The recommendation reflects two linked purchases: a knowledge‑building curriculum of grade‑level modules with high‑quality, full‑length texts and common assessments, and a matched foundational‑skills program for phonics and phonological awareness. District staff told the board Arts and Letters emphasizes fewer, high‑quality texts explored deeply and must be paired with a foundational skills program; UFLI Foundations was recommended for K–2 with a phased roll‑out to manage training and classroom capacity.
Board members and staff discussed funding and timing at length. The district plans to braid funds from multiple sources, including potential READ Act (state) dollars, general fund allocations, and other local sources. Staff said the vendor’s updated Arts and Letters materials would be the largest single curriculum purchase in recent district history and that initial vendor pricing surfaced a gap of roughly $280,000 compared with earlier estimates; UFLI Foundations was described to the board as a comparatively small cost (staff cited roughly $3,000 for one quoted element). “We’re not going to spend money we don’t have,” Dr. Flesher said, noting the board’s approval allows the district to move forward with contract negotiations and phased purchasing if full state funding does not materialize.
District staff said they have asked the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to consider Arts and Letters for READ Act eligibility; staff noted the curriculum is a newly released version that has not yet gone through MDE’s review cycle. “It’s a new version that’s been improved,” said one board member who previewed the materials. The board and staff discussed contingencies if the state does not permit READ Act reimbursement: phased purchases, prioritizing core teacher materials, and seeking private donations or parent‑organization assistance.
Board members highlighted district professional development as part of the plan. Staff said K–3 teachers and key intervention personnel already completed intensive training this year and that the district will prioritize summer and early‑fall training to support implementation.
The board’s action was limited to approving the recommendation and implementation plan; the district will return with contract details and phased purchasing plans as funding is finalized.
The board also discussed alignment with Minnesota standards and the district’s own K–5 units: the committee reviewed state rubrics and locally‑created criteria and recommended retaining and enhancing existing Orono units for grades 6–8 rather than replace them immediately.
Looking ahead, staff said their goal is to have as many teacher materials in teachers’ hands before summer so educators can prepare for the fall. If READ Act funds or other state funding arrives, district leaders said they will accelerate purchases; without that funding, purchases would be staged.
