Rockdale administrators present major curriculum renewals and new adoptions, including Savvas MyPerspectives and series of digital tools

Rockdale County curriculum leaders presented a slate of recommended renewals and purchases at the board’s April work session, asking the board to place the items on the regular‑session consent agenda for formal approval.

Dr. Denise Richardson, director of Curriculum and Instruction, told the board the team used a zero‑based budget approach and evidence criteria to prioritize resources and said “we're looking for impact, not just usage.” The presentation listed about 20 curriculum action items across science, social studies, ELA, health and PE, screening tools and digital platforms.

Key recommendations included: - Adoption of Savvas MyPerspectives as the 6–12 ELA core resource, a six‑year print and digital purchase totaling $1,706,512.50. Dr. Sharonda McCray (Language and Literacy coordinator) said stakeholder surveys and committee reviews identified MyPerspectives as the front‑runner for middle and high school adoption. - A $103,833.07 purchase of Bedford, Freeman & Worth (BFW) materials for pre‑AP and AP English courses to support expanded course pathways. - A five‑year Imagine Learning Sonday System renewal for pre‑K–5 ELA intervention at $624,551.64, and Benchmark Advance consumables for K–5 at $304,920. - Health and HIV/AIDS curriculum adoptions recommended by the reconstituted Health Advisory Committee: Quaver Health and PE for K–5 (no additional cost) and Choosing the Best for grades 6–9 at $22,396.96. Staff cited review under OCGA 20‑2‑143 and the district instructional‑material policy. - Digital platforms and screeners: ClassLink auto‑rostering and single‑sign‑on at $57,945 (to be paid from general fund), Renaissance STAR universal screener renewal at $237,875.76 (funded through ESPLOST), Edgenuity for grades 9–12 at $138,954.52 (ESPLOST), Nearpod at $94,086 (ESPLOST), and the SchoolNet assessment bank renewal at $124,124.43. - Science renewals: one‑year renewals for McGraw‑Hill middle school science at $154,181.47 and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt K–5 science digital subscription at $419,790.03, both noted as ESPLOST‑funded and presented as short renewals pending a full adoption review.

Dr. McCray summarized the adoption process for secondary ELA: vendors were vetted by committees of teachers, coaches and leaders; the committee used a High‑Quality Instructional Materials rubric; the district opened public review and gathered stakeholder input; and cost comparisons factored in the final recommendation.

CFO Joycelyn Smith and other staff repeatedly stated that many of the purchases would be funded through ESPLOST (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) or existing budget lines; one item (ClassLink) must be paid from general funds because it is a platform service, not an instructional material eligible for ESPLOST funding.

Board members asked clarifying questions about funding sources, the length of contracts (a six‑year term for some ELA resources was proposed), and monitoring plans. Dr. Richardson and program managers said principals and program managers would be required to provide evidence of impact before future renewals, and that coaches and digital learning specialists would monitor implementation.

The work session record shows the board subsequently voted to place items 1–19 on the regular‑session consent agenda for formal approval; formal contract approvals and purchases are contingent on superintendent and general‑counsel review.

No final contracts were signed at the work session; the presentation was to seek board placement of the items on the consent agenda for the next regular meeting.