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Education committee weighs CKLA adoption, iPad field test for K–2; district considers new data dashboard
Summary
The district's education committee reported that the Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) curriculum will be recommended for board adoption on April 23 at a cost of about $350,000; committee members also reviewed an elementary iPad field test (approximate cost $1 million) and began seeking alternatives to the current EduCLIMBER data dashboard.
At its April committee briefing included in the April 9 board meeting materials, the education committee summarized three substantive items: a recommendation to adopt Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) for elementary literacy, a field test of iPads for K–2 classrooms, and a review of the district's student data dashboard options.
Committee materials and presenters (Jason Schmidt, Doctor Brown and Doctor Coleman were the principal speakers in the committee summary) said CKLA has district‑level support and a recommendation to adopt and purchase the program would come to the full board on April 23 at an estimated cost of about $350,000. Committee members described CKLA as compliant with Act 20 requirements and characterized it as “teacher friendly, family friendly, and student friendly.” Doctor Coleman emphasized that the shift to proficiency will take multi‑year work and a focus on student ownership of learning.
On devices, Jason Schmidt presented an elementary field test to evaluate whether iPads would support K–2 instruction better than Chromebooks. The committee summary listed a ruggedized iPad configuration (cases and keyboards) at roughly $1.0 million for the pilot year, compared with about $400,000 for Chromebooks. The packet stated the money for either option had been budgeted in the 2020 referendum funding (learning without limits operational referendum) and would require additional board approval if the district moved to full iPad deployment next year.
The committee also discussed the district’s use of EduCLIMBER for data and noted limits in displaying discipline and other data in the desired formats. Committee members asked Schmidt to gather additional options and return with a recommendation.
The committee requested further detail on professional development for any curricular or device changes and asked the administration to return with a plan for who will provide and supervise professional learning if CKLA or an iPad rollout is approved.
No formal board action was taken on April 9; the education committee will bring formal recommendations and budget requests to the board for vote at a future meeting.
