Willis ISD board adopts Bluebonnet math and Savvas reading for elementary grades
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Summary
The Board approved new high-quality instructional materials after a months-long review process that included teachers, staff and community reviewers; the board voted 6–0 to adopt Bluebonnet Learning for K–Algebra I math and Savvas (SABAS/Savvas) for K–5 reading and language arts.
After a multi-week review that included teacher, administrator and community input, Willis ISD trustees on March 19 approved new curricular materials for mathematics and elementary reading and language arts.
Instructional staff recommended Bluebonnet Learning for mathematics (K through Algebra I) and Savvas (referred to in public materials as "Sabbas"/Savvas) for K–5 reading and language arts. District staff said the recommendation was based on rubric feedback from teachers, principals and community reviewers during multiple showcases and listening sessions held in the district and at the Region 6 service center. The district presented numeric rubric scores and representative comments to support the recommendation.
Nut graf: Trustees approved the adoption by motion; the adoption launches ordering, training and a rollout plan that district staff said will include vendor-provided foundational professional development and locally planned ongoing training for teachers. Parents and community members who reviewed the materials provided both praise and requests for tactile, offline resources (multiple reviewers asked for printable materials for younger students).
Teachers and curriculum staff emphasized that adoption is only the first step. The district plans to order materials, coordinate professional development with the publishers and Region 6, receive and inventory materials and begin teacher training ahead of implementation next school year. Curriculum staff said some grant awards and external funding will support initial rollout costs and that staff are tracking state procurement windows to ensure timely delivery.
In public comment before the vote, two community members spoke about the materials under review. One speaker supported STEMscopes for math and Savvas for RLA, citing teacher support materials and alignment with recent science adoption. Another parent urged a print-first RLA option (the Bluebonnet RLA entry) to reduce screen time and to give parents tangible materials for practice at home.
Ending: The board approved the superintendent’s recommendation to adopt the recommended high‑quality instructional materials by a voice vote (motion carried 6–0). District staff said they will report back on ordering timelines and professional-development plans at follow-up workshops.
