Board approves limited TeachersPayTeachers access while district forms vetting committee

The Litchfield Elementary School District governing board voted Feb. 25 to allow teachers to use TeachersPayTeachers (TPT) as a supplemental resource for the remainder of the 2024–25 school year while the district pilots a permanent review and approval process for supplemental materials.

Assistant Executive Director Jennifer Benjamin and district staff told the board TPT is not currently on the district’s approved supplemental list and that technology staff had flagged file‑type and malware risks when items are uploaded and shared on third‑party seller platforms. “From the technology side…there is the possibility of malware because you don't know who is uploading what,” Benjamin said. She also said supplemental materials on TPT vary in rigor and alignment to Arizona standards and that the district has received complaints about lack of prior communication when teachers tried to use TPT resources.

Benjamin outlined a three‑tier approval framework the district will pilot: “yes — approved with district support,” “yes — approved without district support,” and “no — not approved.” Under the recommendation approved by the board, the district will accept TPT submissions for the remainder of this year while designing a committee to vet supplemental materials; TPT would be shut down for next year unless individual items are whitelisted through the committee process.

Board members debated balancing teacher autonomy for classroom décor and short‑term activities with the need to assure instructional coherence, student data privacy and technical safety. Several board members said they did not want to punish teachers who use TPT for non‑instructional classroom materials. Teacher and former teacher board member Michelle Wallace described typical classroom uses — bulletin‑board prints, seasonal activities and behavior charts — and cautioned the board against removing simple classroom supports used daily by teachers.

The governing board unanimously approved the motion to allow TPT access for the remainder of 2024–25 without district support and directed staff to pilot a supplemental‑materials committee and a whitelist process to govern access in 2025–26. The motion was made by Governing Board Member Moran and seconded by Governing Board Member Wallace; recorded votes were Moran, Mikes, Owens and Wallace — all “Yea.”

District staff said the pilot will begin in quarter 4, and that teachers will be asked to submit materials they want considered; staff expects an initial high review workload that should decline after an initial vetting pass. Benjamin said the committee will check items for standards alignment, FERPA/privacy compliance, technology compatibility and accessibility before they are whitelisted.