Board briefed on proposed secondary ELA adoption; district recommends six-year contract with Savvas 'My Perspectives'

Harford County Public Schools curriculum leaders recommended the board approve Savvas My Perspectives as the district’s new secondary English language arts program for grades 6–10 and sought the board’s approval to bring a contract to the March agenda.

Diane Mack, deputy superintendent for instruction, introduced a curriculum team that included Heather Kutcher (executive director for curriculum and instruction), Christine Scarry (supervisor for ELA) and Ann Marie Stetzler (assistant supervisor). Kutcher told the board the district ran a formal request-for-proposal process to ensure an open, competitive selection and that an evaluation committee of English teachers and specialists reviewed and interviewed finalists.

Kutcher said the Savvas six-year subscription was “the most cost effective” over time and translated to roughly $25 per student per year; she described benefits including coherent unit design, knowledge-building text sets, explicit vocabulary and morphology instruction and integrated supports for English learners. Christine Scarry walked the board through science-of-reading alignment, noting the program’s focus on language structures, verbal reasoning, vocabulary and background knowledge. Staff said the program performed well in EdReports evaluations and included both print and digital resources, embedded language-coach tools and “bridge texts” (summarized/chunked passages) to support struggling readers.

Program supports for teachers figure heavily in staff recommendations. Kutcher and Scarry emphasized built-in professional development, a trainer-of-trainers model, school-based department planning and an initial vendor launch followed by ongoing in-district coaching. The district’s procurement office negotiated a best-and-final offer that reduced initial shipping/handling charges and yielded the price presented to the board.

Board members asked detailed implementation questions: procurement/payment options (staff said multi-year payment options were available, and the district planned to obligate the full contract amount when it posts the purchase order), how the district would handle changing enrollment, whether replacement or lost consumables would be covered, and whether neighboring districts had adopted the program. Staff said several Maryland districts use Savvas and that the elementary-to-secondary continuity would ease student transitions. Staff also said they reviewed free or lower-cost state-provided options but found they either lacked EdReports ratings, did not meet the science-of-reading criteria, or were not continuous programs across the secondary grades.

The board was asked to place the contract on the March 10 meeting agenda for formal approval; staff offered to re-open a shared question-and-answer document for board members and to provide any additional data points requested before the vote.

Ending: Staff will bring a contract and final budget details to the March board meeting. If approved, vendor-led rollout and district professional development will begin in spring and continue through implementation year one.