School district leaders outlined curricular and student‑support priorities that appear in the FY 2026 superintendent’s budget document and slide deck, emphasizing continued rollout of new curricula and expanded targeted interventions.

Lede and context

Superintendent’s staff said the district will continue implementing a recently piloted middle‑school science curriculum and will pilot a new grade‑5 science curriculum in FY 2026. At the elementary level the budget maintains continuing use of adopted curricula such as Bridges (math) and Wit and Wisdom (ELA). The high school is slated to receive new history textbooks.

Nut graf

District leaders framed these materials and program expenditures as aligned to their strategic goals for improving student achievement and closing achievement gaps. The FY‑2026 draft budgets include resources to expand multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS) tools and staffing, to extend Branching Minds software from elementary to middle school, and to continue after‑school homework clubs and late‑bus service.

Key program elements and funding

- Science curricula: the middle‑school science curriculum piloted this year has been adopted for full implementation next year; Grade‑5 will be piloted.
- Branching Minds and MTSS: Branching Minds — a data and intervention management tool started at the elementary level — is budgeted for expansion to the middle school to support MTSS work. Staff said the tool helps “collect data and put action plans together for our students.”
- Interventionists and data teams: the draft keeps interventionist positions at elementary and middle levels and promotes school‑level data teams to monitor student progress and plan instruction.
- Coaches and professional development: budgeted items include a partial (grant‑supported) middle‑school science coach funded through GEMS Net and Title II funding, continuation of a multilingual learner coach, and literacy coaching funded by the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant.
- After‑school supports: the proposal continues after‑school homework club and late‑bus service across grade levels.

Committee questions and clarifications

Committee members asked for further detail about timelines and pilot schedules; staff clarified the middle‑school science curriculum is being fully implemented this year and will continue next year. The administration said some coaching positions are partial roles funded through grants rather than full‑time hires.

Why this matters

Curriculum purchases, coaching and data tools are the district’s main levers to address achievement and equity goals; the committee was told many of the proposals rely partially on external grants or restricted funds, and that maintaining sustainability after grants expire will require future budget consideration.

Ending note

Administrators said the budget document includes goal alignment information for each curricular investment and that further line‑item detail will be provided on request.