Susie Contos, director of teaching and learning, told the Clover Park School District board the district has launched a process to adopt a new English language arts curriculum for grades 6 through 12.

"Tonight, I'll walk through the rationale, process, and next steps in our journey to adopt a new ELA curriculum for grades 6 through 12," Contos said, describing the work as grounded in "CPSD policy 2020" and driven by a belief the current materials are outdated and do not meet students' diverse learning needs. Contos said the district prioritized cultural responsiveness, digital resources and equity in its review.

Staff identified two programs for pilot implementation in the 2025–26 school year: My Perspective and StudySync. Seventy teachers from general education, special education and multilingual learner programs are piloting materials; the district has begun with StudySync. Contos said a bias review occurred in June to assess cultural responsiveness and equity.

Community review of pilot materials is open both online and in person from Oct. 13 through Nov. 14. Contos said the district is collecting feedback from students, teachers and community members to inform a final recommendation to the board in April 2026; teacher training is planned for July or August 2026 and full implementation would begin in September 2026 if the board approves the recommendation.

Board members asked how the district will secure broad community input, particularly from the district’s majority Latinx families, and whether materials are available for board review. Contos confirmed materials are posted online, that staff will resend the direct link to board members, and that the district will provide Spanish-language outreach and use Peachjar and other channels as needed. Contos cautioned that, historically, public review of textbooks yields limited feedback absent controversy, but said the district will solicit input and make materials available in person on request.

The district did not take any formal action on the curriculum at this meeting; staff noted the pilot will continue through March 2026 and that they will return with final recommendations in April 2026.