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Cleveland City Schools board adopts McGraw Hill, STEMscopes for K–12 science curriculum
Summary
The Cleveland City Schools Board voted unanimously to adopt McGraw Hill K–8 materials and STEMscopes for several high‑school science courses after teacher and parent review; the eight‑year adoption includes professional development and raises questions about elementary lab‑kit costs to be resolved through the budget process.
The Cleveland City Schools Board of Education voted to adopt new science instructional materials for K–12, approving McGraw Hill for kindergarten through eighth grade and a combination of STEMscopes and McGraw Hill for high‑school courses.
Miss Bender, who led the elementary review, told the board: “The decision was made for McGraw Hill. That’s the recommendation we are making to you tonight for grades K through 8.” She said teachers and parents reviewed vendors in classroom demonstrations and through surveys, and teacher feedback stressed teacher‑friendly guides, age‑appropriate student workbooks and robust digital access.
Dr. Kelly Lang, who oversaw the secondary selection, said teachers recommended STEMscopes for biology, chemistry and physics while McGraw Hill was preferred for several other secondary classes. Lang said the selection followed a statewide vetting process and local teacher rubrics and presentations. She told the board the district had obtained budget quotes and that switching vendors would not change the adoption cost materially for the district, noting the adoption covers an eight‑year cycle.
Board members pressed for implementation details. Presenters said each vendor includes a professional development package; district staff plan training days and will craft pace guides for lower elementary teachers to keep science instruction manageable alongside ELA and math. The district also flagged the cost of vendor lab kits for elementary grades and said staff will evaluate whether to assemble lower‑cost, district‑supplied kits instead of purchasing vendor kits wholesale.
The motion to adopt the recommended materials passed by unanimous roll‑call vote. District staff said final purchases will be determined through the budget process and that training and pacing guides will be provided before classroom rollout.
Next steps: staff will finalize budget figures for textbook and lab‑kit purchases, schedule vendor professional development, and return procurement details to the board.
