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Northside shifts ALE instruction to Unique Learning System; staff promise expanded PD and coaching
Summary
District special‑education leaders described moving ALE classrooms to the Unique Learning System (purchased in 2019) as the district’s primary HQIM for ALE students, with office hours, in-person PD and area-coordinator supports; trustees asked for more face‑to‑face training and staffing clarity.
Northside ISD special‑education staff described the districtwide introduction of the Unique Learning System as the primary curriculum for Adaptive/Alternate Learning Education (ALE) classrooms.
Presenters said Unique was purchased in 2019 and has now been designated as the district’s highly qualified instructional material (HQIM) for ALE because it aligns to research-based standards, embeds phonics and spirals skills for students with significant cognitive needs. Staff outlined supports supplied to teachers: staggered rollouts, August in-person training, November differentiated PD stations, biweekly office hours and area-coordinator campus visits. District leaders said the change reduces local curriculum-writing costs and frees instructional specialists to coach teachers instead of authoring materials.
Trustees’ concerns and follow-up: Board members pressed for more in-person, hands-on training (especially for new hires and technology-limited staff), clearer staffing ratios for ALE and assurances that curriculum specialists will be available for classroom coaching. Presenters agreed to expand face-to-face PD options and to provide materials and screenshots so principals and teachers can see pacing and exemplars.
Next steps: Staff will circulate instructional resources links, offer additional face-to-face sessions in coming months and supply clearer staffing/ratio data in a follow-up brief to trustees.
