District curriculum staff told the USD 231 Board of Education they are on track to recommend K–12 ELA instructional materials with a timeline that includes vendor demonstrations this week, a Jan. 12 recommendation to the board and anticipated board approval Feb. 9.

Dr. Jones (speaker 23) reviewed a three-phase process used by a selection committee that included teacher curriculum writers and other stakeholder representatives. Phase 1 established goals and stakeholder representation; Phase 2 included teacher surveys and shortlisting materials (the presenter named Core Knowledge Language Arts/CKLA and Into Reading for elementary; Into Literature and StudySync at middle school; and StudySync and Into Literature at high school); Phase 3 includes publisher demonstrations and final recommendation.

Staff framed the effort around the science of reading and an instrument called the 'what matters most' tool to align vendor materials with district-written curriculum. All shortlisted resources were reviewed by the independent evaluator EdReports, and most received high ratings, the presenter said. Staff also described accommodations to allow teacher voice (offering four options when feasible) and efforts to display materials at all buildings for teacher and public review.

If the board follows the presented timetable, a formal recommendation will appear Jan. 12 and the board could approve resources Feb. 9, allowing publisher contacts and teacher materials to be in teachers' hands for an April professional-development day and for summer training.

Board members asked clarifying questions and thanked staff for the process. No final adoption vote was recorded at the meeting; the timeline sets next procedural steps.