Upper Darby committee recommends new middle‑school social studies and updates math materials; costs estimated

The Education and Pupil Services Committee of the Upper Darby School District reviewed recommendations on textbook adoptions for middle‑school social studies and mathematics and indicated support to advance both items for a January board vote.

Committee presenters said a selection committee followed district policy and administrative regulations to review materials from multiple publishers. For social studies, the committee recommended the Sabis online series (noted in the meeting transcript as “Sabus”) for grade 6 world geography, grade 7 world history and grade 8 American history, proposing approximately 1,000 online licenses and a six‑year subscription quoted at $300,000 — about $50,000 per year — to be paid from the district budget rather than a prior legislative grant.

For mathematics, the committee recommended continuing with the Savvas Envision mathematics series (2024 copyright update) for grades 6–8, plus an accelerated seventh‑grade course and Algebra I materials. The presenter said the district would procure roughly 2,900 consumable textbooks and digital licenses at an estimated cost of about $86,000 per year; an associated professional development package was estimated at about $10,000.

President Desnoiers asked about the apparent difference in license counts between the social studies and math recommendations; the presenter said enrollment changes require final adjustments and that prior vendor quotes (previously near 3,000 licenses) would be reconciled before the January board action. The presenter also said teacher print resources and some professional development are included at no extra cost with the social studies six‑year adoption.

The committee agreed to move the textbook adoptions forward to the full board for formal action at the January meeting. The district will provide finalized license counts and updated cost figures before that vote.